Building Your Nursing Career, 3rd Edition

A Guide for Students
Authors :
Gail J. Donner & Mary M. Wheeler & Janice Waddell
Date of Publication: 02/2009
The only career planning book available in Canada developed specifically for nursing students!This specialized workbook has been written specifically for nursing students as a tool to assist them in the process of planning their future career. Follow ...view more

The only career planning book available in Canada developed specifically for nursing students!
This specialized workbook has been written specifically for nursing students as a tool to assist them in the process of planning their future career. Following the Donner-Wheeler "Career Planning and Development Model", the book aims to provide students with practical advice on how to get the most from their education, and subsequently, their careers.

Students will learn how to:

  • Develop a clinical learning plan
  • Appropriately select courses
  • Determine a foci for course assignments
  • Balance extracurricular activities
  • Establish a sense of control and direction over their academic career
  • Develop a plan for future success

Building on the success of the previous two editions, the fully-updated Third Edition of Building Your Nursing Career will serve as a valuable aid to any nursing student, no matter if they are just entering school or are close to graduating.

"This inexpensive text is used from year one to fourth year...The self-assessment and reality check are great for preparing the students and compiling the work they've done in the program. When students interview, I get phone calls and rave reviews on the students because they are interviewing so well. Students are being offered jobs six weeks into senior practicum! Students have said this book is the most valuable book to have!" - Nursing instructor Kathryn Hyndman, Brandon University

"I spent hours trying to decide what area of nursing I wanted to go into, as well as where I wanted my career to lead me. These have always been questions that I have found hard to answer. With so many different career options how could I choose? [This book] uses questions to encourage you to reflect about the things that you enjoy most, and ways in which you currently spend your time. This challenges you to consider ways in which you want to progress through your nursing education to gain the end result of a career that is right for you. It asks you many questions, with plenty of space to write your answers. The final chapter contains information about choosing your first job as a registered nurse, as well as interview technique and some of the possible questions that you may be asked. As a 3rd year approaching interview time I have certainly found this section handy! This is a good, valid resource tool, which is very useful when considering and challenging your personal future nursing career." - Nursing student Helen Rowe, Bournemouth University

Add to Cart

The only career planning book available in Canada developed specifically for nursing students!
This specialized workbook has been written specifically for nursing students as a tool to assist them in the process of planning their future career. Following the Donner-Wheeler "Career Planning and Development Model", the book aims to provide students with practical advice on how to get the most from their education, and subsequently, their careers.

Students will learn how to:

  • Develop a clinical learning plan
  • Appropriately select courses
  • Determine a foci for course assignments
  • Balance extracurricular activities
  • Establish a sense of control and direction over their academic career
  • Develop a plan for future success

Building on the success of the previous two editions, the fully-updated Third Edition of Building Your Nursing Career will serve as a valuable aid to any nursing student, no matter if they are just entering school or are close to graduating.

"This inexpensive text is used from year one to fourth year...The self-assessment and reality check are great for preparing the students and compiling the work they've done in the program. When students interview, I get phone calls and rave reviews on the students because they are interviewing so well. Students are being offered jobs six weeks into senior practicum! Students have said this book is the most valuable book to have!" - Nursing instructor Kathryn Hyndman, Brandon University

"I spent hours trying to decide what area of nursing I wanted to go into, as well as where I wanted my career to lead me. These have always been questions that I have found hard to answer. With so many different career options how could I choose? [This book] uses questions to encourage you to reflect about the things that you enjoy most, and ways in which you currently spend your time. This challenges you to consider ways in which you want to progress through your nursing education to gain the end result of a career that is right for you. It asks you many questions, with plenty of space to write your answers. The final chapter contains information about choosing your first job as a registered nurse, as well as interview technique and some of the possible questions that you may be asked. As a 3rd year approaching interview time I have certainly found this section handy! This is a good, valid resource tool, which is very useful when considering and challenging your personal future nursing career." - Nursing student Helen Rowe, Bournemouth University


Key Features
• Enhanced discussion of “Visioning” – a fundamental step in the Donner-Wheeler Career Planning and Development Model
• Broader focus on learning styles and the importance of determining one’s own style as a part of the Self-Assessment process
• Practical advice on how to market yourself and be aware of your own projected image, including a discussion on social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace, etc.) and their new role in the hiring process
• New content on e-portfolios and electronic resumes, and the importance of utilizing them as a tool in the career planning and development process
• Updated discussion on mentors and their role in a student’s academic career
• Plenty of student examples and further resources

Author Information
By Janice Waddell, RN, MA, PhD, Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Yeates School of Graduate Studies, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario; Gail J. Donner, RN, PhD, Partner, donnerwheeler, Career Planning and Development Consultants and Mary M. Wheeler, RN, MEd, PCC, Partner, donnerwheeler, Career Planning and Development Consultants