If you are thinking about going to school to become a nurse, you might want to learn a little more about the field and the industry. Nursing can be a wonderful career option; it allows you to make a good, honest living and to do something fulfilling with your workdays. However, not everyone is cut out to be a nurse. These are a few of the main traits that you should have if you want to be successful in the nursing profession.
1. Detailed
First of all, it is imperative to pay attention to detail as a nurse. Small things, such as minor symptoms that might go easily unnoticed, can be a sign that a patient needs medical attention. Making even tiny mistakes with paperwork or when providing medical care can prove disastrous. It is important to pay attention to even the smallest of details at all times when you work in the nursing field.
2. Compassionate
Nursing is a very unique career field in that you work with people and their families when they need you the most and are in their worst physical states. It can be easy to punch the clock and look at everything as if it’s just another part of the job, but a good nurse is compassionate about his or her patients’ needs and the needs of each patient’s family members and other loved ones. You have to be compassionate toward people who aren’t feeling well and who may have just gotten some really bad news.
3. Teachable
You can never assume that you know everything when you are working in the nursing field, even if you are fresh out of nursing school and had the top grades in your class. In this industry, every patient and situation is different. No matter how many times you have dealt with a patient with a certain condition, the next patient with the same condition might require a completely different type of care. Even nurses who have been in the industry for decades learn new things every day. You have to be willing to continue your education as needed and to listen to other nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals if you want to be the best you can be at your job.
4. Patient
Soothing a baby who is in pain or dealing with an elderly person who has a debilitating disease can try on your patience. However, you have to stay calm, collected and patient under even the most stressful or irritating situations. As a nurse, it’s unprofessional to snap at a patient just because your patience is wearing thin.
5. Organized
As a nurse, you have to be very organized. You have to keep immaculate notes and be able to access charts, documents and other paperwork with a moment’s notice. If you aren’t currently organized, it’s time to start working on these skills. Otherwise, you might find yourself wasting a lot of valuable time on the job.
Working as a nurse can be a wonderful career. Few things are as rewarding as helping people in their worst moments. However, to be good at your job and provide your patients with the care that they deserve, it is important to exhibit these five traits.
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