Nursing Careers

“Most health care services involve some form of care by nurses. Although 62.2 percent of all employed RNs work in hospitals, many are employed in a wide range of other settings, including private practices, public health agencies, primary care clinics, home health care, outpatient surgical centers, health maintenance organizations, nursing school-operated nursing centers, insurance and managed care companies, nursing homes, schools, mental health agencies, hospices, the military, and industry. Other nurses work in careers as college and university educators preparing future nurses or as scientists developing advances in many areas of health care and health promotion. Though often working collaboratively, nurses do not simply “assist” physicians and other health care providers. Instead, they practice independently within their own defined scope of practice. Nursing roles range from direct patient care to case management, establishing nursing practice standards, developing quality assurance procedures, and directing complex nursing care systems.”

Read more about choosing a nursing career, including the changing job market, BSN and BS nursing degree titles, and more on the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) website.

Information Gathering

Read trade magazines, newsletters, and popular websites in your industry area. Places to start include Nurse.com’s blog, Kaiser Health News, and Science Daily’s Health and Medicine News. NurseZone Online Magazine gives tips to college students and new graduates. Sign up for the American Nursing Association’s blog to receive nursing resources and nurse career support.

Select Resources

Making Connections

Attend industry events — on and off-campus — and connect with popular professional organizations regionally and nationally. There are numerous professional associations in the nursing field. See this full list of professional associations by specialty, state, and country.

The most relevant associations include:

Professional associations host a variety of professional development, educational and networking events. If the cost of membership is prohibitive, contact leadership and ask if there are sliding scale prices for students. Volunteering for a conference, educational or social event is another great way to connect with leaders in the industry.

Develop a LinkedIn profile that communicates your personal and professional brand. For help building your profile, use LinkedIn’s profile checklist (PDF). Joining groups on LinkedIn related to your industry is a great way to meet new people, find mentors, contacts, and ask questions. Also, reach out to alumni through Hoya Gateway and Georgetown’s alumni page on LinkedIn. Our website provides helpful guidelines on networking and informational interviewing.

Making Connections at Georgetown

Georgetown offers a number of opportunities for Hoyas to get involved. Joining a school club is an excellent way to learn more about the industry, develop your skills, and get hands-on experience. Nursing-related clubs and councils include the Georgetown chapter of the National Student Nurses’ Association, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing (Tau Chapter), and other School of Nursing student organizations. Gain hands-on experience on campus with the Georgetown Emergency Response Medical Service (GERMS) or the Center for Social Justice’s Hypothermia/Hyperthermia Outreach Team. Give back to the D.C. and campus communities by volunteering with groups such as Project Sunshine Georgetown, Caring for Children with Cancer, Oncology Patient Support, and St. Elizabeth’s Outreach.

Travel outside the U.S. with GlobeMed or in the D.C. area with Center for Social Justice Alternative breaks (such as Health & Society) and GU Students for Health and Medical Equity (GUSHME) to serve communities that lack adequate access to healthcare and more. For more student club information, visit Campus Groups.

Increase your research skills by joining a lab around campus. The Center for Research and Fellowships offers Georgetown Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (GUROP). Take the opportunity to participate in research and get published in the peer-reviewed Georgetown University Journal of Health Sciences in the peer-reviewed Georgetown University Journal of Health Sciences or present at the Undergraduate Research Conference. On and off-campus jobs are another excellent way to build skills valued by employers.

Preparing Materials

To better understand what skills you need to highlight on your resume, check out externships, fellowships, and entry-level positions in the nursing industry. A great place to start is this how-to guide with resume and cover letter examples for those applying to nursing careers. Kyle Schmidt also shares resume advice from healthcare recruiters in this article.

Lastly, check out 3 Ways to Make Your NP Resume Shine and Top 5 NP Resume Writing Mistakes, with most of the tips also relevant to RN resumes. See Cawley’s resume section and cover letter tips for more tips and advice.

Applying

For listings beyond our campus recruiting platform, Handshake, visit Liquid Compass, Health eCareers Network, Vivian, and enpnetwork.

For nursing interview tips, read 31 Sample Nursing Interview Questions & Answer Guide, Top 20+ Nursing Interview Questions, Answers and Tips, and Top 20 Nursing Interview Questions (Sample Answers Included). Take note of the best and worst states to work. Lastly, download this comprehensive nurse salary report to ensure you get the salary you deserve.

Select Employers

  • 36 hospitals on Forbes list of best employers for diversity
  • General medical and surgical hospitals
  • Offices of physicians
  • Home health care services and community organizations
  • Extended care and nursing home facilities
  • Health insurance companies
  • Ambulatory care services
  • Schools
  • Government agencies (e.g., Veterans Affairs)