Nursing is a highly competitive field. While there are a number of jobs available, there are also a number of recent graduates of the nurse practitioner doctorate degree program vying for them. One way you can help to have that cutting edge when it comes to landing a job is to brush up on your knowledge of medical equipment. This will prove to be invaluable in the workplace, which potential employers will appreciate.
Wheelchair Basics
A wheelchair is one of the most-used pieces in a hospital or clinic environment. While you may be completely familiar with a typical manual wheelchair, you will also want to familiarize yourself with the power options available. You may be faced with helping patients as they enter/exit the clinic or hospital, which means you need to know how to operate the wheelchair.
If you’ve never had the chance to look at one or operate one, it wouldn’t hurt to go try one in person. Look for a medical supply company and ask if you can get a tutorial. It’s also important to familiarize yourself with the various accessories that can be used with a wheelchair. The most common accessories are arm rests and anti-tipping tools.
A Standard Nurse’s Kit
Before you even graduate from your program it’s a good idea to build a nursing kit to practice with. Even if you plan on working in an administrative position, it’s still wise to understand how these basic tools work. Any standard nursing kit should include a hemostat, scissors, bandages, penlight, stethoscope, a watch with a second-hand on it or a timer, and a pen. Now clearly many of these tools are self-explanatory, but for others you can brush up on your skills.
Even by showing that you know what should be included in a standard nursing kit will help to give you the leg up on the competition.
Specialty Equipment
If you plan on working in a very specialized field of medicine or nursing then you will probably be using specialized tools. It’s not exactly easy to access these and practice using them, but doing as much research as you can ahead of the interview will help. Again, you may want to contact a local medical supply store and see if they’ve got equipment you can look at and test out.
Ask for a Tour
If you’ve completed all the above steps and you still want to take that extra step, you can always ask for a tour of the facility. This will give you a chance to see what kind of equipment is being used and what would be expected of you. Ideally, you would want to ask for this tour before your interview so you can prepare yourself accordingly.
Give Yourself the Edge
While your DNP executive leadership programs online have prepared you well from a textbook standpoint, it’s also important to show potential employers that you have practical knowledge as well. This can help your resume stand out in the sea of others.
Maggie Hammond is a retired nurse and freelance writer, exploring and writing in the U.S. in retirement. An advocate for public health and nursing qualifications, she feels passionate about raising awareness of the current strain on public health organisations. You can reach her at maggiehammond57@gmail.com.
