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DiversityNursing Blog

Top Characteristics of A Great Nurse

Posted by Diversity Nursing

Mon, May 23, 2022 @ 11:42 AM

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As many of you know, a career in Nursing is extremely challenging, but very rewarding as well. For the last 20 years, the Nursing profession has consistently been ranked as the most trusted, honest, and ethical by Gallup

Because Nursing is ranked so highly, it takes a special kind of person with a certain set of qualities and skills to be a Great Nurse.   

Some of those characteristics are: 

GOOD COMMUNICATION TO… EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Communication skills are necessary in almost every career, but in Nursing it's one of the most important aspects of the job. It can literally be the difference between life and death. 

A great Nurse must be able to effectively communicate with fellow Nurses, Doctors, patients, and their families. If not, patients can feel neglected, medical errors can occur and the entire unit will be impacted. 

Emotional Stability

Nursing can be mentally taxing and experiencing traumatic events often takes a toll on you. Emotional stability is a trait that can be practiced and strengthened. It is a necessary characteristic for a Nurse to be successful in this career. 

To provide ultimate care, Nurses must have the ability to control their emotions so they can accomplish the present task or emergency.

Ideally, you should have the tools to cope with your feelings and seek assistance if you need it. 

Culturally Competent 

Everyday Nurses care for patients from cultural backgrounds of all kinds. A culturally competent healthcare provider improves patient satisfaction and overall care by understanding and acknowledging a patient's language, customs, and beliefs. 

Team Player

A great Nurse not only focuses on their own workload, but understands that they're a part of team that does whatever is necessary to ensure that all patients are taken care of. A strong team has each other's backs. 

Wants To Learn

The healthcare field is always evolving and requires continuing education throughout. There are plenty of opportunities to learn from experienced Nurses, preceptorships, mentoring programs and continuing education units (CEUs).  

Flexibility 

In healthcare, emergencies happen all the time which may require Nurses to work weekends, holidays and overtime, often without much notice. 

Many Nurses like the fact that each day is different. You never know what challenges will arise. With that in mind, Nurses often wear many hats and must adapt easily.

Sense of Humor

In a career filled with challenges, you have to find the humor in the craziest situations and laugh whenever you can, with discretion of course. A good sense of humor can alleviate stress and help spread positivity to others. You are human and you need some feel good vibes to get through difficult times. 

Organized

Often, times can be hectic on a unit. It helps to know where everything is and be able to easily access information and tools you need. An organized Nurse prioritizes their tasks as things change throughout their shift. 

Time management is also a key organizational trait. You must stay on top of when medications are administered, the correct dosage of each med, and when patients need to be fed, bathed, etc. 

The list of traits that great Nurses share is truly never ending as You are almost super human! 

Topics: qualities of a nurse, nurse traits, nurse characteristics

Traits Every Great Nurse Has

Posted by Erica Bettencourt

Fri, Mar 23, 2018 @ 09:19 AM

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What makes a good Nurse? What are the qualities of terrific Nurses? The Nursing profession is about kindness and caring for the whole person as well as medical, emotional and technical knowledge, and so much more. Below are a few traits that make Nurses so great!
 

Good Communication

Communication is essential to patient safety, health and well-being. As you are at the center of patient care, it is your responsibility to facilitate dialog. As you care for older and more culturally diverse populations, you will need to strengthen your communication skills. Without strong communication skills, serious errors can occur.
 

Emotional stability

As you know, Nursing is a stressful job where traumatic situations are common. The ability to accept suffering and death without letting it get personal is crucial. Some days can seem like non-stop gloom and doom. There are heartwarming moments like helping a patient recover, reuniting families, or bonding with fellow Nurses. But those moments are less common than the tougher situations. So remember to take care of YOU too so you can handle the inevitable crises.
 

Empathy

Empathy is a complex emotion and can be a complex concept while working with many patients who have different kinds of needs. Responding with empathy requires the ability to put yourself in your patient’s shoes, see situations from their perspective and demonstrate that you understand their feelings and are reading them accurately. Most importantly, it requires you to act on that understanding in appropriate and therapeutic ways.
 

Attention to detail

Paying attention to minute details is important in the Nursing profession, especially when you have a lot on your plate. You must document everything you do on patients’ charts, listen closely to their description of symptoms, ask the right questions, and remember to bring medications at appropriate times. It’s critical to remember even the smallest detail amidst all of the commotion. At the end of the day, one small slip-up could become a fatal mistake.
 

Physical Endurance

You encounter many patients with lifestyle-related disorders. With this in mind, a basic understanding of the role physical fitness plays in prevention and rehabilitation is key. You can be a positive influence on patients who have to make life­style choices if they see you’ve made good choices. If you stay fit, you not only feel good, you’re a great role model for your patients.
 
Physical fitness improves your ability to effectively perform the physical tasks you do every day. One study of 146 Registered Nurses, over a 12-hour shift, found they covered an average of 4 to 5 miles per shift. I’m sure you’re not surprised by this information!
 

Desire to continue learning

Medical knowledge and technology are advancing rapidly. As a great Nurse, you know the importance of working on your professional development and skills, and learning new things.
 

SENSE OF HUMOR

This is imperative! A joke and a few laughs can take the edge off of a tough day and…it feels good. Need we say more?
 
It takes many great qualities to be a good and effective Nurse. What are traits you would add to this list? Please comment below!

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Topics: nursing traits, nurse qualities, qualities of a nurse

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