NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion: Networking Opportunities
Sample Answer for NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities Included After Question
In this module, you begin laying the foundation for your academic and professional success. Your efforts begin with a vision that includes your own definition of success. Your vision may vary from those of your colleagues, but this does not mean you have to take these first steps alone.
Walden University and the College of Nursing also have a vision and mission, which include helping you to make your own vision a reality. Members of your new academic community, such as faculty, support teams, and fellow students, can also be helpful. Current practitioners and other member of the professional community can also help you to clarify your vision.
This Module’s Discussion asks you to consider how the Walden mission and vision as well as the College of Nursing’s mission and vision apply to your professional and academic goals. You will also begin to identify individuals and teams who can help you along the way as you begin designing the “blueprint”—your Academic Success and Professional Development Plan—that will guide you toward your own vision for academic and professional success.
To Prepare:
- Review the Walden and College of Nursing mission and vision statements, Walden’s goals and University Outcomes, and the MSN Program Learning Outcomes presented in this Module’s Learning Resources.
- Reflect on your professional and academic goals as they relate to your program/specialization.
- Consider how the information in these resources fit with your own goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner.
- Also consider academic and professional individuals and teams with whom you may collaborate in support of your efforts as a student at the university and as a professional within your organization and career.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a brief introduction of yourself to your colleagues. Include an explanation as to how Walden’s vision, mission, goals, and social change initiatives relate to your professional and academic goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner. Also include an explanation for how the Walden MSN Program Outcomes and perspectives relate to your professional and academic goals and to your becoming a scholar-practitioner.
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues’ posts by suggesting additional individuals and/or teams with whom you wish to collaborate or by offering additional networking strategies.
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
Title: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
I love how your goal is to become a full-time family nurse practitioner and serve the rural low-income community where I live. I love it, because it is similar to my goals, except my time in the rural emergency department I worked in made me realize my passion for mental health care. One of Walden University objectives is to “Facilitate positive social change where they work, in their communities, and in society” (Walden, 2022). I hold a strong belief that together we can all make positive changes in our communities, whether it is from primary care or mental health care.
I never really thought of how building trusting relationships with my coworkers was considered networking. But it does make sense, these are the people who we can go to if we are looking for a new job, need a mentor/coach, or just developing a support system to help us through the crazy days of nursing (Hamlin, 2022).
References
Hamlin, K. (2022). Professional Networking in Nursing. Nurse Journal. https://nursejournal.org/resources/networking-in-nursing/
Walden University (2022). Walden University Catalog. Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son#s-lg-box-3837398
A Sample Answer 2 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
Title: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
After four years of being a registered nurse having experienced both bedside and home health nursing while treating both children and adults, I realized that the goal of providing quality and knowledgeable care is the common denominator no matter the area of nursing. I have recently taken interest in the idea of furthering my education in pediatrics and being able to have more autonomy in my career. In order to do so, I must further my education by securing an advanced degree plan in Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). When choosing to do so, I spoke with many of my peers and colleagues who are in the process of getting or have already gotten their MSN about what to expect and what were some of the best colleges that offered a nurse practitioner program. My focus initially when searching for colleges was not only a successful program but flexibility with working full-time and most cost effective.
In the weekly reading of the article, 10 Networking Tips for Nurses Who Hate Networking, the author mentions a tip about using social media to network, “Using hashtags on Twitter and Instagram is an easy and straightforward way to spot those who share the same interests as you” (Walker, 2018, para. 2). As I had did much of my research about Walden on my own and could relate to the mission and vision of Walden, I used a simple hashtag technique on Instagram and reached out to current students and alumni who are currently or had been in a Nurse Practitioner program at Walden. While many did not respond, few did and gave me great insight about Walden and their program. Walden University’s vision states that “…contributions of nursing, health, and related sciences will transform the provision of nursing services along the continuum of care” (Walden University, n.d., Mission and Vision section, para. 2). This has made a lasting impression on me because as a nurse I want enhance my nursing services to be able to provide care to all ages of the pediatric population.
Quality and Integrity
Walden has many goals when it comes to its course studies and program but the one that held priority to me was “To provide its programs through diverse process-learning approaches, all resulting in outcomes of quality and integrity” (Walden University, n.d., Field Experience: College of Nursing: College of Nursing, para. 3). No matter what you chose to do in life you must do it with quality and integrity. As a nurse, and if I were to one day be a patient, I would want all medical professionals over my care to provide me with top quality care and integrity. I believe that those two characteristics can get you further in life than the smartest person in the room who lacks these two characteristics. According to the Lexico Dictionaries (n.d.) integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. Integrity is also the state of being whole and undivided.
