Every day thousands of people look for a home business out of the need to help with the stack of bills that see to arrive everyday, pay off their increasing credit card debt or to have more time with the people they care the most. I know, I was one of those people.
There are countless Internet Businesses, MLMs, Direct Sale Businesses and Network Marketing Businesses out there, and more are popping up every year. What most people don’t know is, the average lifespan of a home based business company is less than two years, so when they close their doors (or change their company name to avoid legal issues) the home business owner feels betrayed and enraged because they were lied to and now are deeper in the debt sinkhole.
Before you’re roped into this group, take some time to ask yourself exactly what you want in a home business before joining. There’s more too it than wondering, “Which company can make me super rich quick?”.
Here’s a list of things you need to consider before you enter your credit card information and buy a ticket for the get rich bus:
1. Start Up and Continuation Cost
a. Is it affordable for you now to start a home business with the company you want?
b. Most businesses have a monthly membership. Can you afford to stay with the company after one month? Two months? A year?
c. Are there any extra costs involved to be successful with the business?
d. Does the business provide a budget plan for you so you don’t overspend?
e. Does the business provide a refund if you decide not to quit?
2. Compensation Plan
a. What percentage of commission do you earn from the product(s)/service(s)?
b. Can you earn commissions with your business more than one way?
c. How often do you get paid for your business? Weekly? Monthly? Yearly?!
d. Does the product(s)/service(s) have to be kept by the customer for a certain amount of time before you receive your commission?
e. If the customer wants a refund for the product(s)/service(s), do you have to pay back your commission?
f. Is there a limit to how much you can make in a week? Month? Year?
g. Are there extras (bonuses, trips, vehicles) for being a top earner or making/breaking sales records?
3. Support
a. Are you given a mentor, upline or support team you can contact if you have a problem, question or concern?
b. Does the business have a website where other people have voice the same problems, questions or concerns?
c. Does the business have a toll free number you can contact?
d. How quick (or slow) does the business respond to your problems, questions or concerns?
e. Does their response satisfy your issues or leave you even more troubled?
4. Product Marketability
a. Does the business provide a website to market their product(s)/service(s) or do you have to build your own?
b. Does the business have brochures, CDs, or DVDs to for you to build your business?
c. Are you allowed to market their product(s)/service(s) as well as any you may have?
d. Are you allowed market affiliate product(s)/service(s) with the company product(s)/service(s) or do you have to achieve a certain level in their business before you are allowed?
e. Do you have to attend meetings to be a part of the business or market their product(s)/service(s)?
5. Training
a. Does the business have a training program? How long is the training?
b. Does the business have a training website that is easy to navigate and learn?
c. Does the business provide live training calls, webinars, videos, CDs, DVDs or books for your training?
d. If your sponsor quits, what will happen to you?
e. How soon will your business start making a profit when your training is finished?
6. Success Record
a. How long has the company been in business?
b. How soon (or long) were they established before they showed a profit?
c. Are they still making a profit today?
d. Are the chairmen people with successful business backgrounds or do they have a negative record?
e. Is the business privately owned or is it being traded on Wall Street?
f. Does the business promote a benefit, charity or non-profit organization? Did they create their own?
This is list of questions you NEED to ask the representative of the company you want to join. If they can’t give you an answer, then speak to someone in the business who can. If that person can’t answer your questions, you need to keep looking.
Finding a home business is the same as buying a new pair of shoes. If they are a good fit then you should be able to wear them everyday for as long as they serve their purpose. If they cause more pain than pleasure, then you should be able to return them for a refund, or throw them away without any hard feelings.
I hope you found this article helpful in your decision as to what you should look for in home business.
Cheers!
Scott G.
E-Business Expert
Before You Start A Home Business
Engineering Job News: Tips To Survive Offshore Outsourcing
The cheap labor costs of Southeast Asia are like a siren call to more and more US employers seeking to lower support costs and improve profits. The increasingly common trend toward outsourcing labor to countries such as India, Malaysia, and Pakistan means jobs are leaking to a part of the world where workers fresh out of college or technical school will work for pennies on the dollar compared to American workers. For the American workers, that means the bar for entry-level positions is rising or the same positions are disappearing off the map completely. What can you do to avoid losing out to offshore outsourcing??
