The nursing field is fast-paced and requires professionals to be ready for anything that might happen. Any person interested in becoming a registered nurse or entering the nursing education industry will need to be prepared for what to expect when working. Part of this work includes understanding the skills one requires to be successful in this industry.
Nurses must be ready to work well while understanding the unique needs of patients. They must be prepared to perform their duties conscientiously while staying careful and respectful of the patients. Nursing educators can also help nurses understand what skills they will require while determining what needs people should manage in their lines of work.
Nurses must be professional and prompt while showing compassion and care for all their patients. Here’s a look at some of the many skills nursing professionals must be able to provide.
General care
Nurses should provide general care services to patients for various needs. These include such services as the following:
- Diagnostic procedures and testing, including understanding how to review and measure patient vital signs
- Administering injections, medications, and other essential treatments
- Assisting doctors and other professionals in completing various exams
- Interviewing patients and reviewing their concerns, including any medical symptoms or issues they have
A nurse will often be the first person who gets in touch with a patient. The nurse should have the general care skills necessary to gather enough information on a patient to help doctors and other professionals figure out what to do next.
Many of the tasks a nurse will complete are ones a nursing educator can educate students on completing for their studies. Getting a master’s in nursing education such as the course offered at Walsh University, can help a student understand how various medical practices work while also finding ways to educate future nurses on how to complete these tasks.
Urgent care support
Urgent and emergency care services are also critical for nurses to provide. Nurses must be ready to provide emergency services in many forms, including support for cardiac health needs, neonatal and prenatal support, and pediatric services.
An ability to transport patients
Nurses must also know how to transport their patients safely and carefully. Many patients may be more vulnerable to harm while in a hospital environment. They will require good transport services to keep them safe and to allow doctors to have access to them as necessary.
A nurse must have the following skills:
- Knowing how to use wheelchairs, crutches, and other mobility aids
- Teaching people how to use these mobility aids
- Transporting patients between surfaces, including from a hospital bed to an examination table
- Moving people in and out of transport vehicles, including for admission to a hospital and discharge from one
Tech skills
Technology is critical in today’s nursing industry. Nurses should have skills in managing various forms of technology, including:
- Keeping records on patients
- Applying these reports to the necessary databases
- Setting up and monitoring diagnostic equipment
- Using the necessary healthcare software programs at a facility
Nurses who enter informatics specialist programs will have a greater reliance on technology, but every nurse will have to use tech programs in some form, regardless of one’s background.
An ability to adapt
The hospital environment is unpredictable, as anything could happen. It only takes moments for a hospital to become flooded with patients. Sometimes these patients might have a diverse array of needs. A nurse should be ready to adapt to the changing environment.
Nurses should be ready to observe changes in the hospital and recognize what requirements each patient might hold. The nurse should also be prepared to solve problems and adjust to different situations. Creativity may also be necessary for some situations, especially when something out of the ordinary occurs. Being prepared to handle stressful situations and a fast-paced working environment is also essential for a nursing career.
Nurses often work long hours and can be subject to many stresses. A nurse should be resilient and ready to handle anything that might happen.
Communication skills
A nurse is often the first person a patient will contact while in a hospital or another medical facility. The nurse should be ready to provide friendly and positive communication with the patient. The work will help the patient feel more comfortable in a medical setting.
A nurse should have the necessary communication skills to succeed. Some of these skills include :
- An ability to actively listen to a patient’s needs
- Clarity when explaining to a patient what is necessary
- Respect for the patient
- Giving the necessary feedback
The most essential communication skill a nurse will require is empathy. The nurse should be ready to respect the needs of a patient. The nurse should understand what a patient is going through and have respect for that person’s feelings. Quality medical care is possible when a nurse understands the patient’s demands and feels responsible for the work. A nurse can listen well and find ways to resolve conflicts safely and with care.
Resolving conflicts
There might be times in the nursing environment when conflicts can occur. Sometimes doctors or nurses might have different ideas of how to care for patients. The patients may also become defensive or hostile, as they might not like some points.
Conflict resolution skills are critical for a nurse to hold. A nurse must be ready to manage all these conflicts, including being able to fix different problems and address the unique concerns patients have.
