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10 Nursing Career Advancement Ideas

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Written by Marie Hasty, BSN, RN Content Writer, IntelyCare

Looking for ways to reinvigorate your nursing career? Advancement for nurses comes in many forms, and depending on your goals, you might want to gain new leadership skills, change specialties, or even go back to school.

Nursing career advancement benefits individual nurses as well as healthcare systems. Development pathways and opportunities promote lifelong learning and create a more experienced and stable nursing workforce. Career development also helps with retention — facilities with development programs for nurses experience a 34% decrease in turnover rates.

Looking for some career inspiration? We’ll discuss a range of advancement opportunities for registered nurses and other nursing professionals.

How to Advance Your Nursing Career

Before you consider advancement opportunities, think about your priorities for the next phase of your career. That way, you can think strategically about how you invest your time. Consider the following questions:

What do you like or dislike about your current role? Do you wish you were caring for a different patient population, or perhaps seeing fewer patients? Does the schedule fit your lifestyle? Do you wish you had more clinical autonomy? You might realize you want to change work environments, or work in the same setting in a new role.
What skills or knowledge are you interested in cultivating? Are you drawn to leadership, specialized clinical skills, education, research, or policy work? Identifying your interests can help you target the right training or certification programs.
Are you seeking formal advancement or skill diversification? Advancement might mean moving into new roles, while skill diversification could include earning certifications in your current role.

10 Career Advancement Ideas for Nurses

Once you’re clear on your goals, learn about your options. There are so many ways to grow your nursing career — whether you’re an LPN, RN, or even a DNP.

1. Earn a Certification

Specialty certifications look great on your nursing resume, and some facilities even offer a pay bump for acquiring them. They typically require an application fee, passing an exam, and renewals every few years. They’re offered by organizations like the National League for Nursing (NLN), American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and others, and you may need one to two years of experience before applying.

You can find RN certifications in a variety of specialties. Here are some of your options:

Cardiovascular Registered Nurse – Board Certified (CVRN)
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN)
Certified Case Manager (CCM)
Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR)

2. Pursue a Leadership Role

Ready for more authority to improve your unit or facility? If you’re an experienced nurse, consider becoming a nurse leader. You’ll spend less time with patients, but you’ll be able to have more of an impact on staff and systems. Some roles, such as management and executive positions, typically require a master’s degree and extensive experience.

Learn more about leadership roles for nurses:

3. Go Back to School

If you’re an ADN-trained RN or LPN, consider upgrading to a BSN. Nursing career paths don’t have to include additional degrees, but they can open doors to leadership, specialty certifications, and graduate programs. And if you have a BSN, you might pursue an advanced degree in the form of a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). Even those with a PhD in nursing might pursue postgraduate certificates or additional programs. There’s always more to learn as a nurse.

4. Become a Nurse Educator

Teaching is a core element of nursing practice. If you love to educate, you might help support the next generation of nurses by becoming a nurse educator. These skilled teachers work in academic nursing schools, healthcare facility education programs, and private companies to promote evidence-based practice.

Check out the ways you might become an educator in nursing:

Academic nurse educator
Unit nurse educator
Corporate/industry nurse educator
Preceptor

5. Pursue Travel Nursing

If you have one to two years of experience under your belt and you’re interested in seeing a new part of the world, taking a travel nurse contract is a low-commitment way to advance your career. Travel nurses take short-term job assignments in units with high demand for staff, typically earning more through stipends and tax incentives. CNAs, LPNs, RNs, and NPs can all be travel nurses, and it’s a great way to get a new perspective on your current role.

Learn more about travel nursing with our resources:

6. Join a Professional Organization

Professional nursing organizations give you opportunities to network, advocate, and grow in your specialty. Many also run nursing conferences, mentorships, and continuing education programs. Plus, membership can unlock discounts on certifications and renewals, and they’re a great way to pad your resume. Learn more about great nursing associations to join.

7. Become an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

If you’re looking for a broader scope of practice, it’s time to consider an APRN career. This will entail going back to school for either a master’s or doctoral degree, which takes several years. Then you may need to obtain a practice certification in your chosen specialty. Becoming an APRN offers more autonomy and more practice authority in supporting the best outcomes for patients.

There are four types of APRNs:

Nurse practitioner (NP)
Clinical nurse specialist (CNS)
Nurse anesthetist (CRNA)
Nurse midwife (CNM)

8. Start Your Own Nursing Business

Nurses can make great entrepreneurs. The organizational and time management skills you’ve gained as a nurse may be easily transferable to business. Plus, organizations like law firms and private companies need nurses to weigh in on cases and health policies. You might run a business as a side hustle or even become a full-time business owner. Here are some areas where you could consider starting a business:

9. Lead a Unit or Facility Committee

Not looking to change jobs, but still want more leadership skills? Most units have cause-based committees that help train staff in new practices, run in-services, or create educational materials. Committee focuses may include shared governance, falls prevention, or staff wellness. This is a great way to build leadership skills and add to your resume if you’re considering future career advancement options.

10. Consider a New Nursing Job

Nursing career advancement can also include exploring something new. One of the beautiful things about nursing is that there are endless opportunities to switch up your schedule and patient population. And you don’t need to feel like switching specialties means throwing away your hard-won skills — the experience you gain in one area could benefit you in others.

Looking for a new role? Explore latest jobs in some of the many nursing specialties to choose from:

Nursing Career Advancement Is Closer Than You Think

If you’re curious about nursing opportunities, start receiving job notifications from IntelyCare. We’ll send you roles that align with your location, scheduling needs, and preferences, so you can apply for the ones that fit your career goals.