Don’t become a target.
What should you do if you find yourself facing joblessness due to outsourcing? Many would say make yourself indispensable, but is anyone ever really so valuable that they are indispensable? What makes someone indispensable in a company that has 1500 employees? Few things, but some key skills can give you an edge. Skills such as bilingualism, abilities with key or rare equipment, skills with software that is either so cutting-edge or so old that only a few can manipulate it well ue skills that will make you stand out in an ocean of other employees.
Move up the ladder rapidly.
Another way to deal with outsourcing is avoidance. Jobs that are outsource-able are not key positions in the first place. Therefore, the key is to rapidly move out of entry-level positions into positions that are less likely to be outsourced. Look around you. If you are in a company in an entry-level position that has 50 to 100 other people doing the exact same tasks you are doing, you may very well be in a Danger Zone for having your position outsourced. Make it your mission to get out of that huge fish barrel of low-skilled fish and into a position that can only effectively be done on home turf as rapidly as possible. Get promoted, get higher training or education, or go for a position that is more specialized.
Go smaller.
Consider changing jobs to a company that is smaller or more niche-oriented. Smaller companies generally do not outsource due to decreased cost effectiveness and often because they have a closer relationship with their customers. While offshore outsourcing may save dollars and improve stock prices, it often has detrimental effects on customer relations. Small companies cannot afford to lose customers because of poor customer service or language barriers and are therefore less likely to outsource offshore.
Go where the jobs are.
Displaced garment and textile workers in the Carolinas and other Southern states were left jobless almost overnight in the nineties when their employers moved operations to Central America or Asia. Those who did not have transferable skills or were unwilling to relocate were left floundering. Workers who thrived were the ones who learned new skills that were in demand or who were willing to move to areas where their current skills were needed.
Stay on the cutting edge of your field.
Work that is outsourced is generally grunt work that requires a labor force that is broadly skilled in the most common tasks, works with the most common applications, or can handle minimal communication coupled with heavy, repetitive-type work. There is always demand for skilled professionals who can work easily with the latest and greatest technology, who do not fear risk-taking and enjoy the challenge of development and innovation.
Will offshore outsourcing suddenly cease? Not a chance as long as the American consumer continues to demand high-end technology for rock-bottom prices. The race to maintain market share while maintaining profits, demands cheaper and cheaper labor costs. Offshore outsourcing is a solution to that problem. It behooves American engineering and information technology workers not to be a part of the problem to begin with by pursuing education and training that sets them above their offshore labor competitors and takes them out of the fish barrel of low-end, low paid support type positions. America has always been the leader in innovation and development and engineers who concentrate on those areas will always have a place in this economy.
From Small Business to Big Business: United Parcel Service, Inc. or Ups
UPS is a package delivery company that has grown into one of the largest delivery companies in the world. With its iconic brown trucks roaming the streets of every major city across the globe the company delivers over 15 million packages each day to over 6.1 million customers. But it wasn’t always that way. There was a time many years ago that the company everyone knows today was just the vision of two young men.
The two young men in question were 19 year old Jim Casey and 18 year old Claude Ryan. Together these two men would get together and form a small messenger company in Seattle, Washington known as the American Messenger Company. They formed their new business venture just over 100 years ago in 1907. And they did by borrowing a $100.
These two enterprising young men soon had a thriving business on their hands and in 1913 they would take the company a step further by merging with one of their competitors Evert McCabe. Together the company which was newly renamed as Merchants Parcel Delivery would begin using the Ford Model T as the first ever delivery vehicle. And the company would also introduce the concept of consolidated delivery which insured that packages going to the same area went on the same vehicle.
By 1918 the company owned a fleet of delivery vehicles and expansion would begin outside the Seattle, Washington area. In 1919 the company officially changed its name to United Parcel Service although it wouldn’t be until 1930 when the company began entering the Eastern and Midwestern portions of the country that the entire company would officially adopt the name. It was also in 1930 that the company would start to use what is known as Pullman brown on all of its vehicles. The color they still use today.
