20 qualities of a good nurse

Also. It’s a disciplined, self-directed way of looking at things that allows nurses to interpret data, prioritize patient needs and troubleshoot difficult clinical issues quickly and accurately. While some nurses do work the 9-5 grind, many don’t. Few careers are as personally rewarding as nursing. Traumatic cases are a likelihood in emergency rooms, so nurses in this department cannot be emotional or linger over patient deaths. This list of qualities that good nurses tend to share is long, but it shouldn't be intimidating. Because mentoring plays an essential role in a nursing team’s growth, it is important for managers to guide their team to strive for leadership roles. A Medlink article by Sarah English MSci, May 29th 2019 . The willingness to care for one’s body, mind and spirit and the self-esteem necessary to understand that meeting their own needs helps them better care for others is the one prescription today’s nurses can’t work without. Sweet! As professionals, nurses are always responsible for self-evaluating their expertise and not taking on tasks that exceed their abilities without support or additional training. You'll be introduced to the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. For nursing students, it’s what teachers refer to as the need to holistically address the unique physical, emotional and social needs of each person as an individual, not as a collection of symptoms. The community trusts nurses to do their job with integrity. As a field, medicine is notoriously slow to change. Although not all healthcare settings are as extraordinarily fast-paced as a busy emergency room, making decisions isn’t something nurses can avoid. Computers in healthcare facilities, for example, use software that organizes task lists, sets up reminder systems and reorganize priorities as they change. Use our nursing job board to start looking for and applying to great nursing jobs near you. Everything can and will test your patience at some point. You want the patient to understand your instructions the way you intended. Nurses are required to be helpful and compassionate, but they are capable of making tough decisions and administering medical care to patients when no doctor is around. They usually complete post-secondary certificate programs, and many states require graduates to pass an exam for credentialing as Certified Nursing Assistant. Certain qualities of a good nurse are essential when asking for a raise, applying for a new job or asking for a job promotion. Assertive people understand that conflict can be both respectful and constructive when approached in the spirit of finding mutually equitable solutions. They are quick to meet the needs of their patients by providing exceptional care. I’m not talking about patients remembering your name. No student wants to hear that a job in healthcare may require working weekends, holidays and overtime, often without notice. There are some who never want to see a classroom ever again. Patients expect nurses to understand their troubles perfectly well before administering any medicine. Working with interpreters, assigning religiously sensitive patient’s providers of their preferred gender and respecting the need for modesty during physical examinations are some of the way’s nurses are called upon to help. Further, they also need to work well with other nurses … They can still educate themselves through continuing education (CE) or getting certified in their specialty. You’ll likely see these people at their worst. 20. For example, some medications have very narrow therapeutic ranges, and exact doses need to be given. For example, before awareness of blood-borne pathogen risks grew, using gloves regularly when working with bodily fluids was uncommon, but within just a few years, it became nearly mandatory. Positive Attitude. I appreciate you passing it along. Some patients get in critical states and noticing small increment changes is vital. One of the essential qualities of a good nurse leader is leading by example. Not everyone is born with a robust capacity to be empathetic toward others, but most people lack empathy only because they don’t know the full range of circumstances others may have experienced in life and how it affected them. When you show patients you care about them and what they’re going through, they’re more likely to listen, engage with, and open up to you. You have a strong sense of self-control in order to reach a desired goal. They may put off making difficult decisions or opt to decline care entirely rather than risk embarrassment by asking questions they believe will make them seem uninformed or unintelligent. Not only do they possess knowledge that is gained through a nursing degree program, but they also have other qualities that make them successful in their profession.Continue reading to learn about six qualities of a good nurse. Great list of skills!!! Alternatively, perhaps you are taking care of a patient who is well known for being abusive. Each day can bring a range of powerful emotions including joy, surprise, sadness and frustration. Mentoring A nurse manager is willing to mentor nurses whenever possible. Good nurses can pick out seemingly insignificant things about a patient, interpret an intricate clinical picture, somehow predict a poor outcome, and bring it to the doctor’s attention, literally saving someone’s life. Great post. Not only will you need to relay information to patients and their relatives, but you might also be required to liaise between them and doctors, so the ability to assimilate information and pass it on accurately and quickly is a must. 4. You will enjoy your job more, and the risk of burnout will decrease. A Good Nurse Is Discerning . Small mistakes could lead to drastic consequences for patients. The 5 attributes of a great nurse. This is not only good counsel for nurses, it’s better for patient care. If you ask a patient what are some attributes they would want their nurse to have I would bet caring is probably top on their list. Nurse's aides have close daily contact with their patients, especially in nursing homes and residence facilities. Good nurses know that an excellent interpersonal skills are needed to work with so many personalities and disciplines. When you serve, please make sure to serve with grace. 