Why is networking important for nurses? Networking in nursing can connect you to job opportunities, professional development, mentorship, and emotional support. Begin building your network in nursing school during clinicals, labs, and classes. Continue strengthening your network as a nurse by attending in-person events and maintaining online profiles.
As a nurse, what you know is critical and will directly impact the health of your patients. Who you know, however, can be as vital to your career growth as your nursing knowledge is to your patients.
Why is networking important? Networking in nursing can help you launch your nursing career, develop as a professional, and take advantage of opportunities. You can even start building your professional network before you graduate from nursing school.
At Northeastern University, our Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program, with three enrollment locations in the Boston, Providence, and Charlotte areas, provides plenty of networking opportunities. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 62 non-nursing college credits, you might be eligible to apply and earn your nursing degree in as few as 16 months.
While you’re looking ahead to your nursing career, you’ll want to explore the benefits of networking in nursing and why it’s important for healthcare professionals. You should also consider the strategies for networking as a nursing student and as a professional nurse.
What’s the fastest way to get a BSN? Learn more about accelerated nursing programs.
Benefits of Networking in Nursing School
Why is networking important in nursing school? As someone starting out in the nursing world, a professional network helps you with:
- Developing your nursing knowledge and skills
- Exploring different types of nursing careers and learning which one best suits you
- Finding your first nursing job
Before you can even think about applying for jobs, you’ll need to work hard to master nursing competencies. It can help to have the input of a trusted mentor, someone you might find in your professional network. Your mentor, along with others in your network, can also provide guidance about nursing career options.
Nursing school has its challenges, and sometimes the weight of your responsibilities seems overwhelming. By engaging in networking in nursing, such as with other students in your nursing cohort, you can turn to others for mental and emotional support. In turn, you can offer support when they need a shoulder to lean on.
Lastly, the benefits of networking in nursing school include finding your first nursing job. Your network can alert you to job possibilities even before you graduate or make a conditional offer of employment after you pass the NCLEX-RN.
Why Networking Is Important in Nursing
In your professional practice as a nurse, networking will continue to be important for your career and professional development. Even if you already have a job that you’re satisfied with, you may one day need to tap into your network for job opportunities.
Perhaps the management at your current position changes in unexpected and unwelcome ways, or your career trajectory becomes stagnant. You can turn to your professional network for help finding a new and more desirable job.
Keep in mind that many hospitals offer robust referral programs that encourage current employees to refer their professional connections to job opportunities. This could work to your advantage.
Other reasons why networking in nursing is important include:
Professional Development
Nurses are never done learning and growing; the profession demands continual improvement. Your professional network may provide you with opportunities for coaching and mentoring. Your contacts might even pass along tips on professional development opportunities, such as conferences and seminars.
Career Transitioning
Not every nurse sticks with the same nursing specialty for the duration of their career. If you’re thinking about switching to a different specialty, you might refer to some of your contacts for guidance. They can offer insight into different nursing specialties.
Career Advancement
Nurses can choose to return to school and pursue career advancement, such as by becoming advanced practice registered nurses or nurse administrators. If you’re unsure which move is right for your career, consider talking to your contacts who have already climbed the ladder.
Nursing Advancement
As a nurse, you’re undoubtedly passionate about making the healthcare system work better for patients. You may be able to harness the power of your nursing network to influence positive change in your organization and the larger healthcare system.
How to Start Networking Early
Networking in nursing can begin as early as your first semester in school. Consider the following strategies:
Getting to Know Your Instructors
Make a good impression in classes and labs by being attentive and asking questions when needed. Even if your nursing program includes online coursework, such as the Northeastern ABSN, there are still many opportunities to interact with your instructors.
Put forth your best effort when interacting in the online discussion forums. Attend office hours when you need extra help or clarification on a nursing concept. You will also be able to interact with instructors during nursing labs and clinicals.
These are all ways to build strong working relationships with your nursing instructors, who could become some of the first people in your network.
Getting to Know Your Cohort
Other members of your cohort might not be able to help you land your first nursing job, but it’s vital to build relationships with them. You and your cohort members can offer mutual emotional support during school and form study groups to facilitate academic progress. Additionally, keeping in touch with cohort members long after graduation may benefit your career later.
In Northeastern’s ABSN program, you will get to know other students through online discussions and in nursing labs and clinicals. During skills and nursing simulation labs, you will learn core nursing skills together and work as a team in clinical simulations. Clinical rotations will also allow you to build connections while working in healthcare facilities.
Putting 100% Effort Into Clinicals
Clinical rotations let you gain hands-on experience in healthcare facilities. They’re also prime opportunities for networking in nursing. You’ll be able to interact with and develop professional relationships with working nurses. If you make a great impression, you just might find yourself recommended for a job at that facility after graduation.
Explore some of the best jobs for nursing students, which may allow you to build your professional network.
Networking Tips for Healthcare Professionals
The benefits of networking in nursing will continue long after you’ve landed your first nursing job. Throughout your career, it’s important to keep in touch with your contacts to maintain these relationships. You can also work on acquiring new contacts.
One way to build new relationships is to attend professional development events, such as nursing conferences, seminars, and workshops. Attending in-person events is an ideal way to find others who are interested in networking. Networking doesn’t stop there, as you can also take your efforts online.
It’s important for healthcare providers to maintain a highly professional online presence. On LinkedIn and other social media sites you choose to use, you can upload posts about new developments in nursing research, best practices, and similar topics relevant to your nursing specialty and the field as a whole.
These sites provide an avenue for interacting with other providers. Remember to stay in compliance with HIPAA requirements and note that your employer may have their own social media compliance standards.
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Begin Networking in Nursing School at Northeastern
Northeastern University invites future nurses to explore the possibilities with a nursing degree on an accelerated timeline. Our ABSN program allows you to graduate in as few as 16 months upon successful completion of any needed prerequisites.
There’s no waitlist, and seats are available right now. Plus, with three start dates each year at three locations in the Boston, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island; and Charlotte, North Carolina, areas, Northeastern can accept more students.
Our students love our small class sizes and hybrid learning approach. Contact our admissions counselors to get started today.