It wasn’t until the early 50′s that UPS began to build its own air fleet known as Blue Label Air to help move packages all over the country and it actually took until 1975 for UPS to begin delivering packages to all 48 contiguous states. In 1975 UPS also began their first international deliveries by opening up operations in Canada. But once that border was crossed then true international expansion of the company would begin.
Today UPS operates in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. They not only handle package delivery but freight services, trucking companies, mail box stores, and much more. Chances are you’ve used UPS to deliver a package at some time or another and many business owners see the UPS guy nearly every day. Now whether a young Jim Casey and Claude Ryan ever thought their small messenger company that they began 100 years ago would become such a global icon who can really say. But they can be proud of it none the less.
Take Your Business Networking to a New Level
For any business, effective networking is an essential component to success. Today, though, the landscape of business networking has changed dramatically. No longer does business networking exclusively involve standing in a crowded room of people, meeting and greeting with total strangers, and exchanging numerous business cards. While such traditional networking is still valid and effective, e-networking done via business social networking sites is just as valuable.
Regardless of what anyone thinks about social networking sites, the fact is that they are here to stay. Sure, they’ll evolve over the years and will likely look very different than they do today, but ultimately they’ll still exist. And while purely “social” social networking sites can have a business aspect to them, it’s important for business owners, executives, and managers to have a strong presence on the tried and true business networking sites (example: LinkedIn).
Why? Because your clients, customers, colleagues, and others look to business networking sites for evidence of your character. For example, when a prospect is thinking about doing business with you, he or she will likely do a social media search for you. Never before did average people have the ability to research anyone or any company they wanted. While in the past background checks were expensive and time-consuming, these days a few mouse clicks and keystrokes can pull up a goldmine of information. That’s why you and your company need to be on business networking sites…and you need to be using the e-networking sites effectively.
The following suggestions will help you become a savvy e-networker with a positive online presence.
Don’t be a contact collector; be a contact cultivator.
The goal of any networking endeavor is to build relationships, not just to collect business cards. E-networking is no different. If you’ve been on any business networking sites, you’ve likely seen people with 500+ connections. At first you may think, “Wow, that person sure knows a lot of people.” But does he or she really know those connections? Or is this person just collecting contacts?
Rather than accepting and sending invitations to anyone, be mindful of whom you connect with. When you do make a connection with someone, look over his or her profile and then add a personal note to the person where you indicate a shared interest, club, affiliation, etc. For example, you could respond to someone by writing, “I see you attended Northwestern University (or are a member of the Miami Business Association, or have a pet beagle…). I have a similar interest in that I (also attended Northwestern…am a member of the Tulsa Business Association…. have a dog named Snoopy…etc.).” You get the idea. Find a shared interest to build upon that will make you stand out and open the lines for real communication later.
Have a clear purpose.
Many people think they’re going to get business from being on social media sites. While you can get business from your online activities, this shouldn’t be your ultimate purpose. Rather, your purpose should be to make people aware of who you are by sharing your expertise.
Any business networking site is a place for you to give, not just to get. So to get business from your e-networking activities, you have to contribute meaningful content. You can find many groups to belong to that have strong conversations going. If you post something in the discussion that’s smart and useful (good content), then chances are someone will ask to connect with you. Now you have more people to share your message with.
Other examples of good content are asking thought-provoking questions, posting a motivational quote, and sharing a business tip. No matter what you post, if you get a reply, acknowledge the person for their feedback or contribution. Just as you can’t take people for granted in the brick and mortar world, you can’t take them for granted in the virtual world either. Everyone who reacts to your content is a potential relationship and you need to treat them as such.
When you’re replying to a question someone else poses, try to answer in the early part of the conversation rather than after 100 others have already replied. You want your answer to be in that first page of results. That way anyone who replies after you sees your photo and business information every time. With that said, pay close attention to what the question is and don’t answer anything capriciously. Always remember that your reply is posted forever.
Add some personal flair to your profile.
