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Caring Profession: The 7 Qualities Of A Great Nurse

March 21, 2019

If you’re considering becoming a nurse, it’s important you understand that medical knowledge isn’t the only qualification. You need to possess a number of other skills.

Nursing is an extremely stressful profession. In addition to the physical demands, you have to keep in mind a person’s well-being is in your hands.

The good news is, becoming a nurse comes with a number of perks. The pay is good and you’ll enjoy long-term job security. However, you need to decide if you have what it takes to make this your career.

To help you out, we’re going over seven qualities of a great nurse.

1. Good Communication Skills

A nurse has to speak with patients and relay information to doctors and pharmacies on a daily basis. This is why good communication skills are essential.

An important part of the communication process involves listening, which is critical in the medical industry. Sick or injured patients sometimes have difficulty expressing what they’re feeling. Nurses need to be able to listen and communicate well in order to comprehend what their patients’ needs are.

In addition, nurses must speak with relatives or friends of patients to provide information such as treatment options, drug interactions, and timelines. This requires sensitivity and comprehensiveness while speaking.

A nurse also needs to exude confidence while communicating. Patients should never feel as though their healthcare providers are unsure of themselves.

2. Detail-Oriented

When providing healthcare, letting information slip through the cracks isn’t an option. Nurses need to take a detail-oriented approach to their jobs.

Nurses must jump from patient to patient during shifts. This requires collecting information, administering drugs, and recording care procedures. That’s a lot to keep track of.

Even though nurses use technology to their advantage, they still need to be detail-oriented. This means using their own techniques to keep information organized. Many nurses carry a small notepad and pen to take notes when things get hectic.

It also helps to have a good memory when administering healthcare. This is a useful quality when working in a high-volume environment such as an emergency room.  

3. The Ability to Empathize

Many people receiving healthcare have gone through a traumatic event. They may also be facing a life-threatening illness. It’s important all nurses understand the importance of empathy.

Healthcare workers must be able to put themselves in the patient’s shoes. Doing so allows nurses and doctors to provide a level of emotional support their patients need to stay calm.

An empathic connection can be one of the most rewarding aspects of nursing. You have a chance to change a person’s life through the care and support you provide. If a patient gets well, you know you’ve played a huge role in their recovery.

Nurses who choose to provide home care to the elderly must have a keen ability to empathize. If this sounds like something you’d excel at, check out Flexwise Health nursing jobs to learn about per diem employment.

4. Physically Fit

Nurses must remain on their feet most of the time during their shifts. In addition, most nursing shifts are 12 hours or more. This requires a certain level of physical health.

Working in a hospital emergency room may carry with it additional physical requirements. Nurses may need to run, bend, lift, and push while working.

It’s important to note you don’t need to be able to complete a marathon to be a nurse. However, you shouldn’t have any limitations such as back problems or cardiovascular issues.

If you have physical limitations that would prevent you from working in a hospital or office, you can still pursue nursing. Look into jobs providing bedside or in-home care. These jobs aren’t as physically demanding.

5. Resilience

Before deciding on a career in nursing, you need to understand how tough the job is. Nurses must have a good amount of physical, mental, and emotional resilience.

Unfortunately, the challenges start well before your first day on the job. The schooling required to become a nurse is very difficult. Get ready for long nights spent studying.

On the job, nurses must have the resilience to witness serious trauma, illness, and even death. This isn’t a career for the faint of heart.

You’ll also need to have the ability to shake off negative outcomes and keep working. Nurses must provide a high level of care to every patient. This means putting on a smile when things are difficult.

6. Good Judgment Skills

Working in the healthcare industry is unpredictable. Nurses must be able to make quick decisions that could have a big impact on their patients’ well-being.

These decisions may involve drugs, modifications to treatments, or behavioral issues with a patient. Sometimes a nurse must make these decisions without the assistance of a doctor.

The education nurses go through gives them the knowledge to make good judgment calls. However, they also need to be able to remain calm and level-headed.

If you crack under pressure, working in an emergency room isn’t right for you. You’ll need to look for jobs that don’t involve as much stress.

7. A Passion for Learning

A nurse does much more than administer medication and chart a patient’s progress. Today, the nursing profession requires an intimate knowledge of human anatomy, diseases, and treatments.  

In order to flourish in the healthcare industry, a nurse must be passionate about medicine. Not only does this help them provide better care, but it also opens up new opportunities.

A good nurse continues to expand their knowledge of healthcare. They must also strive to learn new skills that will help them provide better care to more patients. 

Before pursuing a career in nursing, consider if you have a true passion for healthcare. If you don’t, you risk getting burnt out too quickly.

Do You Have the Qualities of a Great Nurse?

Nursing is a lucrative and rewarding profession, but it’s not for everyone. Before you begin your schooling, consider what it takes to do the job well.

If you have the seven qualities of a great nurse discussed above, you have a chance to start an important and fulfilling career.

Check out more articles related to health and jobs in the medical field.

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About Me

Hello all!!!! I'm Darcy and I recently started writing on My Zeo about health and fitness (and part of that important health equation is sleep!). As we are all super busy with life, I try to integrate how to stay fit, relax and be healthy and happy through everyday life.

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