“Walden University believes that its learners effect positive social change when they behave as reflective or scholarly practitioners” (Walden University, n.d., Field Experience: College of Nursing: College of Nursing, para. 10). While my priority goal at the end of the program is to be more knowledgeable in my area of practice, I believe I will experience challenges that will call for me to display great integrity. There will be times where I must have the discernment to know that while I may come off ignorant to a subject or problem at hand, my integrity of my work and self could be jeopardized if I do not speak up and be honest with what I do and do not know. I am sure that certain challenges I may face throughout the program will in return help me provide a better quality of care to my patients and their families, leaving everlasting impressions during a time of need.
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
Title: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
My Goals and Walden University’s Mission and Vision
According to Walden’s College of Nursing website, its vision is to “transform the provision of nursing services along the continuum of care and across the human life span to meet the needs of individuals and local and global communities (Walden University)”. This ambitious vision is set into action through Walden’s mission to “[seek] enhancement of critical thinking skills, abilities to select and implement evidence-based practices, and core and specialty nursing knowledge in order to transform society (Walden University).” When searching for a University to further expand my nursing knowledge and skills in order to provide the best nursing care possible, I wasn’t really sure where to start; or even exactly sure of what I was looking for. However, when I found Walden University through a mutual friend and Walden Alum, its mission and vision really hit home for me.
I should start by introducing myself. My name is Elizabeth. I was born and raised in Southern California. As a child, I did not really know what I wanted to be when I grew up. I did know, however, that I wanted to help people and make a difference in people’s lives. Through the years my passion for nursing became my calling and I set out to become a critical care nurse; where I personally felt that I could make the biggest difference. As a critical care nurse for half a decade, I began to really reflect on my career in the last 5 years and realized that I had hit a point in my nursing life where I had officially navigated from “novice to expert” (Benner). Of course, in nursing there is always learning to be done, and I do not mean “expert” in a way where I know it all and there is nothing left to learn; but more of an “expert nurse [who] no longer relies on principles, rules, or guidelines to connect situations and determine actions” (Benner). I was able to get through my shift with enough critical thinking, nursing skills, and knowledge to feel 100% confident that I was taking care of my patients in the best way possible. I hit a point where I felt that I was ready to learn more in order to be more for my patients’ and their families.
This was a ground-breaking moment in which for the first time in 5 years I felt lost in my career. So many different options in nursing; how would I possibly choose the right one? This is when I found Walden University and suddenly so many things became so much clearer. When I read Walden’s mission and vision which, in sum, strives “to meet the needs of individuals and local and global communities” and “transform society” through critical thinking, evidence-based practice, and specialized nursing knowledge I felt like it was calling out to me. Although I was not sure how I wanted to continue to expand my career in nursing, I knew that my goal and vision for my future was to further expand my nursing knowledge through evidence-based practice in order to promote my critical thinking skills to make a difference in the lives of the individuals and communities that I am blessed to work with. Being able to accomplish all of these things in addition to mastering Walden’s MSN learning outcomes, such as “exhibit[ing] ongoing commitment to professional development and value of nursing theories/ethical principles …”, in order to transform myself and create a positive social change at the individual, community and global levels, as Walden’s mission states, would make me feel truly accomplished as a nursing professional providing care to others.
Building relationships and Networking Opportunities
In addition to gaining all of the book knowledge and expanding my critical thinking skills from my courses at Walden, it is also crucial to begin to create relationships and a “social network” that would help make my goals more attainable. According to Schmidt, “a social network can be defined as a network of social interactions and personal relationships.” Building this network and establishing these relationships early on can help make a bigger impact in the long run. For example, taking the first step to achieve my career and educational goals all started through a mutual relationship that I established in the past. A previous coworker who attended Walden several years ago that I have kept in touch with, was the one who first directed me to the university when I felt like I was at crossroads in my nursing career; not knowing which path I wanted to take. Had I not kept this relationship, I may have never found Walden and may still be in the same lost place that I was just a few months ago.
In this same fashion, many professionals discover once in a life-time opportunities that they otherwise may never have known existed, such as nursing conferences, volunteer opportunities, and even employment opportunities. As a matter of fact, “both Yale University and Cornell University …[claim] that 70% of all jobs are found through networking” (Schmidt). I look forward to further developing my networking skills at Walden and using these relationships in any way that I can in order to continue to help others and further enhance social change in a positive manner. As the old proverb goes, “there is power in numbers” and this could not be truer when it comes to building relationships and networking, especially in the health care industry.
References
College of Nursing Mission and Vision. Walden University. (n.d.). https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/fieldexperience/son#s-lg-box-3837398.
Dr. Patricia Benner. Nursing Theory. (2020, October 17). https://www.nursing-theory.org/nursing-theorists/Patricia-Benner.php.
