Registered nurses (RNs) are licensed medical professionals who deliver hands-on patient care in various settings. They are responsible for tasks like preventing disease, tending to wounds and illnesses, and advocating healthcare without or alongside a doctor. They can provide the community with either general or specialized healthcare. They can also meet with patients and have conversations, obtain medical histories, make initial and definitive diagnoses, prescribe medications, and make referrals.
The Nursing Journey
Nursing aspirants must complete the required level of educational qualification. This journey has several steps, the first and foremost of which is completing a 4-year long BSN (Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing) program. After this, you may apply for the RN licensure exam. With a passing rate of 72.94% in the first half of 2021, the NCLEX-RN is necessary to practice nursing. You may opt for further education by pursuing an MSN (Master’s Degree in Nursing) or a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice).
Online Nursing Programs
If you are interested in becoming part of this selfless force, you have many options available. You are in luck even if you prefer learning from the comfort of your home rather than in a physical classroom. Many schools provide online nursing programs that you can pursue from anywhere in the world.
Just look up RN to BSN programs near me, and you’ll come across numerous top institutions, such as Lasalle University, that offer online nursing programs. Lasalle’s online Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner Online Program will teach you the skills you require to serve in the healthcare sector, at either a primary level or further as a counselor or an advocate. At the end of the 24-36 months-long program, you will receive 45 credit hours. The best thing about their programs is that they focus on evidence-based learning and are an amalgam of theoretical and clinical practice.
Qualities You Need to Become a Successful Nurse
Nursing continues to grow as a profession, with an ever-increasing workforce. The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) expects the employment of RNs to grow by about 7% from 2019 to 2029.
People may have different opinions about what qualities make a good nurse, but in simple words, a good nurse is one who utilizes their best qualities to bring out the best in their patients. Their foremost priority is the healthcare team and the responsibilities it entails. They work tirelessly to produce positive patient outcomes.
Listed below are some of the qualities that can help nurses become successful:
- Excellent Professional Standards
Successful nurses set high standards of professionalism for themselves. These help them gain trust and respect among patients, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals. They can also lead to better patient outcomes and increased job satisfaction. Professional behavior includes:
- Maintaining confidentiality;
- Providing high-quality care;
- Being punctual and reliable;
- Continuing to educate oneself and stay current in the field.
Additionally, nurses who adhere to a strict code of ethics and practice within the scope of their licensure will be viewed as credible and trustworthy, which can enhance their reputation and lead to opportunities for advancement.
- Constant Diligence
Being diligent in their work can help nurses identify and correct errors before they lead to adverse outcomes. Constant diligence can also help nurses become successful by allowing them to continuously improve their skills and knowledge. This can lead to better patient outcomes and increased job satisfaction. For example, by staying current with the latest medical research and treatments, nurses can provide their patients with the most up-to-date and effective care. Additionally, by staying informed about changes in laws and regulations related to healthcare, nurses can ensure that they are practicing in compliance with the latest standards.
- Effective Communication Skills
Good communication allows nurses to gather accurate information from patients and families, which can help to identify and address health concerns. It further helps build trust and rapport with patients and their families, enhancing patient outcomes greatly.
Good communication also helps nurses to work effectively as part of a healthcare team. They can communicate important patient information to other healthcare professionals, such as physicians, and collaborate with them to develop and implement treatment plans. This helps ensure that patients receive comprehensive, coordinated care.
In addition, clear and concise communication can help avoid medical errors and be critical during emergencies.
- Good Problem-Solving Skills
Good problem-solving skills also help nurses to anticipate potential issues and take proactive steps to prevent or mitigate them. This can include identifying and addressing changes in a patient’s condition, coordinating care with other healthcare professionals, and developing and implementing effective treatment plans.
Quick problem-solving abilities are especially important in emergencies, where quick thinking and decisive action can be critical. For example, a nurse with good problem-solving abilities would be able to identify and address a change in a patient’s condition and take appropriate action to stabilize the patient, such as calling for a code blue.
In addition, good problem-solving abilities help nurses to think critically, analyze data, and make sound clinical judgments. This can help to maintain a safe and efficient work environment and improve patient outcomes.
- Empathy
Empathy and compassion are the most important qualities that enable nurses to become successful and build a respectful rapport with patients.
Empathetic nurses are able to put themselves in their patients’ shoes and understand their perspectives, which can help build trust and rapport with patients and their families. This ensures adherence to treatment plans and improved patient outcomes. Empathy also allows nurses to provide compassionate care, which can be especially important for patients experiencing stress, pain, or other difficult emotions. This can improve patient satisfaction and make the healthcare experience more positive. Empathy can also help nurses understand and respond to their patients’ cultural and social needs, which can be critical to providing appropriate and effective care.
Conclusion
Nursing is undoubtedly one of today’s most undervalued occupations. Being a nurse is quite challenging. Individuals that pursue it may find it to be an exceedingly demanding—and dare they say, even unforgiving—field. To put it mildly, it can be difficult to spend long periods with patients while maintaining your composure.
In addition to being kind and helpful, nurses must also be able to make tough choices and provide patients with the appropriate medical treatment in the absence of doctors. Although schooling undoubtedly plays a significant part in achieving this goal, some inherent characteristics distinguish some nurses from others.
