3 Ways Nursing Schools Can Better Prepare Students for the Future

A mistake made by many students, including those pursuing nursing degrees, is to confuse their performance in the classroom with the performance desired by their future employers.

Employers do not hire students or recent graduates to sit in classrooms, take notes, and get good grades on exams. Instead, employers hire candidates who are the most likely to be able to do the job. Sure, getting good grades in your nursing program is an indicator that you're likely to perform well on the job for your future employer, but a better indicator is that you've already done similar work for a similar employer successfully. That means getting good work experience, and that can mean successfully completing one or more internships or even volunteering in a healthcare-related capacity.

Be sure to successfully complete at least one part-time, seasonal, internship, or other such entry-level job in a healthcare-related capacity prior to graduation. What you're paid to do so shouldn't be relevant to your future employer, so if you are able to afford to volunteer and can find an opportunity to do so that provides you with great experience, do it. If you can't afford to work for free, find a paid job that offers at least some healthcare-related experience as that experience will make you a far lower risk hire for a future employer, and that will greatly increase your chance of them hiring you.

Here are the transferable skills that schools SHOULD be teaching to prepare students for the workforce of the future, in my opinion:

Integrity, decisiveness, good judgment, the ability to form a vision and execute it, confidence in your own competence, etc. But, without the ability to be selfless, to put the needs and wants of others before your own, you will never get people to "follow you to a place where they wouldn't go to by themselves." One other important thing: Practice "servant leadership". If you take care of your patients and fellow workers, profits and success will come. Don't put profits before people.

Building trust! Healthcare is scary and stressful for patients - taking a slow and measured approach to get to the heart of problems is so important. Provide tailored treatments that meet individual needs and build a positive, trusting relationship with your patients. Make sure your patients feel heard, valued, and confident in your care.