MSN Learning Outcomes. Walden University. (n.d.). https://catalog.waldenu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=179&poid=72167&returnto=65560.
Schmidt, K. (n.d.). 5 Reasons Nurses Should Engage in Professional Networking. BluePipes Blog. https://blog.bluepipes.com/5-reasons-nurses-should-take-professional-networking-seriously/.
Vision, Mission, and Goals. Walden University. (n.d.). https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=179&navoid=65155.
A Sample Answer 3 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
Title: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
You make a great point about Walden University’s commitment to promoting education world-wide. This is evidence of how much education is valued. Thanks for sharing
I was much like you when it came to wanting to further my education but not knowing where to start. My main source of help was our number one networking technique in this day and age, social media. I believe social media is very powerful and can be great when used properly. “Today is the age of social media. There is no better time to be a nurse. With access to resources and tools, at the click of a tab, social media is quickly becoming the number one resource for professional networking. It is one of the most effective ways to build alliances” (Walker, 2018, para. 2 ). The above statement referenced by Walker, is something I am a firm believer in. I use
Facebook and Instagram to build networking relationships with other nurses whom not only desire the same goals and dreams professionally but leisurely as well. A simple hashtag #WaldenUniversity or #WaldenUniversityAlumni is what I used to connect with others to see how their experience was at Walden. I believe this same networking technique could be used not only professionally by a simple hashtag of a particular hospital you are interested in but also a hashtag of maybe a subject matter that you maybe struggling with and need study resources. Many nurses vlog on Instagram and provide various study guides and tools in a fun, learning way. I am always looking for ways to build relationships with other nurses as we are our own community.
References
Walker, A. (2018, May 24).10 Networking Tips for Nurses Who Hate Networking. Nurse.org.
https://nurse.org/articles/tips-for-nurse-networking/.
A Sample Answer 4 For the Assignment: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
Title: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion Networking Opportunities
I am very excited to embark on this journey with you all! I work in the field of acute critical care in a small community hospital in the Philadelphia suburbs. I’ve been in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for five years and have always wanted to further my education. As a result, my acceptance into this program is both exciting and terrifying. The majority of this course appears to be devoted to networking and identifying people who can help you in times of stress. My two older brothers and one younger brother are both nurses in Acute or Long Term Intensive Care. Both of my parents are registered nurses. My mother has worked as an ER nurse for thirty years, and my father has also worked as a nurse for thirty years. My father has always been an advocate for continuing education (he holds many degrees himself, from Bachelors in nursing to MBA). I had a positive impression of what I was signing up for after reviewing Walden’s vision, missions, goals, and societal change because of his emphasis on “never slowing down” and “always utilizing education to help you improve.” In contrast to Walden’s Mission While reading Walden’s “Visions,” it became clear that their goal is to promote the greater good. Hopefully, learning knowledge to help me grow in a professional setting will reflect the impact we all hope to make, which is to promote the greatest good to those we care for on a daily basis.
The “missions” section simply emphasized the importance of having an outlet that promotes growth in an individual, in this case through an educational program. Walden’s mission of assisting in the transition into a knowledgeable and confident nurse who serves the greater good aligns perfectly with the roles my father attempted to instill in me at a young age, as previously discussed. Walden provides a number of program objectives, but one in particular stood out to me. The ultimate goal, according to their website, is “to produce graduates who are scholarly, reflective practitioners and agents for positive change” (Walden University, n.d.). This stood out because I really enjoy the second half. Change is a term that is thrown around too often without emphasizing its significance, and hearing my father’s influence float around throughout my life has made me realize how powerful change can be. From Walden’s perspective, social change appears to be entirely driven by growth and development, with the implication of application to a society for the greater good. The social change aspect really appeals to me because it emphasizes not only the importance of this knowledge, but also the importance of applying the skills we will learn along the way. Through Walden, I hope to hone my application skills in order to better serve those with whom we interact on a daily basis. Walden provides University Outcomes that appear to flawlessly wrap up everything mentioned previously.
