How to Maintain Good Character After Nursing School

After completing nursing school, students have the opportunity to become licensed and begin working as a nurse in a hospital, nursing home, doctor's office or other medical facility. While it was required that all students be of high personal character to get accepted into nursing school and remain there until they graduate, less stringent requirements exist in many health-care companies and organizations. For nurses that want to hold themselves to a higher standard, it's important to know how to maintain good character after nursing school.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Keep your criminal record clean. Criminal background checks are a requirement for acceptance into many nursing schools in the United States, and many states have similar requirements for licensing. Drugs and physical abuse are two major crimes that can immediately cost you your job, your nursing license and your ability to work in any job in the health-care field. Maintain your good character by obeying the laws and rules that apply to all citizens as well as those related to your profession.

2. Maintain ethical standards. At some point, your nursing school covered the topic of ethics, which should have given you a better understanding of what behaviors are and are not acceptable in the nursing profession. It's important that you know and periodically review these ethics as well as your own personal ethics to ensure you are following them.

3. Join a professional association. There are a number of different professional nursing associations, such as the American Nurses Association, you can choose to join. Becoming a member helps you to maintain your good character by being involved professionally in the field and staying up-to-date on the latest news and research regarding nursing and the overall health-care field.

4. Follow professional practice guidelines. Different professional organizations such as the Nursing & Midwiferey Council in the United Kingdom have developed professional guidelines for nurses that aid them in maintaining their good character and providing the best care possible. By learning these guidelines and reviewing them periodically, you can apply them to the patients you serve to make their experience positive.

5. Give 110 percent at work. A strong work ethic is a personal characteristic trait that companies seek in their employees. By showing up each day to your job and giving your very best, you can be recognized by your organization for having good character, as well as being a leader for fellow employees. You can then use this recognition to advance to higher positions within the organization.

References

• Nursing & Midwiferey Council: The Code of Conduct

Resources

• American Nurses Association

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