Explore Passion-Driven Nursing Careers
For nursing students and new graduates, few moments are as exciting—or as intimidating—as stepping into the workforce for the first time. Questions swirl around landing that first job, choosing the right specialty, and figuring out how personal strengths align with the realities of modern healthcare.
A CNO’s Guide to Getting Hired—and Building a Passion-Driven Nursing Career
In this episode of Live From South College, host Kathleen Stockham brings together two powerhouse nursing leaders to offer a rare, behind-the-scenes look at hiring, career growth, and the evolving future of nursing: Debbi Honey, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Covenant Health, and April Mount, Executive Vice President of Nursing Operations at South College and a former hospital CNO.
What follows is a master class in what it really takes to build a meaningful, sustainable nursing career—from the first interview to executive leadership.
Nursing’s Future Is Bright—and Changing Fast
Despite challenges during and after the pandemic, nursing is entering an era of renewed momentum. Enrollment is rising, innovation is accelerating, and healthcare systems are rethinking how nurses work, lead, and grow.
According to both guests, the future of nursing will be shaped by:
- Flexibility in practice models
- Smarter use of technology
- Responsible integration of artificial intelligence
- Expanded leadership and advanced practice roles
Rather than replacing nurses, technology—particularly AI—is increasingly being used to support clinical decision-making and reduce administrative burden. From AI-assisted charting to intelligent simulation labs, today’s nursing students are training for a profession that blends human connection with cutting-edge tools.
Start Thinking About Your Career Before Graduation
One of the clearest messages from the episode: don’t wait until after licensure to think about employment.
Healthcare systems are actively engaging nursing students during their final academic term, offering shadowing opportunities, conversations with nurse leaders, and early exposure to different units. This proactive approach benefits everyone—students gain clarity, and employers find better long-term matches.
Preparation matters. Successful candidates:
- Research the organization’s mission, values, and culture
- Understand their own strengths and growth areas
- Can clearly articulate where they see themselves developing
Self-reflection, not just clinical competence, is key.
Finding the Right Fit: Personality Matters
Emergency departments, ICUs, labor and delivery units, med-surg floors—each environment demands a different mindset, pace, and emotional bandwidth.
Nurse leaders emphasized that:
- ER nursing thrives on rapid decision-making and episodic care
- ICU nursing requires comfort with prolonged, high-acuity cases
- Labor and delivery blends emotional intensity with family-centered care
- Med-surg builds broad, foundational skills across diverse patient populations
There is no “better” specialty—only the right one for each individual. Shadowing, externships, and clinical rotations should be treated as test drives, not checkboxes.
And if a mismatch happens after hire? That’s not failure. Strong organizations work to re-position nurses where they can succeed, sometimes leading to career paths they never initially imagined.
Beyond the Hospital: Expanding Career Paths
While hospitals remain central to nursing education and early practice, they are not the only destination.
New graduates may eventually explore:
- Outpatient clinics
- Home health and hospice
- Advanced practice roles (FNP, CRNA)
- Education, leadership, research, and executive administration
That said, both guests caution that some highly independent roles—such as home health—may not be ideal immediately after graduation due to limited on-site support. Foundational experience matters.
Leadership, Doctoral Education, and the Need for Nurse Executives
As healthcare grows more complex, the need for nurse leaders at the executive level continues to rise. Doctorally prepared nurses bring critical perspectives to system-level decisions, quality improvement, and patient safety.
Flexible doctoral pathways—especially competency-based and asynchronous formats—are helping working nurses pursue advanced education without stepping away from their careers or families.
The message is clear: leadership is not accidental. It is cultivated through education, curiosity, and saying “yes” to opportunities that stretch comfort zones.
Timeless Advice for Getting Hired—and Getting Ahead
Across both conversations, several themes emerged again and again:
Be prepared and professional.
Show up on time. Dress appropriately. Practice interviewing. Know your story.
Build relationships.
Strong partnerships with peers, leaders, and physicians matter—especially for those interested in leadership or education roles.
State your intent.
Opportunities don’t appear automatically. Say out loud that you want to grow, lead, or specialize—and back it up with action.
Stay curious.
Careers are rarely ladders. They are “jungle gyms,” shaped by unexpected turns that often lead to the most fulfilling roles.
Nursing as a Calling—and a Career
Perhaps the most powerful takeaway from the episode is this: nursing is more than a job. It is a profession that places nurses into some of the most meaningful chapters of people’s lives.
Whether at the bedside, in the boardroom, or in the classroom, nurses shape outcomes, experiences, and futures—often without realizing just how far their influence reaches.
For students preparing to enter the field, the path forward doesn’t require having everything figured out. It requires preparation, openness, and the courage to grow.