TOPIC: Framing Non-Traditional Experience

Hi all! Former ER nurse here, now in healthcare IT implementation. My manager says a PMP would be huge for my role. I'm confident I lead projects (go-lives, system upgrades), but my resume screams 'clinical.'

Has anyone with a similar non-corporate background successfully applied? Any tips on translating 'charge nurse shifts' and 'protocol rollouts' into PMI-speak for the application?

Paul,

The application requires a large number of hours in "Project Management' - but that it is very, very, broadly defined and does not require multiple employers or multiple different kinds of projects. I believe there was a podcast on PM Podcasts where Cornelius interviewed a woman who was her own General Contractor on a house that she designed and built as a listed project on her PMP exam. (It was a fascinating podcast but I do not recall all of the specific details.)

My experience was that as long as you met the time (hours within years) requirement, it will be accepted. Just make sure that when you fill out the application you follow the prescribed format exactly because you have only a few words for each project to demonstrate that you actually managed the project, not that you were simply a team member.

Good luck.