BUSINESS
Why Nurses Need a Career Coach
Don’t fall victim to long hours, burnout, chronic fatigue and an unhealthy life style as a nurse, EMT or practitioner. Read below to learn how career coaching can help you avoid burnout and love the career you’re in.
Author: Gabrielle Lopez | March 17, 2022
Do you feel over-worked, undervalued and exploited?
You’re not alone. Don’t let this stop you.
It should be no surprise that the medical field is known for burnout, long hours and unforgiving patient care. Want to guess who suffers the most? According to the U.S. Census Bureau over 87% of nurses are women. This means 9 out of 10 registered nurses are women. So how can it be that women are the work horse in the medical industry yet seem to have such little power when it comes to fundamental changes?
Often, if there are problems within the workplace, women don’t speak out to voice these issues to upper management due to fear of retaliation – especially in hospitals. Even though every hospital will say they “forbid” such strategies, I know for a fact it still happens. This can be done through intimidation, schedule/shift changes, write-ups, and termination.
This further demonstrates why so many individuals have left their jobs since 2020 during the Great Resignation to say enough is enough and demanding better wages and work culture. However, many are struggling to find a new career that brings them joy or meaning.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Now, more than ever, women are discovering the many career paths they can take as a nurse. Something I teach in all my coaching programs is how to become a value-driven professional. When you work for a team with the same values as your own and have a leader that asks for feedback, that’s an environment you can thrive in. When the team is all working toward the same goal and everyone is on the same mission, work becomes enjoyable because you have support and clarity you need.
Everyone knows that executives and athletes need coaches. Why would a nurse need a coach?
In my opinion, most everyone can use a coach at certain pivotal moments in their lives and careers. Coaching is all about setting goals and being held accountable for working towards those goals. Just like an athlete can stay more focused when they have a coach to provide encouragement, mentoring, and a means to reaching agreed upon goals, a professional nurse can be supported in their career with the help of a skilled career coach.
For example, if a nurse is trying to change nursing specialties and move her career in a new and exciting direction, she’ll probably need help to prepare for such a major career move with careful planning and plenty of hard work. In my career coaching practice, I work with young women that want to change careers or find balance in the one they’re currently in. We work on all aspects of career growth and development, including but not limited to: resumes and cover letters; LinkedIn mastery; interview skills; entrepreneurship; networking skills; and the visioning process of homing in on what the client really wants to accomplish, both personally and professionally. I also offer high-level coaching regarding the skills involved in public speaking, podcasting, blogging, and writing.
Why this is so important to me.
Nurses are VITAL to our society and they need to have someone in their corner who will fight for them. Nurses all over the country are experiencing major burnout and for those who haven’t quit yet, they’re getting ready to. It is my mission to help female nurses find a workplace that has strong leaders, values their employees and gives the staff the necessary support needed to accomplish their job. It’s time to say “no” to nasty managers, toxic workplace environments, and work that isn’t satisfying.
Here are the 3 pieces of advice I give to nurses most often:
The first and best thing you can do right now is take care of yourself through clean food and water. After studying Functional Nutrition and learning more about Functional Medicine for two years, I was shocked and disappointed to see how broken our healthcare system is. Women’s health in particular is still decades behind where it should be. For example, on average it takes a woman up to 9.5 years (and multiple opinions from different doctors) to get a diagnosis for pelvic pain related issues such as Endometriosis or PCOS. As a nurse, you must put your health above all else.
The second area to focus on is your personal productivity. It’s easy to slip into a place where your daily to-do’s feel all consuming or never-ending. In many cases, we focus so much on the uncertainty of the future that we forget to live in the present. If you’re always looking towards the unknown, but ignoring what’s right in front of you, you can miss out on great opportunities and special moments. Start creating small daily routines that help reduce stress and help manage your time.
Third, I recommend that nurses continue to pursue their passions throughout their careers. Too many of us feel stuck in our current career, developing a sense of overwhelm and/or lack of growth opportunities. Nurses should not feel pigeonholed in this day and age. There are so many thing you can do with the education and skillsets you already have.
Ready to make a change?
I specialize in helping women regain their energy and health by focusing on calming the nervous system. Through coaching, we are able to create an easy-to-follow plan that makes achieving your goals possible. If you find yourself needing guidance, please reach out and see how coaching can help you succeed and have a life with balance.
– Gabby Lopez
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