Benefits of Nursing Seminars

by Alex A. Kecskes

The healthcare industry is constantly changing. To maintain your skills, knowledge, and to keep your license from lapsing, you need to continue your education. But going back to college can be time consuming, and online courses lack the personal interaction and thought-out presentation you need to properly absorb new material.

One popular solution has been the nursing seminar. These provide current information, personally presented by experts, in manageably short sessions. Some seminars may be offered at your hospital or medical center; others are conducted at local or regional conference centers, hotels or colleges.

However, unlike regular college classes, seminars tend to zero in on a specific topic or nursing area. They may introduce a new procedure, a breakthrough technology, new research findings, or new state or local guidelines for nursing. The advantage here is that you'll be getting the most current information, which college courses often lack.

The Q&A sessions at seminars can also be very helpful. Ideas can be brought up, solutions offered, and others challenged in the light of real world experience. Industry experts, physicians and experienced professionals can provide valuable feedback you can take back to your workplace. Smaller group seminars in a roundtable format generally allow you to get more questions answered.

Another benefit seminars offer is contacts and networking. You may run into supervisors and top-level managers who will acknowledge your presence and recognize your diligence in keeping your knowledge and skills current. Attend enough seminars and you'll develop contacts that may help you should you decide to move up in your career—or move out to a new hospital or medical center.

For an additional perspective, check out this sample seminar:

For more information on health careers, visit http://www.healthcarejobsite.com/