Even though this is business, it’s okay to put some personal flair to your profile. After all, no one is all business all the time. Chances are you have some interesting hobbies or other areas of your life that people find intriguing. For example, maybe you collect antique cars, breed prize-winning poodles, tend a vineyard in your backyard, or have the city’s largest yo-yo collection. These are interesting tidbits of yourself that you can weave into your profile to make you appear more “real.”
Additionally, look at the tools and widgets the business networking sites make available to you and use them. You can do such things as post your reading list, link your blog, upload your Twitter feed, and many others. People can get to know you by these additional applications. Even better, they’re very user-friendly and easy to integrate into your business networking persona.
A New Twist on an Old Tool
We are currently in the biggest social media experiment in the world. Those who embrace business e-networking now are essentially the pioneers who will shape how this tool gets implemented and how it evolves. As you move forward, however, remember that your involvement with business networking sites should be just one small aspect of your business building efforts; it’s definitely not an end-all approach for getting business. Essentially, when you use today’s business e-networking tools effectively, you’ll have one more way to connect with clients and prospects so you can build your business and boost your bottom line.
Why Do Big Businesses Outsource? Benefits, Quality Feedbacks and Reasons Why You Should Too!
Many people still believe that outsourcing is a big, risky leap for a business, but truthfully, outsourcing is making waves when it comes to business marketing strategies. Of course, outsourcing talents can be a bit too unconventional to handle, especially if you’ve been in the business world for so long. But why not take the chance? Many growing businesses are swooning over the many benefits of outsourcing and would love a bit of change in the work station.
Outsourcing is business aggreement that involves a third party. This party does not even have to report in the office everyday, and you can take it as far as employing someone from different countries.
Learn more why many businesses are getting more and more hooked on outsourcing employees. Maybe you need to join the club, too.
Cost-saving. There are many talented people in less developed countries who opt to work online and provide quality service for a much lower cost. Also, there is room for re-pricing, negotiation, reconstructuring and re-negotiation. You do not need to provide your employee a desk, a computer and even a travel allowance. Everything is exchanged online. Many companies see this as a very beneficial characteristic of outsourced employees.
Access to talent. There are many online job sites that you can scroll and there it is: all talented employees with excellent resumes ready for the taking. You can carefully list down the requirements or job description that you need and simply get a hold of archives of future employees that you are looking for.
Room for improvement. Many people who work online are usually fast-learners. Simply give them access to training materials and you’re done (although this is also subjective. There are some skills that need a walk-through and you should include this on your action plan when you’re considering outsourcing in the future).
Leisure time. Outsourcing lets you have your employees learn time management, while encouraging them to be hard workers at the same time. With more leisure comes more quality and exceptional work. Many outsourced talents value independence while submitting themselves to deadlines and evaluation as well.
Management. Management can get difficult and it might even take some time to find worthy applicants, but once you’re up and running, work becomes much more convenient and fun.
There are still quite a good number of reasons why outsourcing should be a new religion. There is the wide possibilities of change and progress and yes, long-term outsourcing strategy is possible. There are tax benefits, innovative ideas, a wider accessibility to resources —- professional experience has never been this easy. And there’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t take hold of the opportunity as well.
To learn more about outsourcing, offshoring and networking, or if you are currently considering outsourcing services, visit http://blueprintoutsourcing.com/ and get ready to start your new outsourcing passion soon.
Identifying A Legitimate Home Based Business Opportunity
Identifying a legitimate home based business opportunity is not easy.
With thousands of “fly by night” type companies out there, it is becoming harder every day to find a legitimate home based business opportunity. But i don’t want you to worry or get discouraged…
I want you to know that there are legitimate home based business opportunities out there that are right for you, you just need to know what to look for, and that is why I’m writing this article today.
As a person that is seeking to change their fortune you are in a vulnerable position. Let me explain…
You’re filled with emotion and excitement because you have made the decision to possibly become an entrepreneur via the home based business industry. And that is really exciting!
But because of that there are advertiser/marketers that understand that, and they use Ads that trigger emotions (your vulnerability) in order for you to take action and respond to an Ad.
