Few would disagree that nursing is one of the most underrated professions in modern times. Being a nurse isn’t easy. In fact, it is a field that can be extremely demanding—and even unforgiving—to those who pursue it. Being around the ailing and the frazzled for long hours and dealing with them patiently day after day can be challenging, to say the least.
Nurses are required to be not only compassionate and helpful, but also capable of making difficult decisions and administering the right medical care to patients in the absence of doctors. Of course, education plays a big role in ensuring this, but there are certain innate qualities that make one nurse better than the other.
Here are 10 qualities that make an exceptional nurse.
1. High Standards of Professionalism
Nurses need to be professional in their approach towards their work. Whether it is meeting with and attending to patients, administering medication, or maintaining patient records, they need to do all of it in the most skilled and ethical manner.
As a nurse, you’re bound to deal with patients coming from different age groups, genders, races, communities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. It is important not to make assumptions or generalizations with respect to their appearance, and instead focus on their illness, injury, or that which ails them.
There may be times when you may have to deal with difficult patients. Do not let that experience get to you. View each patient as an individual who deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
2. Never-Ending Diligence
Nurses are extremely hard working, which is why diligence is an important attribute they need to possess. While we may think that theirs is a 9 to 5 job, the truth is far from that. More often than not nurses end up working long hours, thanks to the nature of their job.
To be an exceptional nurse, you need to have it in you to work long hours and be up and running to (possibly) do it again the next day.
3. Exceptional Communication Skills
One of the most critical traits to be good at any job is outstanding communication skills. This applies to nurses as well. In fact, this skill is a necessity rather than an option. A great nurse has exceptional listening and speaking skills. The rest of his or her work depends on these two factors.
Nurses can solve problems only if they’re able to effectively communicate with patients and families. Patients expect nurses to understand their troubles perfectly well before administering any medicine. An effective nurse is one who can not only fulfill, but also anticipate patients’ needs.
4. Effective Interpersonal Skills
Apart from excellent communication skills, nurses need to have remarkable interpersonal skills. After all, they act as the link between doctors and a variety of patients. Further, they also need to work well with other nurses and members of the staff.
For patients, nurses are the face of the hospital and doctors depend on them for carrying out several tasks. A great nurse is able to strike the right balance between doctors’ and patients’ needs.
5. Attention to Detail
Good nurses realize that every step they take in providing patient care can have grave consequences. This is why all effective nurses pay careful attention to detail and make sure they do not miss any step.
Whether it is reading and understanding a patient’s chart or memorizing the details of a case, nurses take nothing for granted. In a profession where a tiny mistake can ruin another’s life, attention to detail is one quality that can either spell the difference between life and death.
6. Quick Problem-Solving Abilities
The ability to mitigate problems quickly is a must-have quality in a great nurse. An even better quality would be to anticipate and address problems before they arise. You never know when a tricky situation will arrive at the time of dealing with emergencies or trauma cases.
A nurse always needs to be prepared with solutions, whether it is speaking to patients’ families, comforting patients, or communicating with doctors and other administrative technicians.
7. Action-Oriented
Patients who come to a hospital or clinic typically need remedies that are not only effective, but also administered quickly. A great nurse understands the importance of responding promptly to emergencies and sudden incidences and is prepared for all sorts of surprises with a composed mind and a calm attitude.
8. Empathetic Disposition
More often than not, patients happen to be enduring or have endured immense pain and suffering. Remarkable nurses have empathy for them and are able to be compassionate to provide comfort. Of course, nurses can experience their share of mental and physical fatigue too, but they’re able to get past it.
The atmosphere in a hospital can be a formal one. However, nurses can add the humane touch with their kindhearted attitude. This can be instrumental in improving patient care to a great extent.
9. Solid Stamina
Nurses work long hours. Further, they’re also required to frequently carry out various physical tasks, lift heavy equipment, provide physical support to patients, stand for long periods of time, and carry out other demanding drills on a daily basis. In short, they’re always on their feet.
This is why nurses need to be energetic enough to make it through the shift, irrespective of whether they’re in a surgery or looking after a patient.
10. Sense of Humor
Finding humor in difficult situations isn’t easy, but the nurses who can do it are able to mitigate stressful situations better. It is perfectly okay to mix the elements of fun and humor into your work to be able to enjoy it better. After all, this combination will keep you going in the tough times!
