Nurses, are you moving your way out of the black cloud of weariness of the 2020 post-COVID world, or are you worried that it will want to tag along with you as we begin 2022 and go on into the bright days of the spring and early summer seasons? While it may be a troubling situation, nursing self-reflection completes the picture, brings an “ah ha” moment, and even a sense of empowerment. My best advice for gaining inspiration for nurses is think about your nursing career path and develop a solid nursing mission statement.
Nursing Self Refection
With that introduction, I would like you to consider the power that comes in self-reflection. The old adage, knowledge is power, often refers to the personal and collective power made possible when access to the hidden knowledge needed to chart a path or direction is gained. As a nurse and mental health therapist, I understand how this adage can be applied to increase our awareness of the new factors involved in a career in nursing.
Perhaps the new information or the knowledge gained from nursing self-reflection brings peace. Maybe a sense of empowerment is derived from a release of self or others from responsibility or guilt with the new information. In any event, this is a time if ever there was, for a new perspective among our nation’s beleaguered band of nurses. I propose that the new perspective be one that inspires hope and a new outlook for the future. However, I pray that whatever new perspective and path is gained, it does not lead anywhere outside of nursing. There is hope for a brighter future within nursing.
Nursing Mission Statements
Creating a nursing mission statement is one of most important things you can do for yourself and your career. A nursing mission statement declares the values and goals of your career. I would like to share with you my personal, goal-directed mission statement, using a series of “P” words, which I developed during my life’s work in nursing academia, something I call “Ruth’s P’s:
“I inspire and facilitate others to find their Purpose, Passion, and Plan, and then Prepare → Progressive Power, Production, Perseverance, Profit, and Promotion, in Pursuit of one’s Potential on one’s Personal Path”.
I keep this on my desk as a reminder. It brings me inspiration and daily hope – a reminder that what I do, with all my heart as unto the Lord, is to build nurses who carry light to our dark world, nurses who bring a rare human light in the midst of suffering and even hopeless situations.
Inspiration for Nurses
As I reflect on this, I wonder if my personal P’s can assist you in gaining a new perspective, and even lead you to hope for a better career in nursing. Stop for a moment and self-reflect. What is it you need to gain inspiration and hope for a better future for yourself in nursing? I will ask that question again at the end of this writing – along with another thought-provoking question.
Ruth’s P’s
Let’s take a closer look at each of the P’s, below, all of which are part of an interlinked process of personal and professional growth with forward momentum.
Purpose: your life inspiration, meaning, and sense of belonging, tied to unknown Potential.
Passion: this is your “wow” – what is the deep desire of your heart with the Power to inspire
Plan: what preparation path leads to fulfillment of passion and purpose to unleash potential
Preparation: working your plan!
Progressive Power: acquiring progressive knowledge and personal and professional skills to empower through competency to become and live your potential
Production: readiness to lead through competency derived from knowledge, skill, and personal growth
Perseverance: growing and reaching potential requires mental toughness and resiliency
Profit: payoff in monetary or other benefit/reward for production, perseverance, personal growth; includes a sense of achievement and pride in your work
Promotion: recognition and advancement on the path to reaching potential
Pursuit: life’s nursing journey – it all counts – everything deemed good or bad is important to achievement and growth on your personal path
Potential: from beginning awareness of your unique contribution and destiny in life to what is revealed as life’s nursing journey continues
Personal Path: your chosen life’s nursing journey, planned and unplanned
Nursing Journey
Now, back to the question I asked earlier and one more…. What is it you need to gain inspiration and hope for a better future for yourself in nursing? Looking at the P’s above, ask yourself, am I stuck at any point? What happened along the journey or life’s personal path that may have contributed to this? Are you demoralized, detached, disconnected, or something else which has become a state of hopelessness and helplessness about the future? Identifying where you get stuck at any point on the path is a great start. Engaging in a period of reflection on the P’s can lead to a forward path of preparation, which can then propel you toward a future in nursing with much to offer. I wish you the best on this journey forward!
Nursing Career Path
Ottawa University’s expert faculty guide our brave nursing students and help them find their purpose as they pursue their life’s work. We have a flexible online format with 8-week terms to help you finish your degree faster. Additionally, we provide even more flexibility with a wide range of programs that meet the diverse needs of our students.
Learn more about our RN-BSN degree program which helps nurses complete their BSN while working and meeting family responsibilities or our RN-MSN pathway for nurses interested in advancing directly from ADN through BSN to MSN. Keep in mind, that our MSN specialization is offered in both nursing leadership and nursing education. Find out more about the benefits of an advanced degree in nursing.
Contact our enrollment advisors today to learn how we can help you advance your career!
See Also:
What You Need to Know About the Nursing Shortage
Choosing a Nursing Specialty: Guidance for New and Experienced Nurses
MSN Degree Caters to RNs Seeking Career Advancement