Employment in healthcare occupations is projected to experience an overall growth leap of 13 percent in the United States between the period of 2021 and 2031, leading to approximately 2 million more jobs in that time period. This means that healthcare jobs represent faster growth than the average expansion for all other professions.
Registered nurses (RNs), in particular, make up the largest healthcare profession in the United States, with plenty of projected job growth on the horizon. With registered nurses playing such an important role in the healthcare system, knowing the qualities that make up a good nurse is crucial for hospitals to attract top-tier talent and for those looking to succeed in the field of nursing to know what it takes.
Encouraging particular nursing qualities helps health systems recognize ideal nursing candidates to hire. Learn what it takes to thrive in the healthcare sphere and be the nurse that every patient deserves with these six qualities of a good nurse.
1. Safety Goggles
In the healthcare profession, it is nurses that have the biggest exposure to bodily fluids, such as blood, with much of it happening on the face and near the eyes. Not only should a good nurse wear safety goggles for protection and to remain healthy, but they should be safety goggles that don’t immediately fog. Having to take off a pair of safety goggles to clean them exposes eyes to pathogens and spills while also risking the spread of bacteria with contaminated fingers.
Nurses can do their job much easier and safer with safety goggles that have an anti-fog coating, in addition to using additional anti-fog drops to avoid having their vision blocked.
In addition to anti-fogging, nurses need to consider goggles with blue light-blocking lenses to protect their eyes from blue light that is emitted by the sun, computers, smartphones, and tablets. Blue light can cause headaches, eye strain, and eye damage.
Prescription safety glasses help to ensure that nurses that need glasses for proper vision still get the added protection of safety goggles while working with their patients.
2. Empathy for Others
Having empathy to understand how other people feel and to have the ability to see their suffering from their point of view is key to helping comfort patients. Empathy assists with establishing trust and lowering anxieties. Having empathy in the healthcare field has the potential to do more than help people feel better; it may also improve a patient’s health outcome, giving them more hope to fight for their life to get better, knowing there are others that care about them.
3. Problem-solving Abilities
Nurses come to work every day with no clue as to what that day is going to present to them. Complicated situations arise, along with emergency cases that pop up out of nowhere. There can even be illnesses that patients are facing that are difficult to determine how they were caused.
With each workplace situation differing and appearing under duress, it is important that a good nurse has strong problem-solving skills to address issues quickly and accurately.
Nurses need to be able to think on their feet and make decisions fast, especially in moments that are extremely time-sensitive.
4. Attention to Detail
No one’s healthcare should ever be treated like a one-size-falls situation. Not paying close attention to the details of a patient’s medical history and monitoring patients’ vital signs and ongoing conditions can be the difference between life and death for them. Good nurses shouldn’t assume anything or jump to conclusions. All decisions and treatments should be based on the details of a patient’s personal health situation.
5. Communication is Key
In order to be a good nurse, solid communication skills are a must. Not only should they be able to speak clearly to co-workers and patients to convey vital information, but they should also be able to listen to the needs that they may have at the moment.
Nurses are responsible for sharing detailed medical information with patients and their families on a regular basis, which means they have to transform complex topics into layman’s terms that are understandable. Also, they often have to find a compassionate way to express tough news.
Good communication skills mean that a nurse has elevated their social and technical skills in a way that provides individualized care and acts as an advocate for the patient.
6. Thirst for Knowledge
Becoming a nurse takes plenty of training and the retention of medical education. In fact, becoming a nurse requires fulfilling the academic requirements along with passing the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX).
Between intensive medical coursework and staying up-to-date with learning specific nursing specialties, having a curiosity to learn in the medical field helps nurses stay at the top of their game. Also, keeping up with new technological advancements favors those that have a thirst for staying informed in the nursing field and benefits their advancements in their careers.