Attaining both personal and professional fulfillment in your career comes along with multiple benefits, including the inspiration to do and achieve more. Among the few careers that guarantee you this aspect is nursing. Today, most people may choose nursing as their career path due to its high demand, earning potential, work flexibility, and diverse opportunities.
While these factors might be alluring, those drawn to this profession due to its monetary value may become overwhelmed. Before settling on nursing as a career, it is vital to self-assess and determine if you have the following qualities which make one a good nurse.
Empathetic
Being empathetic as a nurse gives the patients a sense of care and belonging. A compassionate nurse puts themselves in a patient’s situation and can experience and understand the needs of others from their point of view. As a nurse, it is easy to become less sensitive after administering care to thousands of patients throughout the nursing career.
However, understanding that each patient is different and comes with their own issues is vital in being empathetic. For instance, a patient may ring for assistance and obtain no medical response due to the dynamic nature of the facility. However, stopping by as a nurse and assuring the patient that help changes their experience and builds trust.
Willingness to learn
Every healthcare worker must have a show of competence to establish that they have the needed qualifications, including licensing to give high-quality patient care. Even after completion of a degree program, nurses require practice and advanced education, particularly those who wish to specialize in fields such as emergency medicine.
Today, the healthcare sector is rapidly evolving, introducing the latest treatment methods like plasma platelet-rich therapy. To keep up with these evolving needs, nurses need to be up-to-date with the newest treatment approaches and procedures. Recent graduates can learn from experienced nurses and gain the expertise required to care for ill or injured persons through mentorship programs.
Good communication skills
Practical communication skill is one of the essential qualities that nurses are required to have. The roles of a nurse, including performing diagnostic tests, administering medication, recording medical history, and monitoring patients’ health, heavily rely on top-notch communication.
As a nurse, building a healthy relationship with your patients creates a better working environment for you and a safe space for a patient. The consequences of poor communication can be devastating to both patients and the health facility.
A patient may feel confused, medical errors are bound to occur, and the confusion may affect the entire unit. Communication is a skill that nurses employ in their everyday work, and it contributes to the running of a health facility.
Emotional stability
While nursing is a rewarding career, the job can be mentally tasking and sometimes overwhelming. Nurses go through a range of different emotions every day, like joy, sadness and frustration in their line of work. This may be due to caring for patients with terminal illnesses, discharging a patient after an extended stay in the hospital, and other times, the death of a patient.
Having to go through all these emotions in a day can be a significant undertaking. Nurses should remain calm and composed even when faced with pressing emotions to give quality services to the patients. Although it takes time, emotional stability is a skill that can be developed. Emotionally stable nurses have high concentration levels and effectively respond to their patients’ needs.
Reliability
Typically, healthcare facilities are always busy, with tasks that can’t be scheduled for a later time or date. When one nurse calls in sick, it means there should be an immediate replacement.
A nurse may be required to work a double shift to meet the patients’ needs. This might mean canceling brunch with your friends, a date night with your loved ones, or missing your child’s school appointment.
Fortunately, with proper planning, nurses can find a balance between their work and personal life. The top management in healthcare facilities offers flexibility to their workers since they know the sacrifices nurses make to ensure operations run smoothly.
As a rapidly growing profession, you need specific qualities to be a strong nursing candidate for hire in hospitals and healthcare systems. It is essential to update your Nursing Knowledge as a new nurse planning to enter the workforce.
The Editorial Team at Lake Oconee Health is made up of skilled health and wellness writers and experts, led by Daniel Casciato who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We aim to provide our readers with valuable insights and guidance to help them lead healthier and happier lives.
