Free Nursing Career Information: Expert Tips for Success

Free Nursing Career Information: Expert Tips for Success

What I Learned at a Nursing Conference and Why Students Should Go

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This past week I attended a local Nurse Practitioner’s conference, the Kentucky Association of Nurse Practitioners and Nurse Midwives (KANPNM) conference in Louisville, KY. I know that as a student you have plenty on your plate with readings, assignments, projects, papers and tests. But no matter how early you are in your graduate education, I highly recommend joining professional nursing organizations and I especially recommend attending professional conferences. I honestly had a great experience and really wish I had started attending sooner.

Benefits for students

  1. Get discounted rates! The student rate for professional memberships is usually significantly discounted. For my local state organization students actually get a free membership for their first year! The student rate for the conference registration was about 40% off the regular rate. And it’s all tax deductible!

2. More education on the latest guidelines and practices – I know you are learning in your classes but the more ways your brain can process the information the more it will stick with you. I was able to attend many great sessions including: 

  • Managing Hypothyroidism
  • MAT for primary care providers
  • Wide QRS Tachyarrhythmias
  • Hypertension Guidelines and updates
  • Chronic Pain Management
  • APRN Scope of Practice
  • COVID-19 update
  • Sleep Apnea
  • Drugs of illicit abuse
  • Pharmacology update – new drugs in 2020

3. Networking – this can help you find a preceptor, mentor or maybe even learn about job opportunities. I honestly wish this particular organization had more opportunities for networking or even a session geared toward students and new grads. I may decide to suggest that or even lead a session myself next time! However, my experience may have been different from previous years due to the social distancing restrictions.

4. Practice your skills – workshops give you hands-on experience. They do usually cost a little extra but are well worth it! I definitely wish I had done this BEFORE starting clinicals. It would have made me feel much more confident to step in and say to my preceptor “hey let me remove that fish hook” or “I have sutured before but I could use some practice.”

I attended 3 interactive workshops: 

  • Insertion of IUDs
  • Basic Suturing
  • Minor Office Procedures: local anesthetics, incision & drainage, basic suturing, foreign object removal (like fish hooks), Dix-hall pike and Epley maneuvers, and more

Learn basic suturing techniques

5. Treat yourself! Conferences are fun and they are usually in bigger cities where there is a lot to do, even with many businesses still shut down or on restrictions due to the COVID pandemic. I took my husband with me so we were able to get away from our kids for a few days and just enjoy ourselves. We walked downtown and along the riverfront and we treated ourselves to some really nice restaurants.

Skyline View from the Swizzle, the rotating restaurant on top of the Galt House hotel

Overall, this was a great experience, and I would highly recommend this for students. I feel much more confident in attempting procedures with my preceptor having had the opportunity to practice on inanimate “dummy” objects. 

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Categories: Healthcare, Nursing, Careers

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