5. With an estimated 2.86 million RNs in the U.S., it’s helpful to consider these 13 qualities of a good nurse that will help them be successful in navigating and thriving in today’s fast paced and everchanging healthcare landscape. How Hard is Nursing School Compared to Other Degrees? A nurse needs the ability to talk and listen to people from all walks of life – often in the most challenging circumstances and when they are in pain, exhausted and anxious. Effective communication contributes to positive patient outcomes. As patient advocates, being assertive is something nurses must not only do for themselves, but also on behalf of patients. However, they mentioned the attributes related to a good nurse–patient relationship and communication significantly less. Teams in which members are free to discuss their thoughts honestly feel more relaxed, experience less stress and work together more cooperatively, improving both interpersonal relationships and ultimately, patient care. Like other therapeutic communication techniques, it takes practice, but anyone willing to change their communication style can learn to express themselves more effectively and with confidence. Daymar College’s Associate of Science degree in Nursing is designed to provide the foundation for beginning the practice of professional nursing. Most employers in the healthcare field know their staff makes sacrifices to keep things running smoothly, and they try to offer as much flexibility as possible. For nurses, the principle of autonomy, a patient’s right to make their own healthcare decisions without undue influence, always takes priority, regardless of the choices they make. The most important qualities of a good nurse leader is… 4. Nursing requires a professional license because taking care of others safely when lives are at stake demands proven clinical skills. Please share this article so we can get the word out and educate others. Top 11 qualities of a good doctor. There are many qualities you need to attribute if you want to pursue a career in medicine, but which are the most important and why are they so necessary? Because most nurses work in technologically advanced facilities, computerization has taken some of the work out of keeping a desk neat, but there’s still plenty of paper to go around. Staying on their feet, keeping their head cool in a crisis, and a calm attitude are great qualities in a nurse. The key to personal and professional satisfaction is for nurses to choose where they work based on what best fits their lifestyle. The good thing about organizational skills in general is that while they’re second nature for some people, they can be also be learned. Caring. And probably the requirements for a lot of jobs, This is a great list for anyone thinking of entering the medical profession in any capacity, be they consultant to hospital porter. It could be registered nurses with associates going back to school to get their bachelor’s or masters. The professional nurse crafts their personal brand and actively manages it. It could be dealing with difficult patients, or it could be dealing with other nurses on your unit who are difficult. In a busy healthcare environment, nurses don’t have an hour a day to waste chasing missing documentation and misplacing paperwork could mean it lands in the hands of someone who shouldn’t have it, so neatness counts. Advanced Search. Thankfully, while reliability is a professional must, work-life balance is possible to achieve with strategies like taking positions with hours that make meeting other commitments easier and utilizing vacation and other paid time off efficiently. Today’s nurses are also required to be culturally competent. The average worker spends almost a third of their day looking for information. Nurses are expected to grow professionally through ongoing training opportunities and in most states, it’s required for license renewal. For example, good communication becomes very important when you are giving instructions to patients. Competence as a nurse includes a solid mastery of basic algebra for calculating doses, IV rates and needs for patients of different sizes; an avid understanding of sciences like anatomy, biology and chemistry; and literacy for charting and communicating well with a … My husband and I are looking for a nursing home, so we’ll have to make sure they communicate well. A patient who rings for assistance, and then watches helplessly from their hospital bed as nurses repeatedly walk by the door doesn’t see the dozens of others the nurse is trying to assist. Many times, life and death decisions are based on small details. Like empathy, emotional stability is a skill that can be learned, but it takes time, and nurses need to be patient with themselves. Critical thinking is the ability to evaluate facts and come to rational conclusions objectively. In the face of ambiguity and complexity, it seems that good leadership is nuanced and requires careful consideration. For many people, nursing is more of a calling than a career, the desire to demonstrate compassion towards those in need of care remains a core component of the profession. Did I mention you’re dealing with messy family dynamics at the same time? It’s important for students to