Chicago Nurse Invested In Her Career By Obtaining A Master's Degree
The health care industry has grown exponentially in recent years, with many people either deciding on nursing as their goal profession or furthering their education to advance their nursing career. Jodie Beverage is a perioperative educator at Rush-Copley Medical Center and offers some advice for others considering nursing as a career choice.
How does your background education help in your current position?
"I entered nursing with an associate degree, earned my B.S.N. and went on to obtain a Master of Science in Nursing. I have been a nurse since 1996 and a nurse educator since 2005. I am currently a perioperative educator and have held this role since 2002."
What inspired you to enter the field of nursing?
"My inspiration for nursing came slowly over time. I entered college to better provide for my daughter after a divorce. Nursing offered the most options with a wide variety of jobs within the profession and flexibility related to work schedule and work environments. I would never be bored or burned out doing the same thing."
What advice can you offer those in the nursing field?
"Think of your education as an investment in yourself and the patients that entrust you for their care. The return on this investment will not only be evident in the salary compensation as your education level advances, but also for your professional career. With an increase in your nursing knowledge and demonstration of competency, you are afforded more opportunities and potential for additional responsibility and autonomy. Put simply, it is to your advantage to be a lifelong learner to keep up with current standards of care."
How has your education helped with the overall success of your career?
"By continuing my education over the years, I can now see a wider spectrum of health care and how I can impact others. My associate degree taught how to perform nursing tasks, while my B.S.N. showed why we implement specific tasks for patients. My M.S.N. provided perspective to see beyond the patients and staff in the hospital, but also to the global community and how nurses impact health care."
Sara Lugardo is a professional writer out of Chicago, Illinois. She has a Bachelor's in Communication and is currently working on her Master's. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
