Now that you're ready to land your first nursing job, it's a good idea to take some steps that will help set you apart from your competition. Here are a few important things you can do to get the job done:

Volunteer at a Local Retirement Facility

You can gain some experience in the nursing field to help put you ahead of the competition by volunteering at one of the retirement facilities in your neighborhood. By volunteering to help care for the elderly, you'll get hands-on training and learn a variety of skills that will help get you ready for work as a nurse in a public hospital or private health clinic.

And your volunteer work will help show prospective that the work you want to do is not just about making money, but about helping people. And in the healthcare business, helping people is the main goal. So when all is said and done, volunteering at a retirement facility will help prove that you know both the business and hospitality aspects of the healthcare industry.

Spend Time Practicing Your Interview Pitch

It is also a good idea to spend some time practicing your interview pitch with a friend or loved one during the weeks leading up to your first official nursing interview. Practicing what you'll say when in an interview will help give you the confidence you need to make a great first impression and communicate your unique talents that will help set you apart from your interviewing competition.

Start by making a list of questions that you anticipate being asked during your interviews, then prepare a thorough response for each question. Then have a friend or family member ask you the questions so you can practice answering them several times before you talk with a real employer.

Take an Antimicrobial Stewardship Course

Another excellent way to set yourself apart from the competition when you start interviewing for nursing jobs is to take an antimicrobial stewardship course. You can participate in a stewardship course online in your own personal time, which should make it easy to schedule around your schooling and other responsibilities as you prepare for a career as a nurse. You can expect the course you enroll in to teach you:

• How antibiotic resistance impacts the planet.

• The direct relationship between antibiotic prescriptions and resistance.

• How antimicrobial stewardship can be incorporated into a healthcare setting.

You can include your course graduation certificate in your portfolio to prove your readiness to be an online antimicrobial steward and to prove that you're willing to go above and beyond the basic required education and training you need to be a good nurse in the coming years.