Nay's Note: by Naomi James, MSN RN CPAN CNEcl
April 2021
Preparation, truly, is the KEY to your success in the Nursing profession!
Are you ready for lecture tomorrow? Are you ready to take the NCLEX in May? Are you ready for that critically ill patient that you're going to get from the ER this evening?
If the answer is NO, then we need to really dig into how you can tap into this critical success tool...preparedness!
Whether you are striving to be successful in Nursing school, as a new Nurse, or at the pinnacle of your professional Nursing career; you must learn how to best prepare for any and everything.
Listen in!
When you are seeking how to get ready for the road ahead, I want you to ponder on this famous quote from actor Will Smith, "If you stay ready, you don’t need to get ready."
This quote should translate that proper preparation will better equip you for the obstacles, challenges, and changes ahead of you on your Nursing journey.
I don’t want to propose the idea that I am not aware of the fact that you will not be able to be adequately prepared for everything all the time. And I do understand that there are many life experiences that you cannot prepare for and you must experience the spontaneous effects of those experiences. However, there are many things, even most things that we can and we should prepare for.
Let’s really breakdown preparedness. Preparedness is an art. Literally, it is the act of planning and anticipating something that you want to happen or something that you desire to do in a certain way. It requires effort, time, and most likely all of your resources pulling together to fully execute what it is that you are prepping for. Preparing for your first job interview, preparing for class, even preparing for an early morning workout, might require you to make significant changes. Preparation could mean something as simple as waking up early, consistently, every single day for the next 90 days or for the next 24 months. Preparation could even mean laying out your clothes for a week in advance, arriving at your destination a half an hour early, or reading over some topics and hour before class. Simply put, preparation requires you to truly do whatever it takes to be READY for the climb.
***The Key to a successful execution of the task is to be ready for the process and possible challenges of that task.
How about we dive a little deeper into that....?????
1st ask yourself: What type of preparation is required for this?
For example: Is this accomplishment going to require mental preparation, physical ability, professional skills, or all of the above? In the beginning of your prepping, you need to selectively target the type of preparation that is necessary for optimal execution. If the task at hand calls for mental preparation, what are you going to do to mentally prepare? Are you going to consider your doubts and worries? Are you going to visualize your fears and action plan how to overcome them? This could possibly help you be better prepared mentally.
What if the task requires professional preparation, what are you going to do to prepare professionally? Are you going to seek resume writing assistance? Are you going to meet with your mentor or preceptor and plan a “mock interview”? Know that whatever the task is, that requires your preparation, it is best that you gear your focus on the type of preparation that will help you be READY.
2nd ask yourself: How much time do I need to set aside to prepare for this?
For example if this is a professional exam (let’s say the NCLEX) that you are studying for, then you may need to set aside months worth of time to adequately prepare for the exam. A timeline would be a key tactic to execute time-specific preparation. You may need to start with determining how many minutes/hours per day are required for task accomplishment. Then you may need to estimate how many days per week are required to accomplish that specific task, and so on. Timing is an essential factor for proper preparation and timing will help keep you on track for achieving maximum preparation
3rd ask yourself: Which specific things will I DO and what will I NEED to be prepared ?
For example if this is a capstone project for your graduate studies program, you might be assigned to find a preceptor. This may entail contacting your advisor for a list of authorized preceptor contacts or you may have to do some focused networking to locate a preceptor on your own. Your specific actions may include sending emails, making phone calls, visiting site locations and interviewing with the human resources (HR) department. You may need to schedule time off of work or change around appointments in your schedule to match the demands of your preceptors schedule. Either way, the act of preparation will require some specific implementation.
Another example could be similar to you having a new clinical rotation assignment (in your RN program) and you might be assigned to bring equipment with you to clinical. This may entail you having to purchase or locate items such as a stethoscope, a watch with a second hand on it, a medical clipboard, and student nurse badge. The point is that the action of preparation may require tasks to be implemented or items to obtain.
You will truly feel the execution when you focus on the specific “things” that you need to do for preparation.
Lastly: I must talk about the pitfalls of preparation.
You will forget to do things. You will fall short in your preparation tasks ahead and make simple mistakes. It is human for you to forget to do things and to miscalculate. But you can also train yourself to have back-up plans and options. Prepared people recognize their biggest obstacles and plan for the worst case scenarios. This planning is a little more tedious and does require a little more effort-such as keeping an extra pair of scrubs (uniforms) in your work locker. Mitigating the pitfalls of preparation can seem like overcompensation, yet at the end of the day you are striving for success. If success means going the extra mile-then DO IT! With preparation, a little goes a LONG way.
Think about it in a different way. Can you pinpoint the last time you came unprepared for something? Maybe you can recall the last time you didn’t bring a stethoscope to work or the last time you didn’t fill-up your car with gas before heading to your destination. How did this affect the progress of your day? For some people it may not have caused a large rift-and true the world is not going to end if you leave your stethoscope at home. But the key is that even simple things can have major effects in our productivity and ultimately our success. By having even a small back-up plan your more likely to get right back on track and continue with smoother transitions and less complicated obstacles.
Ultimately, your success will weigh heavily on how ready you are for the path ahead. Targeting how to get prepared, Taking the time, Gathering the items, and having a back up plan are the pillars to being a successfully-PREPARED-professional. Professionalism takes effort and the more you practice the art of preparedness the more proficient you will be at exuding the quality.
Preparation is the KEY to a successful career in Nursing...and I want to help you "up" you preparation game! If you want personal, customized mentoring and professional guidance to enhance your preparation skills-then BOOK your FREE Mentoring consultation with ME today!
BOOK HERE!!!
My services provide the tools and resources that you need to help you excel in your professional nursing career. Whether your a nursing student, a new graduate nurse, or a seasoned professional- I can be a viable asset in helping you achieve all of your professional dreams.
Click the link to see all of the services that I provide! CLICK HERE!!!
HAPPY SOARING!
Naomi James, MSN RN CPAN CNEcl
Nurse Educator/Mentor
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