Now.. there is nothing wrong with that, that is the foundation of a good marketing campaign, however I want you to realize that it is at that specific moment when you respond to an Ad (in order to get more information) it is when you need to take the emotions hat off and put on the logic hat and ask yourself…
Did the Ad deliver what it promised? Or did the advertiser bait you in with one thing and then try to sell you something else?
What is delivered in the landing page? Is it all hype and fluff? (Expensive cars, mansions, money) or is there true value & substance with the information provided regarding what you are looking for.
Assuming that Ad delivered what it promised and you are ready and willing to look deeper into this legitimate home based business opportunity, you’re now going to want to make sure that all the benefits you’re looking for are incorporated into this opportunity.
And here’s a small list….
Unique Business Model & Products – This will make it easier for you to get your business started without dealing with products that have saturated the market.
Step By Step system that will literally take you by the hand and show you exactly how to get started, your following steps and your steps moving forward as you start building your home based business.
Weekly if not daily trainings that will allow you to learn from the people that are already getting results with what works right now so that you can implement it in your business.
Weekly support calls where you can directly speak to a top producer and ask any question or address any concern regarding your business so that they can point you in the right direction.
Marketing system that is pre-established and allows you to start your business right out of the gate and that allows you to brand it or mold it to you as you become more proficient.
Make sure the opportunity has global reach. By not limiting yourself to a local area or a region you are more likely to access larger markets using the internet to make more sales and grow your business exponentially
Finally, make sure that you become part of an opportunity that is composed of individuals that do not mind sharing new concepts and ideas and will allow you to become part of that discussion so that you can benefit from each others experiences and grow as whole.
It has never been about competition, rather understanding that there are different opportunities for different people. Therefore, if you find yourself with a company that bad mouths others or use deceptive tactics to gain business then I highly recommend that you think twice before investing a single dime (or penny in that matter).
But if you find yourself in a position where you are looking for exactly the specific points I touched base in this article then I welcome you to visit my website.
Good luck.
PS: Always use your gut instinct, it will rarely fail you.
Structure in Building Your Network Marketing Business-techniques That Will Change Your Life
Building your network marketing business requires structure to really change your life.
To have success in network marketing or any other business, you’ve got to look at the
long-term. Of course you want to plan to be profitable as quickly as possible. But you
need to figure out exactly how to build your business week after week, month after month,
year after year. A lot of people say they aren’t looking for “get rich quick,” but if they aren’t
making fistfuls of money within 6-8 weeks, they are history. People need to be realistic.
It seems most people come into MLM without a great networking database from their past.
And you can’t build a networking business without a database, so that means they have to
create a new group of people who know,like and trust them. That takes more than just
wiggling your nose. Your first goal must be to build trust with well-targeted prospects. You
do that by giving them value, something that costs you nothing or very little, but which is very
valuable to the person you give it to. This may be an ebook or audio or video or some other
piece of content which will really help out your prospects. In exchange you get their contact
information and permission to talk with them. As Humphrey Bogart said in “Casablanca,
” that “could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship!”
It’s important to really target the exact people who will build your network marketing business. You have a lot of markets to choose from. Pro mailers have learned the best ways to target
the best prospects to mail to. And it’s pretty expensive when you make a mistake of mailing to a poorly-targeted list. These guys would tell you that the number 1 factor in their success isn’t the mailing piece they send out – it is the names on the list they mail to. You’ll probably think this is weird, but the top criteria to be able to predict whether a person will buy is, has this person bought the same thing before?
Sounds like it couldn’t possibly be right, but it is the truth. Mail order dealers who know what
they’re doing mail exclusively to people who have already bought the exact same thing, or
something very similar. Why would that work? Because this is a prospect who has stood up
as a person interested in exactly what you are selling. that means your very best prospects are NOT the general public. your best prospects are those who have been in MLM before and are still looking for the opportunity that will give them the success they want.