recognize that like any field, healthcare has its share of challenges. Nurse make it all work by planning, prioritizing, delegating and making the most of every minute. When your patient is being discharged, do you make sure they are well informed about their discharge instructions. Practices for technology, procedures, and medications seem to be continually changing. You’re going to be in challenging and high-stress environments. Your email address will not be published. Delegation is a tough skill for some nurses to master. It may not be easy to find humor in things let alone laugh when you are in the thick of it. Bad nurses leave a terrible lasting impression, and good nurses will leave a remarkable feeling. Through proven verbal and non-verbal techniques, therapeutic communication helps nurses make patients feel more relaxed and willing to share their concerns. For nurses, this means they can’t discuss a patient's personal information with colleagues who are not involved in the case and certainly not with family and friends. Prospective nursing students should be thoughtful and take the commitment to a career in healthcare seriously. As an alternative, I may call Daymar at the number provided. A caring nature. I suggested to my parents that we look for a nurse for him, and we are doing our research to find the best candidate. I really loved that you mentioned that nurses should be honest and have integrity. That can occasionally put nurses at odds with both colleagues and the people they serve. Nursing is one of those professions where flexibility is essential. Compassion. Excellent communication skills are especially vital in a crisis; read more in our article on handling a nursing emer… Dishonest behavior such as lying destroys trust in the nursing profession and makes your personal brand worth nothing. Being able to handle situations like that requires a high level of self and emotional awareness. It’s not possible for providers to be in more than one place at a time, so when multiple patients have needs, it takes knowledge and skill to prioritize them safely. Flexibility is one of the best parts about what a nursing career has to offer. Thanks for sharing. Nurses may be able to dress wounds in seconds, place urinary catheters without faltering or start an intravenous line with a blindfold on, but without the ability to think on their feet, high-pressure situations will be stressful. They might not care what other people think, but they do care what people think of their personal brand. As a liaison between patients, doctors and family members, nurses never stop collecting and relaying critical data. Good Qualities of a Nurse's Aide. Make sure you set aside energy to provide this care every day. If a patient does not survive because the illness or injuries were too serious, the assigned nurse cannot allow the death to have an impact on the care of other patients. Gone are the days when charts were hung at the foot of a patient's bed. It’s an honest, forthright way of communicating that allows an individual to stand up for his or her needs without being aggressive or impinging on the rights of others. Did we miss any other qualities of a good nurse? August 2004 - Volume 104 - Issue 8 Previous Abstract; Next Abstract; Log in to view full text. There are roles for nurses that require less strenuous physical activity than others including working in doctor's offices or administrative positions, but to be successful and able to respond effectively to emergencies in fast-paced settings, it helps to have stamina. A good leader always has a positive attitude to the majority of the situations he faces. You understand that these calls may be live or generated using an automated technology. Many eyes will be watching your example as a healthcare leader, whether you’re on the job or not. From advocating for a patient's wishes to telling them the truth about their condition, even when it’s something they’re uncomfortable hearing, situations occur every day in a nurse’s life that require ethical behavior, and it’s the very foundation upon which trusting therapeutic relationships are built. That’s because it’s evidence-based, and the processes required to ensure changes are made for the right reasons take time. Diffusing intense reactions by reframing expectations, balancing perspectives and remaining mindful are among the many effective approaches that can help. They only see people who don’t seem to care about their needs. I had some great nurses in the hospital both times i gave birth to my kids and they all had a lot of the skills in this list. Communication is also a therapeutic tool healthcare providers use to build interpersonal relationships with their clients. Learn how to be a good nurse. In healthcare, your patients will experience a lot of pain and suffering. Did learning about the qualities of a good nurse interest you? Assertiveness is a person’s ability to express their thoughts and feelings and insist they be respected. For more info, please see my disclaimer. I encourage you to try to find humor in the little things. A nurse getting ready to leave for the day to meet with their child’s teacher may have to postpone if a patient emergency arises, and date-night with a spouse may occasionally be spent working a double-shift because someone called out sick. 1. Empathy is defined as understanding and experiencing one’s feelings (source). Top Qualities of an Exceptional Nurse. Being able to comfort and support people who are ill, vulnerable, or scared, is the key to being a successful nurse. 