Nursing Archives | AG Global Services

Recent Nursing School Grad? Careers to Consider

by scott | May 4, 2022 | Blog, Healthcare, Job Seekers

Congratulations on your recent graduation from nursing school. You’ve probably been thinking about life after graduation and wondering which type of position and what kind of work environment is right for you. If you’re not quite sure where to go next, here are some career paths to consider.

Med-Surg Nursing

We’ll start with one of the more traditional nursing jobs. Medical-surgical nursing is probably the go-to nursing specialty and if you choose this profession, your skills will be highly in demand. The work is primarily with adult patients with a ranging caseload of illnesses. It’s a great intro to the world of practical nursing because of that variety. Typically, in these roles, you operate outside of an OR, whether it’s an ambulatory surgery hospital or another type of facility. Your job is often to monitor patient care after a procedure. It’s a good place to practice bedside manners as well as basic clinical skills that serve as the underlying backbone of your skills. You’ll find that, out of all the career paths we’ve listed, the med-surg nursing role most closely aligns with what you learned in school.

Hospital Nursing

Hospitals have big budgets, so not only can new nurses employ higher salaries and better benefits, but the innovations in technology, research, and clinical workflows can be higher than in a smaller independent medical practice or another type of organization in healthcare. New nurses are exposed to the best training and the best tools as well as experiencing hands-on clinical tasks from maintaining IVs to wound care, and much more. Hospitals also offer nurses a variety of patient care scenarios from COVID to congestive heart failure, infants to the elderly. It’s a great foundational job that can lead you just about anywhere later in your career.

Mental Health Nursing

There has been much written about the mental and behavioral health crisis caused by COVID and the opioid epidemic, as well as other factors affecting this area of healthcare. Psych nursing jobs are demanding but rewarding. They are also hugely in demand for qualified nursing staff. You can handle a variety of mental and behavioral health cases, forming strong therapeutic relationships with patients and their families. It’s a demanding field but pays well and is highly rewarding.

Eldercare Nursing

The demand for nurses to work in eldercare facilities is rising in direct proportion to the baby boomer population. One healthcare provider describes the work in this way, “Choosing to work with the elderly is compassion on a whole different level.” Working in a senior living facility allows you to use all of your clinical expertise but also requires the desire to know that you’re making a big difference in someone’s life beyond dispensing medications. Long-term care and senior living facilities are filled with people who have lived their lives and seen some amazing things. As an eldercare nurse, your work will go beyond caregiving to include learning about the lives of your patients and the amazing things they’ve lived through and seen.

No matter which type of nursing path you start on, AG Glove Services has a job for you. If you’re ready to make the leap from school to nursing practice, check out our jobs to get your career started.

5 Qualities of the Best CNA’s

by scott | Sep 22, 2021 | Blog, Job Seekers

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) are in demand right now. The data shows that these roles are growing faster than almost every other type of job, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting a 9% growth rate through 2028. But as you might imagine, not all CNAs are created equal, which means only the best will end up in the most rewarding positions. If you’re considering a career as a CNA, here are some of the qualities you’ll need to find the best jobs in the field.

Qualities that Make the Best CNAs

We’ve never seen a CNA without the desire to help others, so that, and your certification, will get you started in the field. But the qualities that make a great CNA over the long term also include:

1.) A desire to learn every day and continuously improve your skills. While you’ll start your career with a basic pool of knowledge, you’ll be asked to add to that as you take on new patients with varying types of illnesses.

2.) Communication is important to your CNA career at every level. You’ll need to work with a variety of clinical staff as well as patients and their families, so verbal skills are key to this job. But you’ll also need written communication skills because of the documentation required in the role.

3.) A keen sense of observation will help you learn on the job, but it will also allow your insight into how your patients are doing. Since your job is to carefully monitor patients for even small changes, your observational skills will help you stay on top of the situation, which will make you more effective at the job.

4.) Adapting to change is important because healthcare is a continuously evolving field. One of the best parts of the CNA job is that it constantly changes and evolves so that no two days are different. This level of diversity will help challenge and keep you engaged in the role because no two days are the same.

5.) Emotional stability is critical in handling the roller coaster of patient care. You must have the wherewithal to handle patients who are in pain and sick. That can make for a stressful day so you must be patient and calm. Staying steadfast when your patient’s illness is accelerating helps both you and them deal with the illness. But you must also develop a level of discipline around controlling your emotions. This includes handling the reality that sometimes your patients pass away and there’s nothing you can do but provide as much care and caring as possible.

CNAs must also have strong attention to detail and time management skills. If you’re seeking a new role, and have these qualities, AG Globe Services can help. We represent CNAs to some of the top employers in the nation. Get in touch with our team today to learn more about how we can help you find the perfect career fit.