Importance of Lifelong Learning in Nursing (Essay Sample)
Why is being a lifelong learner important to the profession of nursing?
I believe that education for nurses does not end once a license is gained, but rather remains a lifelong learning process within this profession. Healthcare involves complicated applications that change constantly. For example, protocols that may have been utilized five years ago could already be out of policy today. This is why I think remaining informed allows medical professionals, such as nurses, to keep up to speed in evidence-based practice, knowledge, and skills which allows the execution of best and safe interventions. It is important and essential to the nursing practice to understand the value of continuing education as well as the abundance and/or lack thereof in this field.
If continual learning in the realm of nursing is not implemented, this can hurt the field tremendously. Knowledge, leadership, safety, progression of career, and more are all hindered by a lack of education and can cause major damage to the hospital, plan of care, and patient safety. Many hospitals set up educational opportunities through webinars, schooling-modules, specialty training and certificates, research articles, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals to ensure that lifelong learning is being practiced.
When the nursing profession utilizes these resources, contributions to critical thinking and problem-solving skills are made. Implementation of these skills aids in resolving issues within the plan of care and influences interprofessional collaboration ability, improves patients outcomes, reduces possible errors and mortality in the healthcare setting. Once these concepts are grasped and executed, a nurse can grow and keep up with the ever-changing field. The more informed a nurse is, the more confident they can approach the job. Ultimately this leads to nurse competency, job satisfaction, employee retention, and career advancement.
How will you implement being a lifelong learner into your professional nursing practice?
Starting in an Intensive Care Unit, I am looking forward to all the ways I will be able to implement lifelong learning. Working in the ICU there are multiple opportunities for continual education in and outside of practice that is available. This can be gathered through resources provided to me as well as resources I chose to participate in, both of which I desire to use in my profession.
The hospital where I am beginning my practice offers ample opportunities that promote growth in my career. Some of these include residency and fellowship programs, assigned modules, skill certifications, guided classes, clinical coaching, and in-service opportunities. All of these are designed to maintain as well as expand medical and nursing knowledge through the course of my employment. I plan and look forward to practicing and utilizing these resources and seeking out any more that are available as I believe I will be a stronger and more competent nurse because of it.
However, lifelong learning is not something that will always be handed or offered to me. I also plan to continue my education based on my experiences in the hospital. In my work, I desire to continue my education by researching and understanding diseases or problems I am not familiar with, looking up and educating myself about an unusual medication before I give it, as well as studying interventions being made that I do not fully understand. These are just some of the many ways I can continue to learn and keep up to date in medical practice on my own. By implementing both the handed resources as well as disciplining myself to go above that, I will be contributing to the lifelong learning process as a nurse and will grow to be more knowledgeable and confident in my profession.