The second outcome is the most pertinent to my objectives and desires as a result of this program, as it covers everything I’ve mentioned. According to the mission statement, the objective is to use the acquired knowledge to benefit the community, society, and profession. Following in the footsteps of my father, I hope that this program will assist me in fostering the growth of individuals with whom I interact, whether by providing for an individual or the entire community in which I serve. Possible Networking Opportunities NURS 6003 Final Considerations and Conclusion I really anticipate participating in Walden’s community service, which is absolutely remarkable. The world is a constantly evolving place, and the healthcare industry is no exception. According to the author of “Missions and Organizational Performance in the Healthcare Industry,” “the diverse characteristics of the healthcare market make it essential for employees at all levels to not only have a clear understanding of what they are trying to accomplish, but also a sense of support and involvement in determining the mission” (Forehand, A., 2000). This is something I truly believe in, and Walden’s comprehension of my goals is crucial. Another item I read stated, “Successful organizations will be those that are unwavering in their pursuit of their vision, unrelenting in their commitment to their goal, and unwavering in their commitment to their values” (MacLeod L.,2016). Every argument made by Walden is consistent, and I’ve found myself aligning with their vision. I believe in the success that this organization will bring and look forward to achieving the personal goals that my father defined for me when I was younger and growing with the principles that this institution offers! Discussion: Networking Possibilities NURS 6003
References
Forehand, A. (2000). Mission and Organizational Performance in the Healthcare Industry. Journal of Healthcare Management, 45(4), 267.
https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1097/00115514-200007000-00012
MacLeod, L. (2016). Mission, Vision and Values Statements: The Physician Leader’s Role. Physician Leadership Journal, 3(5), 18–25.
Walden University. (N.d.). College of Nursing. Retrieved October June 5th, 2020, from
https://www.waldenu.edu/about/colleges=schools/college-of-nursing
Grading Rubric Guidelines
| Performance Category | 10 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Scholarliness
Demonstrates achievement of scholarly inquiry for professional and academic decisions. |
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| Performance Category | 10 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| Application of Course Knowledge –
Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles and concepts learned in the course lesson and outside readings and relate them to real-life professional situations |
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| Performance Category | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Interactive Dialogue
Replies to each graded thread topic posted by the course instructor, by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT, of each week, and posts a minimum of two times in each graded thread, on separate days. (5 points possible per graded thread) |
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Summarizes what was learned from the lesson, readings, and other student posts for the week. |
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| Minus 1 Point | Minus 2 Point | Minus 3 Point | Minus 4 Point | Minus 5 Point | |
| Grammar, Syntax, APA
Note: if there are only a few errors in these criteria, please note this for the student in as an area for improvement. If the student does not make the needed corrections in upcoming weeks, then points should be deducted. Points deducted for improper grammar, syntax and APA style of writing. The source of information is the APA Manual 6th Edition |
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| 0 points lost | -5 points lost | ||||
| Total Participation Requirements
per discussion thread |
The student answers the threaded discussion question or topic on one day and posts a second response on another day. | The student does not meet the minimum requirement of two postings on two different days | |||
| Early Participation Requirement
per discussion thread |
The student must provide a substantive answer to the graded discussion question(s) or topic(s), posted by the course instructor (not a response to a peer), by Wednesday, 11:59 p.m. MT of each week. | The student does not meet the requirement of a substantive response to the stated question or topic by Wednesday at 11:59 pm MT. |
Check Out Also: NURS 6003 Wk 1 Assignment Academic Success and Professional Development Plan Part 1 Developing an Academic and Professional Network
NURS 6003 Wk 1 Discussion: Networking Opportunities
As a nurse for 27 years, my professional life has been a journey from physical, psychological and spiritual aspects of dealing with the realities of life. I’ve learned and never forget that I deal with a human being who has needs that must be met. This time, my goal is to advance my career to the next level and broaden my knowledge. Choosing Walden University as an online school to cater my needs in fostering my education had been one of the best options that I ever made. Walden University’s vision, mission and goals to prepare scholarly practitioners through education (Walden University, n.d.) will serve as my inspiration to secure the best foundation in helping me accomplish the agenda of getting through the course of Master’s of Science in Nursing with concentration in Adult Gerontology Primary Care.
As we all know, nursing is a broad term when caring for the health of the population as a whole. Walden University highly emphasized that “positive social change results in the improvement of human and social conditions (Walden University, n.d., para. 4). As a nurse, I become part of a team that advocates research through evidence based practices (Master of Science in Nursing, n.d.). Utilization and incorporation of networking collaboration (The Foundation of Success, 2018) with the advancement in technology will help me find a solution for a successful outcome in accomplishing the skills and academic performance as required. Preparing students just like us, could be valuable in meeting the needs of the changing society by promoting the wellness of not just the people in the community but also to effect changes that will help provide better outcomes towards achieving a meaningful goal that could benefit the entire human being in this world.
References
Master of Science in Nursing. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2021, from
https://catalog.waldenu.edu/preview_program.php?catoid=181&poid=73418
The foundation of success. (2018). Laureate Education. Retrieved August 30, 2021, from
https://class.content.laureate.net/2007a6aa3757114f5e659626ac569d35.html#section_container_co
Walden University. (n.d.). Retrieved August 30, 2021, from
https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=182&navoid=66786