In these days of so much attention being (appropriately) paid to nurse burnout, nurse wellness, and existential fatigue from several years of the COVID-19 pandemic, what does it look like to be happy in your nursing career? What does it mean to be fulfilled, content, and satisfied as a professional nurse? And if you are indeed happy in your career, is it okay to be walking on the sunny side of the (nursing) street? And if you’re not there yet, how do you get there?
If You’re Happy and You Know It
Do you remember the children’s song, “If You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands”? It’s an opportunity for kids to celebrate and make some noise if they’re feeling happy. Do you feel like your nursing job sometimes makes you want to express your happiness for the privilege and joy of what you get to do every day?
During my career, I’ve met many nurses who love what they do. From pediatric and ICU nurses to nurse researchers and entrepreneurs, plenty of nurses like their work, are treated well by their employer, earn enough money, and feel like their career has worked out pretty well. Is that you? It’s not a pie-in-the-sky pipe dream — it’s altogether possible, and you could join the ranks of satisfied nurses.
What’s the Secret to Finding Happiness in Nursing?
So, what’s the secret to a nurse being able to feel like there’s little to complain about and all is well? Unfortunately, there’s no real secret sauce or recipe that works for everyone, but there are certain things you can do to move in the direction of the sunny side of the street.
Get in touch with your values:
Understanding the underlying values that form the motivation for who you are and what makes you tick is an excellent place to begin. The Barrett Values Centre offers a free online values assessment that results in a robust emailed report describing the core values that your assessment reveals. Once you understand your core values, you can seek career paths and employers that speak to the important things..
Find your happy place:
Many nurses enter the profession thinking that hospital nursing is the only way to be a “real” nurse, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Nurses find fulfillment in community health centers, private practices, home health, hospice, entrepreneurship, informatics, research, palliative care, dialysis, and other areas. Just because some people say you should work in acute care doesn’t mean you have to — ever.
Where you work matters:
The values and mission expressed by your place of employment can impact how you feel about your work and career. If one of your values is giving back to society in meaningful ways, working for an employer that provides opportunities to serve the community can be a morale booster.
If your employer has zero tolerance for bullying, incivility, and negative behavior, you likely feel much more safe and secure than if you were part of a workplace culture where people normally treat each other badly.
In terms of the size of the organization where you work, decide if you’re happier working for a small specialty practice than an enormous academic center. Then again, you might thrive in a work environment employing hundreds of people.
Know when it’s time to go:
The singer Michelle Shocked once sang that “the secret to a long life is knowing when it’s time to go.” One way to stay on the happy side of the street in your nursing career is to know when it’s time for a change. Unfortunately, some people stay because they don’t want to “abandon” their colleagues, feel stuck and have no other choices, or lack the courage and temerity to just go for it and make a clean break.
Create a strong network:
A strong professional network is like having a personal brain trust. Beginning in nursing school and throughout your career, making and maintaining positive collegial relationships can be a key pillar of your professional life.
Remember that behind each person you know are the dozens of people they know. When you need an introduction, mentoring, a connection in a new city, an informational interview, or some advice, your network is where you can find all that and more.
No Guilt, No Shame
If you’re happy in your nursing career and know it, there’s no need for guilt or shame. But unfortunately, many nurses are unhappy, working in negative and toxic environments, and feeling stuck with nowhere to go. This doesn’t have to be you, and while no workplace is perfect, you can do your best to find one that works for you. Start your own business, be a consultant, or create your iconoclastic or outside-the-box career path.
A fulfilling nursing career and a healthy workplace are your right, and only you can make them happen. Understand your values, gather good people around you, recognize when it’s time to go, and know deep in your heart that having a positive experience as a nurse is well within your reach.
Daily Nurse is thrilled to welcome Keith Carlson, “Nurse Keith,” a well-known nurse career coach and podcaster of The Nurse Keith Show as a guest columnist. Check back every other Thursday for Keith’s column.
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