There is a lot of professional growth on the horizon for new grad nurses. The world is really at your fingertips. To maximize your opportunity, the first thing you should do is begin working on your nursing goals. Now, you really should begin working on your nursing career goals before you earn your BSN. However, all that matters is you start planning for your future. 

When it comes to setting professional goals for nurses, it’s important you think about where you want to be in the future. Do you want to earn a leadership position? Do you want to do a nursing program to get a leg up in your nursing profession? Ask yourself these important questions before you decide to sit down and set your graduate nurse goals

To help you get started, here is our list of the top 10 realistic nursing career goals for new grad nurses.

Top 10 Realistic Nursing Career Goals For New Grad Nurses

Whether you’re about to graduate, just graduated, or are starting your first nursing assignment, check out these 10 realistic nursing career goals for new grad nurses.

  1. Find a mentor to help you. Leaning on someone who has nursing experience is one of the best career tips for new grad nurses. Talk to a nurse leader or an RN who has worked in the industry for years. They can help you when it comes to setting goals for your professional nursing career.
  2. Be open-minded about your first nursing assignment. The good news is there is no shortage of nursing jobs. In 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said there were nearly 3 million jobs. That number is projected to grow by 15% to 2026.
  3. Tailor your resume. As stated, there are many jobs out there for nurses. However, one of the best tips for your nursing career goals is to make each resume specific to the role.
  4. Write down your goals. It’s hard to achieve your goals if you don’t have them set. That is why one of our top 10 realistic nursing career goals for new grad nurses is to write them down.
  5. Reevaluate your goals. You only have to look at one tip above to know it is important to have your goals written down. However, be sure you keep track of your goals and change any if needed. Goal setting isn’t a one time thing. Your professional nursing goals may shift the more experience you gain in the field.
  6. Discover your passion. Specialties offer something unique for everyone. consider what you like most about nursing and where your passions within health care are. Don’t be afraid to expand your nursing education in order to test out different fields and gain a wider knowledge base in different departments.
  7. Set timelines to your goals. Timelines create accountability for yourself. Don’t be afraid to give yourself dates to achieve your RN career goals. If you want to grow in your professional development, you have to set achievable goals that you can work towards on a regular basis. Whether it’s continuing education in your specialty or moving up in your professional organization, setting due dates is a great way to get to where you want to be.
  8. Align your life goals with career goals. There are many routes you can take as a nurse. One of which determines if you want to become a travel nurse. A career path in travel nursing offers a lot of benefits for nurses.
  9. Have fun. Be sure you take time as you enter the workforce to make friends and enjoy your work. Having fun can make a big difference during long shifts and help create a positive thread throughout your entire career.
  10. Develop work life balance. Nurse burnout is a serious concern. Be sure you have time for yourself and get away from being a nurse to enjoy being a nurse.

Don’t know how to take your career and personal goals to the next level? If you are looking for a new challenge within your professional nursing career, becoming a travel RN may be the right choice for you. A new grad travel nurse will be able to learn a variety of new skills in a number of different environments all across the country. 

Contact our team of professionals today to learn about the many benefits of becoming a travel nurse.

Host Healthcare Travel Nurse

Host Healthcare offers an extensive list of travel nurse jobs for healthcare professionals. Call one of our friendly recruiters at (844) 812-6757. We are here to help you to get started with your next nursing job.