Should I Attend a Nursing Conference?

Why Is Networking Important for Me as a Nurse?

From discovering job opportunities to tapping into deeper levels of knowledge and emotional support, networking may influence the course of your entire nursing career.

Networking is all about connecting. You need to communicate with other nurses, clinicians, or healthcare professionals to advance in the nursing career, establish a personal and professional support system, stay current, and make your voice heard in the healthcare system.

Build Your Professional Future

You may think that serious study and hard work are the way to reach your ideal position, and it is, but you can't do it alone. Networking is the way of the 21st-century world; connections provide the opportunities and support you need. 

The UCLA Career Guide states that 80% of all jobs are found thanks to networking. In many hospitals, referrals are an explicit part of the recruitment strategy, with appreciable incentives for staff to refer their contacts. Some jobs are never even advertised.

Healthcare networking also broadens your professional horizons by exposing you to new and exciting areas of interest.

Establish a Support System

Connect and share with others experiencing the struggles of shiftwork and work-life balance or striving to become nurse managers. Turning to your professional network can provide support, understanding, and practical ideas for handling stress or exasperating situations.

Stay Up-To-Date

Nurse networking expands your access to healthcare news and educational content, helping you stay at the forefront of emerging treatment guidelines, changes in legislation, certification requirements, and self-care tactics.  

Make a Difference in the Healthcare System

Making connections within your organization and throughout the healthcare industry develops and nurtures alliances, introducing you to the circles that create and advance processes and policies that lead to better patient outcomes. Build relationships so your voice will be heard, and you may become a healthcare influencer. 

How Do I Get Started Connecting with Others Across the Healthcare Industry? 

You can start in person with your coworkers and classmates and reach out beyond your acquaintances at professional conferences. Take advantage of the limitless opportunities provided by platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. 

LinkedIn is designed for professional networking. Update your profile, and join healthcare LinkedIn groups to connect to colleagues, discuss nursing trends and best practices, and follow the corporate pages of leading healthcare organizations and hospitals. 

On Facebook and Twitter, both personal and professional posts and connections often appear one right after the other. Even if you interact primarily with friends and family, be careful not to post anything you prefer your bosses not to see. See to it that your social media pages show you in a professional light.

For effective connections, select and join a national, state, or specialty professional nursing association, such as those listed by the Nurse Journal. These organizations send licensing and legislative change updates, post job leads, and offer virtual and face-to-face networking and educational opportunities, including conferences. 

How Do You Find a Conference Near You?

Nursa's article on nursing conferences and conventions lists conferences scheduled through 2023, with locations, dates, topics, and contact for registration. Try one out, enjoy the community, discover like-minded people, and tap into unlimited knowledge and resources.

10 Tips for Networking at Conferences

1. Choose your conference carefully and go to meet people and create mutually beneficial relationships.
2. Have your networking cards ready. 
3. Prepare and practice your elevator speech. When asked: What do you do? Or Why did you choose this conference? have a short, coherent answer ready that rolls off the tongue. Trust that your genuine interest in nursing will help you connect your story to other experiences and pave the way for meaningful conversations.
4. Formulate a few questions you can ask to start conversations, such as:

1. What are your thoughts on the program so far? Ask the person beside you at the coffee table or behind you in line, and once engaged, you can introduce yourself and exchange networking cards.
2. Mention something that caught your attention in a recent presentation, and ask other attendees what they think. 
3. Did you always want to be a nurse? How did you choose your particular specialty?
4. What changes do you see coming in your field? Or in the healthcare system?
5. How do you help yourself or your colleagues deal with burnout on one of those utterly exhausting days?

1. Although you have done your homework, you may feel awkward and alone when you walk through the door. Look for someone alone, look around, say hello, and ask where they are from, or ask one of the questions you have prepared.  
2. You may be hoping to meet someone in particular, an author or a professor, or someone a colleague recommended. Ask others if they have seen this person, mentioning that you would like to talk with them about a specific topic or presentation.
3. Be positive, kind, helpful, and friendly, and don't complain.
4. Networking is about planting seeds, not hunting. Do not ask for a job outright. Show interest, listen, and share your own experience and expertise. You will harvest a list of contacts and some long-lasting friendships. 
5. Consider what you can offer, a relevant article, or contact when you approach someone. 
6. Follow up with the connections you made not long after the conference. Send them a quick note via email or LinkedIn, saying you enjoyed the conversation or presentation. If you promised to send them an article or contact, attach it to the message. It doesn't have to be much - the simpler, the better!

If you reach out, you will have a great time at the conference, and it will help you build relationships before you need them. Remember, this is an ongoing process, a professional investment.