The ebook “Success in 10 Steps” by Michael Dlouhy details these ideas and many more. It’s a free download describing the pitfalls of MLM and how to be successful anyway. The 10-step
system in the book shows how to build a strong team through long-term relationships. The book itself is free, and it is also part of a very inexpensive lead-generation system offered by the author, Michael Dlouhy. The reason it has such a strong impact is that so many people want the benefits of MLM, but they’ve just never had the real-life success that they want. Dlouhy shows exactly why that is, and exactly what you need to do to achieve long-term success. The opportunity to then turn around and use the book as your own lead generator is a real bonus. Giving you thestructure needed in a system for building your network marketing business.
Big Businesses Go Environmentally Savvy With Digital Signage – Business
The world is becoming more and more environmentally conscious, and as this consciousness has become a mainstream concern, customers are demanding that retailers take steps to ensure their businesses are environmentally savvy as well. With digital options, even big businesses are showing that they are supporting the environment.
Saving Paper with Digital Signage
Mass marketing for retail, especially in larger retail outlets, used to be done with posters, flyers, and other paper displays. With paper-saving techniques becoming popular, big businesses are feeling the pressure to find their own ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Digital marketing options help reduce paper by replacing paper signs and advertising posters.
While old school paper advertising required large signs to catch the eye of the consumer, the vibrant and colorful messages on digital signage are riveting, easily bringing the customer’s focus to the marketing message at hand. Of additional benefit is the ability to change the messages by day, time, weather, or promotion with very little effort. In fact, digital signage can be programmed to anticipate these changes and appeal to customers depending on known trends.
Saving Power with Current Digital Signage Solutions
Digital signs can be as simple as small LED displays, which flash simple messages, to banks of flat screen television monitors, with complex graphics and rotating messages. LED models, regardless of size, run on very little power compared to incandescent fixtures, making them a low-impact environmental item and an ideal addition to any sized business that is trying to be environmentally conscious.
Flat screen monitors consume an infinitesimal amount of power compared to the CRT models, making them a palatable choice for environmentally savvy businesses. Flat screens also have a longer life span, which is a perk that also services the environment.
Consumer Requirements Drive Sales
Digital signage has proven that it increases sales by:
- Using compelling marketing to attract new customers and persuading repeat customers to spend more- Encouraging customers to consider items that are not selling as well, thus influencing their purchasing decisions- Presenting new products easily and professionally- Enticing customers with appealing branding
As consumers demand that their retailers become more environmentally savvy, spending their retail cash in stores that promote that they are committed to a greener footprint, business decisions reflect these demands. Appealing to the consumer on issues that reflect their lifestyles and concerns is a prime mover in big business. Customers do have a say in business practices!
The Bottom Line: Going Green Saves Money
The bottom line for any business is the bottom line! As technology has evolved over the past decade, the cost of electronics, including computers and digital signage, has dropped dramatically, making digital signage a cost effective proposition. Combine the cost effectiveness of purchasing the electronics with the ability to customize messages, speak to clients through professional imagery, provide creative marketing solutions, and prove that the business is taking steps to be green, and it becomes clear why becoming environmentally savvy has become big business.
The Best Things In A Home Based Business Are Free
One of the biggest advantages for doing business on the internet is the low or no cost that is involved in starting and managing the business. Take the place where you do business which is the site, your online store. Most sites can be setup for free by a hosting company. You can either design it yourself or have someone design it for you, again for free.
Products for your business can be obtained for free from various affiliate programs. You do not have to pay for storage of the product because this is done for you by the affiliate. Once the prospect lands on the affiliate’s page they will sell, pack, and ship the merchandise for you. Again, for free. And you are paid a commission on the sale just for leading the prospect to the affiliate’s landing page through your promotions.
Now some promotions can also be free. For instance, you can write articles with links to your site, about the products, and have them published on hundreds of directories on the internet for free. The articles act as advertisement and through the links take the prospect to your site where you, in turn, through links or banners direct the prospect to the affiliate’s landing page where the sale is made. You can also get the prospect to your page through links with other web pages or through your position in search engines. All again for free!
Another way that you can get free advertisement is by belonging to a forum where you can participate in discussions and develop relationships. Your name and site will be listed each time you make a contribution and if enough interest is developed in what you offered; BINGO, you have another person following the link to your site.