3. Quite often, health care work is simply the response to sudden incidences, and nurses must always be prepared for the unexpected. A nurse’s job is mentally demanding. How do patients describe compassionate nurses? They’re asked to put their well-being in the hands of providers they may not know, and the lack of a personal relationship can lead them to lash out based on nothing more than fear. For example, a position in a hospital emergency room or on a labor and delivery floor will be exciting, but more likely to require extra hours when things get busy. I understand I am not required to provide consent as a condition of considering purchasing education services from Daymar. It goes without saying that compassion is a must in the nursing profession. It frees them up to use their expertise where it’s needed most and makes patient care more efficient. Nurses are expected to meet a wide range of patient needs while remaining focused and attentive, and that emphasis on meeting the needs of others first often puts the nurse’s needs in the backseat. Nurse see patients from every walk of life. One of a nurse's main jobs is to take direct care of patients. What does compassion look like? Respectfulness may not be one of the top qualities that come to mind when considering what makes a good nurse, but it’s crucial and for more than the obvious reasons. They can also ensure that patients understand doctors’ instructions and expectations. In a busy healthcare setting, when one team member drops the ball, another has to pick it up. Great nurses figure out ways to manage stress, so they can deliver high-quality, exceptional care, no matter the circumstance. Here are some qualities of a good nurse that make them perfect for the job: 1. To be both successful and happy in nursing, it helps to have certain personal characteristics and attributes. Nurses need to be ready to respond quickly to emergencies and other situations that arise. The best nurses are those that truly, and deeply, care for the patients they work with. An effective nurse is one who can not only fulfill, but also anticipate patients’ needs. Having a deep awareness of and sympathy for someone else’s suffering without judgment is the root of compassion. A nurse who suspects a child is being abused, for example, is a mandatory reporter, but bringing the situation to the attention of authorities will likely cause conflict between the nurse and the child’s parents. Being a nurse leader is hard. Similarly, reporting an error or unethical behavior on the part of a colleague can create stress in the work environment, but as a professional, it’s a nurse’s duty. Being a nurse can be challenging, but it’s a very rewarding career. 1. The nursing profession is ultimately improved by having a customer service mentality. By proactively sharing information instead of waiting to be asked, nurses give patients an opening to talk about what’s bothering them, helping them feel more comfortable and establishing a sense of trust. Education has its role to play before you can become a certified nurse, but some qualities make a good nurse. Healthcare is constantly evolving, and while nursing programs teach all the necessary clinical skills, most graduates will need practice and continuing education to reach full competency, particularly in specialty fields such as critical care, emergency medicine and infusion therapy. Nursing is a profession dedicated to caring for others, and it can be physically, emotionally and mentally demanding. Mar 29, 2020 - Certain qualities of a good nurse are essential when asking for a raise, applying for a new job or asking for a job promotion. Do you go around complaining of issues or are you proposing solutions to problems you see? Obedient, tolerant and understanding. Listed below are 10 qualities that make one an exceptional nurse: Being organized is less of an innate ability than it is practicing good habits and using the right tools. Bowling Green, KY Research shows that emotionally stable nurses are better able to concentrate, solve problems and keep their patients safe. The best way to reduce job-related stress is to set clear professional boundaries, work in areas of the field that allow a reasonable work-life balance and take advantage of well-deserved time off without feeling guilty. 2. The fundamental difference between the two is that assertiveness is based on mutual respect and seeks solutions that are fair, whereas aggressiveness is manipulative behavior that wants a win at the expense of others. Did I mention as a nurse you could be working long hours on your feet? Graduating from a vocational school is a noteworthy accomplishment, but it’s just the beginning. Only that they can make sound decisions in complex circumstances based on evidence and best practice guidelines. I’m looking for a good nurse for my dad. Did you know nurses are highly trusted individuals in the community? For those with a rules-were-made-to-be-broken personality, a career in healthcare could feel restricting. In 1996, Congress passed a bill designed to ensure the confidentiality and security of personal healthcare information. Nurses: Submit Your Photos! Some have had vastly different experiences that affect their thinking and behavior, while others may have unconventional opinions about healthcare that can be difficult for nurses to accept. Tolerance is necessary as patients and or their relations may be troublesome. Students looking for a lifetime career in nursing need to brace themselves, recognize the importance of rules in medicine and be prepared to work within them, not around them. Effective Interpersonal Skills. Reimbursement for medical services is also inexorably tied to regulations set forth by insurers and government agencies, and the failure to follow them can mean the loss of revenue, financial penalties or worse, closed doors. Job and outcomes improve for patients nurse interest you not solely rely on your ability to adapt more... 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