As a career, nursing can be a difficult, yet rewarding one. The satisfaction of being helpful to those in need can be tremendous. All you need is the right personality to deal with the stresses that come with it and you should do well. If you aspire to become a nurse and think that you possess all of the above qualities, you should definitely pursue nursing as a career.
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Swati Kapoor
Swati is a qualified dietitian at Practo. She has a Master’s degree in Dietetics and Food Service Management. She is a strong believer in spreading the goodness of ‘nutrition through healthy eating’. As a responsible dietitian Swati examines her patients’ health history carefully before recommending any diet or workout regimen, because everybody has different requirements. Swati has also taken it upon herself to debunk myths in diet and fitness through practical advice in her articles. This helps her readers learn the essence of health eating and make the right choices in their daily diet. Swati has been helping people live healthy and active for the past 4 years, by recommending diet plans that fit individual preferences and health parameters.
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- 10 Qualities That Make a Great Nurse - July 5, 2016
LSGon August 16, 2016 at 11:11 am
(Video) Life skills to prepare you for nursing schoolNice article and very correct but my only concern is that the person who wrote the article is actually not a nurse.
Critical thinking skills and clinical decision making is also a hallmark of exceptional nurse – but all nurses must have these skills Another quality is they must have great time management skills as well.Joyon August 29, 2016 at 8:41 pm
I thought the same thing when reading the article. Someone should have wrote it who has personal experience as a nurse. It would have been different if they wrote from a patient/client perspective.
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FAQs
What is the most important quality of a nurse? ›
Compassionate
One of the most important qualities of a good nurse is compassion. In their career, nurses will see patients suffer. Beyond simply offering a solution, they must be able to express compassion for patients and their families. This allows them to form meaningful relationships with their patients.
An exceptional nurse is a quick thinker and utilizes excellent judgment. Nurses must rely on their skills, knowledge and experience to make quick and sound judgments. A combination of knowledge and experience is the key to recognizing a problem and offering the best solution.
What are 10 roles of a nurse? ›Nurses care for injuries, administer medications, conduct frequent medical examinations, record detailed medical histories, monitor heart rate and blood pressure, perform diagnostic tests, operate medical equipment, draw blood, and admit/discharge patients according to physician orders.
What are 3 strengths of a nurse? ›- Communication.
- Empathy.
- Flexibility.
- Attention to detail.
- Endurance.
- Problem solving.
- Communication. ...
- Attitude and confidence. ...
- Teamwork. ...
- Networking. ...
- Critical thinking and creative problem solving. ...
- Professionalism. ...
- Empathy. ...
- Conflict resolution.
Core values of nursing include altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, honesty and social justice [3]. The core ethical values are generally shared within the global community, and they are a reflection of the human and spiritual approach to the nursing profession.
What are the 5 core values of nursing? ›Caring is best demonstrated by a nurse's ability to embody the five core values of professional nursing. Core nursing values essential to baccalaureate education include human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice.
How would you describe an amazing nurse? ›Remarkable nurses have empathy for them and are able to be compassionate to provide comfort. Of course, nurses can experience their share of mental and physical fatigue too, but they're able to get past it. The atmosphere in a hospital can be a formal one.
What is your superpower as a nurse? ›Their extensive training, along with their clinical experience, allows them to see the patient in ways that the patient cannot even see themselves. Beyond diagnosing a patient's health condition nurses can see into people's hearts. They know when someone is not OK, despite what they might say.
What are 5 responsibilities of a nurse? ›- Conduct physical exams.
- Take detailed health care histories.
- Listen to patients and analyze their physical and emotional needs.
- Provide counseling and health care education to patients.
- Coordinate care with other health care providers and specialists.
What are 3 things nurses do? ›
Assessing, observing, and speaking to patients. Recording details and symptoms of patient medical history and current health. Preparing patients for exams and treatment. Administering medications and treatments, then monitoring patients for side effects and reactions.
What are the 7 leadership styles in nursing? ›- Transformational. Transformational leaders form strong relationships and inspire nurses to act independently to achieve a hospital's greater vision. ...
- Autocratic. ...
- Democratic. ...
- Laissez-Faire. ...
- Pacesetting. ...
- Strategic. ...
- Servant.
