Nurses are the lifeblood of the medical industry. Whether you work in a nursing home, hospital, or private practice, as a nurse – you will be responsible for just about everything the doctor does not do … which is a lot. Nurses deal directly with patients, checking on them regularly, taking care of everything from basic to serious medical requirements. One thing is for certain – the world of healthcare would fall to pieces without nurses.
Here are 7 indispensable skills every nurse must possess:
Attention to Detail
Healthcare environments are full of complexity, and everything you do as a nurse can have serious implications. Even the smallest oversight can cost a patient her or his life, as well as your job. That means your ability to notice the details is absolutely essential to your career.
Communication
It’s a common saying in nursing that if you don’t document it, you
didn’t do it. Nurses must communicate often and clearly with everyone in the healthcare space. Failure to do so can lead to serious errors.
Compassion
This is not a ‘fake it till you make it’ way to make a living. If a nurse does not truly care for patients, he or she will fail eventually. Before pursuing a nursing career, take the time to search yourself and discover whether compassion is a significant part of your character.
Critical Thinking
In any complex environment, people will make mistakes. That means you cannot always count on your co-workers to do their jobs flawlessly. Your ability to spot errors and act accordingly is essential.
Stamina
Hospitals run 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and so do the people who work in them. As a nurse, you will perform duties without which the institution would fail overnight. That means you will need a high degree of emotional and physical fortitude.
Ethics
A component of compassion, only those with a strict and meaningful dedication to ethical behavior can survive in a career as a nurse. You will be working with people at their most vulnerable- which means you must be absolutely beyond reproach.
Willingness to Grow
The medical field is always changing and adapting to new science, technological developments, and cultural shifts. As a nurse, you must be willing to learn, grow, and adapt to these changes.