Professional Networking in Nursing

Hiring managers consider many factors when reviewing applications from registered nurses (RNs), including their academic background, licensure, certifications, and experience. They may also consider whether any current employees recommend an applicant.

Professional networking in nursing is crucial for many reasons, but above all, it can help you land the job you want after graduating from nursing school. Networking can also be beneficial to those who are currently employed for career development and job satisfaction reasons.

You don’t have to wait until you’re a nurse to begin developing a professional network. At the University of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City, you’ll have many chances to develop connections with your peers, instructors, and working nurses around the boroughs.

Mount Saint Vincent’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program combines didactic coursework with hands-on clinical experiences at some of the City’s most renowned hospitals, where students can network with nursing professionals.

While planning your nursing career, it’s a good idea to learn more about the importance of networking in nursing and how it can help you get ahead. You’ll also want to learn how you can begin building your professional network as a nursing student and continue to expand it as a working nurse.

Why Is Networking in Nursing Important?

Nursing students must first understand what a professional network is. A professional network doesn’t consist of all the people you’ve ever met in the nursing field. Rather, it’s the people with whom you’ve taken the time to nurture relationships.

It’s more effective to have a smaller network of people that you stay in touch with over time than to have a very large network of people you don’t talk to or maintain any sort of relationship with.

When you take the time to stay in touch with your professional contacts, they’ll be more likely to form a positive impression of you and think of you if an opportunity arises.

Keep in mind that a professional network is a two-way street. As a nursing student, you can’t recommend anyone in your network for a job just yet. Later on, however, you may have opportunities to return favors.

The importance of networking in nursing encompasses nurturing both your professional growth and your personal development. Consider the following benefits for nursing students:

• Career direction: Networking allows you to connect with nursing professionals in a variety of specialties who may be willing to offer career guidance. This can help you decide which direction to take your career.
• Student support: Nursing school can be challenging. By building a network that includes members of your nursing cohort, you’ll have a support system that you can lean on.
• Confidence: It can take a while to become acclimated to the nursing world. Navigating it with the help of your professional network may help you adjust and feel more confident in your abilities.
• First nursing job: You’ll likely want to land your first nursing job as soon as possible after passing the NCLEX-RN. By building a professional network, you may find it easier to land job interviews.

Benefits of Professional Networking for Nurses

Life as a working nurse is busy, but you should take time to nurture your connections along the way. Professional networking for nurses offers numerous benefits, including greater access to job opportunities.

Your contacts might refer you to nursing jobs that are more appealing than your current one. If you’d like to switch nursing specialties or work settings, or if you’re looking for a healthcare employer that offers a more robust benefits package, you might be able to tap into your professional network for assistance.

Other compelling benefits of networking for active nurses include:

• Mentorship: Mentorship isn’t just for students; nurses with less experience in the field can also benefit from receiving mentorship from experienced nurses. You may find the ideal mentor for you within your professional network.
• Career development: Your network may inform you of career development opportunities, such as professional conferences or continuing education opportunities that suit your advancement aspirations.
• Socioemotional support: Life as a working nurse can be just as challenging as nursing school, but in different ways. It’s important to take time to care for your mental wellness. You may find you can lean on certain members of your network for emotional support.

Tips for Networking

Knowing the importance of networking in nursing is insufficient by itself; you also need to know exactly how to go about it. The strategies for networking as a nursing student sometimes overlap with those for networking as a working nurse.

Networking as a Nursing Student

Nursing students have many opportunities to begin building a network, starting with something as simple as a study group. Take the time to introduce yourself to other members of your nursing cohort and ask if anyone would like to form a study group with you.

Meet regularly, set an agenda, and plan on staying in touch after nursing school. Each of you will go in your own direction after graduation, which means you’ll have a network with members in various healthcare facilities.

You should also make the effort to establish good working relationships with your nursing instructors. Go to office hours when you have questions and ask for guidance on your nursing career.

Clinical rotations provide additional networking opportunities for nursing students. It starts with making a great first impression. Always arrive early for your shift, look floor-ready, and come prepared, including a notebook for writing down important information.

Solicit feedback when appropriate, ask questions as needed, and ask about mentorship possibilities. Try to stay in touch with at least a few people you meet after each rotation ends.

You can also meet other students and professionals through nursing organizations. Many organizations are open to students, such as the National Student Nurses Association.

Networking as a Working Nurse

As a working nurse, you’ll have opportunities to network each time you work a shift. Take the time to develop relationships with other nurses in your department and seek out mentorship when possible. Other opportunities for networking in nursing can include:

• Attending professional conferences and events
• Participating in in-person or digital continuing education classes
• Joining professional nursing organizations, such as the American Nurses Association (ANA)
• Maintaining a professional presence on social media websites, keeping all content within HIPAA regulations and employer-issued personal conduct requirements

Begin Building Your Network at Mount Saint Vincent

The University at Mount Saint Vincent delivers quality nursing education in the heart of New York City, connecting our nursing students to countless opportunities to network at some of the City’s top healthcare facilities.

With ABSN learning sites in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Saint Joseph’s Medical Center in Yonkers, we can provide nursing education to our nontraditional students throughout the New York City metro area.

You’ll enjoy small class sizes, opportunities for personalized attention from instructors, and one-on-one access to our Academic Success Coaches. You can network with your fellow cohort members, instructors, preceptors, and working nurses during your clinical rotations.

If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, you might be eligible to apply to Mount Saint Vincent’s ABSN program. Contact an admission counselor today to discover if you could earn your Bachelor of Science in nursing in as few as 16 months.