(By Grace Ogiehor-Enoma, RN, MSN, MPH, CNA, BC, )

For nurses, networking can provide a lifeline of support and professional growth. Networking can help nurses improve their nursing career, personal and social skills. It provides opportunities for nurses to develop their knowledge and skills, including educational and business opportunities. Networking could help boost nurses’ reputation and provide new leads in their career. Donna Fisher and Sandy Vilas of Power Networking described networking as “making links from people we know to people they know, in an organized way, for a specific purpose, while remaining committed to doing our part, expecting nothing in return.” It involves building relationships over time and expanding one’s professional contacts for assistance, support of ideas and guidance. Professional organizations (for example, the Nigerian Nurses Association of USA) provide opportunity for nurses to expand their network of professional colleagues, providing access to contacts, referrals, information, support, and professional mentorship. Thus, networks serve a number of useful purposes.


Why network?

Networking provides excellent opportunity for contacts that may one day lead to new opportunities. Nurses may tap into their networks when looking for job and recruiters tap into professional organizations for candidates, making joining a professional organization a worth while effort. A referral generates 80% more results than a cold call. 75% of people get their jobs through networking. Also, many positions are filled before they are even posted! Another reason for nurses to network is because of the effect of the law of 250. The law of 250 explain that for every person you know, knows at least 250 other people. That is each of your contacts knows at least 250 people.  So that’s 62,500 at your 2nd level. Each of your 2nd level contacts knows 250 people – and that’s over 15,000,000 and so on. Go figure!

Networking Tips & Techniques

• Develop Good People Skills
• Get involve in your professional organizations (for example, the Nigerian Nurses Association of USA)
• Assert yourself positively
• Be a good listener
• Present yourself attractively
• Be viewed as knowledgeable or skillful in a particular area
• Show interest in empowering others
• Keep in regular contact with your contacts.
• Keep a log of all contact interactions

Above all, get involve. Be visible in your professional organizations. Remember, part of networking is giving to other people and can be a life-changing experience, producing personal as well as professional growth.