Education and Career: From Studies to SpecializationEducation and Career: From Studies to Specialization

A nursing career — more than one path

Nursing today is a profession with ten careers in one. Clinical practice, education, research, management, public health, digital health, consulting, entrepreneurship — all legitimate and necessary roles.

The biggest myth in nursing is that there is only one correct path. In fact, there are as many paths as there are nurses.

Phases of professional growth

1. The first five years — foundations

• Consolidating core skills and confidence in practice.
• Actively seeking mentors — both formal and informal.
• Learning "how an experienced nurse thinks", not only "what she does".

2. Five to fifteen years — specialization

• Choosing the area that truly interests you (ICU, palliative care, education, quality...).
• First formal education programs (specialization, master's degree).
• First mentoring experiences with junior colleagues.

3. Fifteen-plus years — leadership and influence

• Developing systemic insight and the ability to lead change.
• Writing, teaching, joining working groups.
• Caring for the next generation — leaving the profession stronger than you found it.

Formal education in 2026

• University nursing programs (bachelor, master, doctorate).
• Micro-credentials and certificates (EBP, simulation education, quality and safety).
• European mobility (Erasmus+, COST actions, professional exchange).

What helps but is often forgotten

• Coaching — focus on goals and obstacles, not only skills.
• A professional portfolio — a continuous record of learning, projects, reflections.
• Your network — careers are rarely built alone.

A message to younger colleagues

You do not have to know where you are going right away. You only need to be a little better every year than the last. A nursing career is not a sprint — it is a marathon with many camps, and at every camp you learn something you will need later.