You can also develop and place a free press release on the internet every time you add a new product or launch a new site. Blogs, Newsletters, and eBooks can also act as free advertisements. And because the internet is free, their distribution is free.
Let us not overlook the fact that in order to profit from all of the free stuff that is offered you need to do your homework. You will need to examine which hosting company offers the site designs that fit your style. Study which products you are going to be comfortable with representing and promoting. Determine how much knowledge and skills you will need to possess about the products so that you can develop interesting content to draw interest and develop a desire for the product.
You will need to develop a reputation for yourself as being an expert in the field before you will gain a following. This will take some time to establish. You need to be patient, persistent, and committed. Remember, “Rome was not built in a day- but it has lasted many a lifetime. And so can your home business. It is a great opportunity when you consider all of what can be done for free.
Pediatric Nursing, Is it Right For You?
Pediatric nursing, or the field of nursing that relates to treating children, is a specialized and sometimes stressful field. Pediatric nursing is not for everyone. Before you decide to specialize in pediatric nursing it is important to understand some of the drawbacks to the field, as well as the benefits.
How Do I Become a Pediatric Nurse?
Pediatric nursing is not offered as a specialty in nursing school, so the training that pediatric nurses receive comes through the job. Some hospitals provide an orientation for nurses that are interested in pediatric nursing. This training includes classroom as well as clinical training. Other hospitals do all of their training on the floor, partnering the new pediatric nurse with an experienced nurse as a mentor. Regardless of which method is used at the hospital where you are employed, no one expects you to come directly from nursing school prepared to work in pediatrics without additional training.
Beyond the training that you receive from the hospital, there is specialized coursework available for nurses who are interested in becoming pediatric nurses. The American Heart Association offers a Pediatric Advanced Life Support course, and the Emergency Nurses Association offers the Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course. There is also the Society of Pediatric Nurses, a professional association for those in the field. After you have received training in pediatric nursing, you may want to obtain the Certified Pediatric Nurse certificate, which is available by exam.
Do I Want to Become a Pediatric Nurse?
While these facts address the amount of training that is involved in pediatric nursing, they do not explain the emotional toll of working as a pediatric nurse. Because pediatric nurses work solely with those under eighteen, it can be a difficult job. Working with young patients that are very ill is stressful. Not only must you deal with your patient, but the parents as well. It is a job that can be rewarding, but draining as well. For those that are interested in working with children, it helps to understand what is involved.
Some types of pediatric nursing are less stressful than others. Working in the emergency room of a pediatric hospital will provide a good deal of variety to your day, and most patients suffer from cuts, broken bones and other injuries that, while frightening, are highly treatable. Working as a pediatric nurse in the oncology unit, on the other hand, is a very difficult job. The day after day exposure to extremely ill children and distraught parents require a special person to perform this job. Another challenge that many people have with working around pediatric patients that are very ill is that the children who spend so much time in the hospital become close to their caretakers, and the reverse is true as well. A child in the oncology unit may be there for weeks at a time, or come in several times a week. This creates a strong attachment between the patient and nurse, which, if the patient does not survive, is very painful.
For those that can work as a pediatric nurse with very sick patients, the job can be very rewarding. The joys of watching a child regain his strength and get to return to school cannot be compared to any other situation, and the bond that you develop with your young patients is priceless.
To determine if you are suited to work as a pediatric nurse, it helps to be very self aware. Are you easily upset? Does seeing other people sad or frightened upset you? If so, pediatric nursing may not be your best career path. If you want to work with children, but are concerned that you may not be comfortable working around very sick children, consider a career as a pediatric nurse in the emergency room or operating room. In those places you are exposed to less illness and you are not around the same children for extended periods of time.
Make Pediatric Nursing Work for You
If you choose to become a pediatric nurse, there are a variety of steps that you can take to reduce the stress of your job. Regular exercise and healthy eating both contribute to a general sense of well being. It is also important to develop an informal support group of friends or family members that you can talk to about the stress of your day. Another way to reduce the stress involved in pediatric nursing is to rotate to other units. Spend some time in the pediatric intensive care unit, and then move to the OR. Not only does this give you an emotional break, but it provides you with a well rounded skill set.