How to Advance Your Nursing Career: 6 Tips

Many nurses are drawn to their profession by the desire to provide patient care and support the work of other medical professionals, such as doctors and other clinicians. No matter the reason you got into nursing, at some point you may want to pursue new challenges and advance your career.

There are many ways you can adapt and evolve your career, leading to greater professional satisfaction — and in many cases, higher salary ranges. First, you should know some of the potential career paths available, your state’s licensing or renewal requirements, and any relevant continuing education you can pursue. Explore some relevant career paths and tips for advancement below.

What Are the Top Reasons to Pursue Career Advancement?

Nursing professionals may seek career advancement for any number of reasons. Some common motivating factors include:

• Moving beyond “routine” nursing work and embracing new challenges
• Higher salary potential 
• Opportunities that combine nursing with other vocational endeavors
• Opportunity to step into leadership roles

No matter your reason for seeking career advancement, a good first step is learning more about some existing nursing pathways.

What Are the Best Paths for Nursing Career Advancement?

Nurses have a range of paths toward expanded roles and responsibilities. Consider a few popular examples.

Education

You may choose to pursue nurse education and train the next generation of nursing professionals. If you excel in mentorship roles, seeking a position as a nurse educator at a hospital or other health facility may be a rewarding way forward.

Law and Policy

You can also seek opportunities in the legal profession. One option is to become a consultant. This might involve working closely with attorneys and providing medical insight for lawsuits, scrutinizing medical records, or offering expert testimony during court proceedings. Other nurses pursue political careers, such as public health analysts or policymakers.

Advanced Practice

If you want to advance your clinical practice, you can become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Advanced practice nurses gain additional training to fulfill a wider range of duties in primary or specialized care. For example, a nurse practitioner (NP), nurse midwife, or nurse anesthetist can have greater care autonomy and may have prescriptive capabilities, depending on their role and state practice environment.

Research

You can also work in clinical research. Research nurses administer care to patients as they participate in clinical trials, and they play a significant role in data collection and ensuring safe protocols.

6 Tips to Advance Your Nursing Career 

No matter which of these paths looks most appealing, it is important to lay the groundwork for a successful career transition. Consider a few tips for career advancement.

1. Learn Your State’s Requirements

Before advancing your career, you should understand your state’s licensing and renewal requirements and practice environment. Whether you want to become a registered nurse (RN), APRN, or other type of nurse, this can ensure you check the necessary boxes to move into your next position or renew your certification. For NPs, state practice authority can determine the limitations of your practice and prescriptive capabilities. 

2. Join a Professional Organization

Professional nursing and healthcare organizations can provide networking opportunities, avenues for mentorship, and exposure to other parts of the nursing profession. They can also help shore up professional bona fides. Some examples worth considering include the American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) for nurses in the legal space, the American Academy of Nurses for APRNs and nurse educators, and the National League for Nursing (NLN) for nurse educators.

3. Earn Certification

You can advance your nursing career through certification in specific areas. Organizations offer different certifications. For example, you can obtain NP certification in acute care, psychiatric care, and family care through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). 

You can earn nurse educator certification through the National League of Nursing (NLN), and become a clinical research coordinator through certification from the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP).

Alternatively, you can obtain nursing board certification in various critical care specialties through the AACN.

4. Enroll in Continuing Education Courses

Continuing education courses allow you to cultivate skills in focused areas of practice and remain abreast of innovations within the field.  Some continuing education courses also satisfy nursing continuing education requirements for certification renewal, whether you’re a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN), RN, or APRN.

5. Pursue an Advanced Degree

Some opportunities for career advancement require a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. This is especially true for academic roles and APRN positions, such as nurse educator, research nurse, or NP. Even if your chosen role doesn’t require an advanced degree, they build skills and knowledge to help you become a more competent healthcare professional.

6. Seek Leadership Roles

You can also pursue career advancement by moving into management or leadership positions. This may look different depending on your role. For example, you might become a charge nurse or a nursing team lead if you’re an RN. If you’re an APRN, you might advance into an organizational role, like an executive nurse leader or director of nursing. Clinical nurses can advance to become clinical research associates or senior clinical research coordinators. These roles typically yield higher salaries and increased autonomy. 

Prepare for New Opportunities in the Nursing World

There are many opportunities to advance your nursing career. One way to bolster your skills and ensure you meet the necessary requirements is through continuing education offered by NurseCE4Less. We offer courses by state so you can fulfill the necessary requirements for renewal or advancement. We also have industry-relevant courses like Nursing Ethics, and other clinical categories like pharmacology, mental health and addictions, and critical care for upskilling in different focus areas. 

Explore the subscription options at NurseCE4Less and find out how we can help you advance your nursing career. 

Recommended Readings

Telehealth and Nursing: Careers in the Remote Healthcare Landscape

Sources:

American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Welcome to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, Get Certified

American Association of Nurse Attorneys, Home

American Nurses Association, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

American Nurses Association, Nursing Career Pathways

American Nurses Credentialing Center, Our Certifications

AMN Healthcare, Top 10 Nurses Organizations for Career Development

ANA Nursing Resources Hub, “How to Become a Research Nurse”

Forbes, “Nursing Career Paths: 8 Popular Options”

Indeed, “10 Nursing Career Progression Paths and Advancement Tips”

Indeed, “Nurse Advancement Opportunities (Plus 8 Jobs To Consider)”

InsightsCare, Six Excellent Career Progression Tips for Nurses

National League for Nursing, Certification Opportunities & Resources

R&D Partners, “10 Clinical Research Career Paths and Progression Opportunities”

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals, ACRP Certification

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