It is quite challenging these days to find your niche in the nursing profession considering that there are quite a number of specialties to choose from. Some of the specialties in Uganda include critical care nursing, midwifery, anesthesia, nursing education, public health, and research among many others.
Most nurses work in a particular field not because of their actual interest but because of the availability of the job so as to secure the bag. Much as being able to earn some money and make ends meet is important, there are other factors to consider in deciding which sector to work in, such as passion and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction and having passion in the work one does are key factors not only to the nurse but also for the wellbeing of the patients under their care.
We asked a graduate nurse Simon Peter Kezimbira working with MJAP about his niche in nursing and this is what he had to say “Well, I remember during my 3rd and 4th year at undergraduate, we were taken through the concept of research, and ever since then, I realized that my passion in nursing falls under the research arm.”
Simon added, “Immediately after campus, while in search for a research nurse job, I also spared most of my other time writing proposals, collecting data, analyzing it, and writing manuscripts for publication”. According to Simon, research gives one an opportunity to influence the other major arms of nursing like clinical practice, education, and administration.
On the other hand, another graduate nurse Brenda Desire Namuyingo working in the Intensive Care Unit at Mulago National Referral Hospital told us that working directly with patients in a health care facility is very satisfying because at the end of the day, no matter how hard it is, one knows that they are helping another person in a special time of need.
We also went ahead and interviewed Nakalega Annet Patience, a public health nurse expert lecturing with Victoria University and she informed us that her joy in nursing is got when she teaches students, observes them acquire nursing knowledge and skills, and eventually apply all this to save lives. Patience added that since childhood, her dream was to become a nurse-teacher.
Some of the ways one can discover their niche in any profession include; self-assessment and evaluation of the health care system you are working in with self-assessment. It’s important to ask yourself a number of questions for example, what is my personality and what are my areas of interest? According to your area of interest, you would consider different aspects like patient engagement, in this, you would ask yourself, how much would want to interact with patients. Some jobs have high patient interaction while others have little or no interaction with patients.
The education requirements is yet another key factor to consider when finding out your niche in nursing. In here, ask yourself questions like do I have the required training or skills for my desired area of interest? Am I willing to upgrade my skills and knowledge by attaining a Bachelors’ Degree or Master’s or Ph.D. in my desired field? And do I have the necessary resources or funding to facilitate my further studies?
Salary expectation is also a key factor you shouldn’t forget to consider when finding your niche. Here, you to ask yourself if your area of interest will help you achieve your desired financial goals. We have often seen and interacted with many nurses and midwives who are unhappy and unsatisfied at their workplace because of the low number of people.
Therefore, understanding the dynamics of the health system in Uganda is key in choosing the area of expertise to venture into. That is because some areas in the health care system call for more attention and demand compared to others depending on the prevailing circumstances.
A good example is with the current COVID-19 pandemic, the health care system drastically changed its demands for critical care/ICU nurses. Most importantly, the MoH and government of Uganda at large were and are still willing to employ such a cadre with unique skills and also go ahead to equip them with the necessary knowledge and skills in order to manage and offer appropriate health care services to the victims of the pandemic. As if this is not enough, this demand for critical nurses has come up with more benefits such as risk allowance and other lofty benefits on top of the salary. This has automatically made the critical care nursing niche more attractive compared to the other aspects of nursing like surgical, medical, and many others.
Conclusively, we recommend aspiring nurses, student nurses, and in-service nurses to find their niche in the nursing career. A career in nursing is an adventure and not a destination because it is a continuous process as one progresses in their nursing career. This process in turn is influenced by nurses’ individual goals, interests, and the health care system at large.
The authors are: Najjuuko Angella (BSc Nurse & Quality Assurance and Controller with JCRC Mbarara), and
Lilian Nuwabaine Luyima (BSc Nurse & MSN-Midwife & Women’s’ Health Specialist)
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