According to Roach (1993), who developed the Five Cs (Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Conscience and Commitment), knowledge, skills and experience make caring unique. Here, I extend Roach's work by proposing three further Cs (Courage, Culture and Communication).
What are the 4 basic leadership styles nursing? ›...
These are:
- Transformational.
- Democratic.
- Laissez-faire.
- Autocratic.
- Servant.
Best answer for a nursing job #1 (example)
“If i'm being honest, I have all the skills and experience that you're searching for in a nurse.. Apart from having years of experience and the technical skills, I am also a very motivated person and always go beyond what's expected for the job.
The search yielded 10 nursing ethical values: Human dignity, privacy, justice, autonomy in decision making, precision and accuracy in caring, commitment, human relationship, sympathy, honesty, and individual and professional competency.
What are the 6 nursing values? ›Why were the 6 Cs of nursing introduced? The 6 Cs – care, compassion, courage, communication, commitment, competence - are a central part of 'Compassion in Practice', which was first established by NHS England Chief Nursing Officer, Jane Cummings, in December 2017.
What are the 9 code of ethics for nurses? ›...
The following are brief descriptions of each of the ethical principles.
- Beneficence: ...
- Nonmaleficence: ...
- Justice: ...
- Accountability: ...
- Autonomy: ...
- Fidelity: ...
- Veracity:
- Care.
- Compassion.
- Competence.
- Communication.
- Courage.
- Commitment.
These are the guiding principles that help to put the interests of the individual receiving care or support at the centre of everything we do. Examples include: individuality, independence, privacy, partnership, choice, dignity, respect and rights.
What makes a nurse a hero? ›
Caring, empathy, mental and physical strength, and resolve are just a few of the qualities that a great nurse must possess in addition to their formal education, which is a lot more than most jobs require.
What are the 7 C's in nursing? ›Charting the 7 c's of cultural change affecting foreign nurses: competency, communication, consistency, cooperation, customs, conformity and courage.
What are the 7 core values of nursing profession? ›Core values of nursing include altruism, autonomy, human dignity, integrity, honesty and social justice [3]. The core ethical values are generally shared within the global community, and they are a reflection of the human and spiritual approach to the nursing profession.
What are the 7 standards of nursing? ›- American Nurses Association (ANA)
- ANA Standards of Practice.
- Standard 1. Assessment. ...
- Standard 2. Diagnosis. ...
- Standard 3. Outcome Identification. ...
- Standard 4. Planning. ...
- Standard 5. Implementation. ...
- Standard 6. Evaluation.
- Being an accountable professional.
- Promoting health and preventing ill health.
- Assessing needs and planning care.
- Providing and evaluating care.
- Leading and managing nursing care and working in teams.
- Improving safety and quality of care.
- Coordinating care.
These are Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment. Nurses who operate on these values ensure that the job gets done in an effective and efficient manner and that patients are safe and treated well. This refers to treating patients correctly, in a respectful and non-judgemental manner.
What are the 7 P's in healthcare? ›7Ps can be classified into seven major strategies like as product/service, price, place, promotion, people, physical assets and process (3). This is a known marketing strategy that has provided a critical tool for hospitals and medical services centers to improve the management of healthcare marketing (4).
What are the 8 principles of nursing? ›- Benevolence. ...
- Nonmaleficence. ...
- Fidelity. ...
- Accountability. ...
- Veracity. ...
- Patient autonomy.
- Consumer dignity and choice. What this means for you. ...
- Ongoing assessment and planning. What this means for you. ...
- Personal care and clinical care. ...
- Services and supports for daily living. ...
- Organisation's service environment. ...
- Feedback and complaints. ...
- Human resources. ...
- Organisational governance.
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), which grants Magnet® Recognition to hospitals, identifies evidence-based practice (EBP) as being the international “gold standard” for the delivery of quality care.
What are the 4 A's in nursing? ›
As a systematic process for change, this article offers the AACN's Model to Rise Above Moral Distress, describing four A's: ask, affirm, assess, and act. To help critical care nurses working to address moral distress, the article identifies 11 action steps they can take to develop an ethical practice environment.
What are the 4 great period in nursing? ›On the other hand, Buenavista, Jr. (n.d.) divided nursing history into four periods: Intuitive, Apprentice, Educative, and Contemporary, while Tomey and Alligood (2002), divided the history of professional nursing into curriculum era, research era, graduate education era, and the theory era.