6.1: The Professional Nurse
Professional nurses are not limited to bedside care and are taking roles of greater responsibility. A nurse should have a knowledge-based practice, including personal, theoretical, procedural, cultural, and reflexive knowledge. Additionally, nurses must be competent in cognitive, technical, interpersonal, and ethical/legal skills. Some of the best attributes of successful nurses include the following:
Communication skills: These are critical characteristics, especially speaking and listening.
Emotional stability: This skill is crucial for nurses in an emergency, such as accepting a patient's suffering while maintaining their emotions.
Empathy: This is the ability to understand and share the pain and suffering of the patient.
Flexibility: This skill is the ability to adapt. Extending shift hours to take care of patients as and when required.
Physical endurance: A nurse must have a degree of physical endurance, as the physical tasks of the patient and the stamina necessary to stand for long hours are important.
Problem-solving skills: Nurses are natural problem solvers, and the role requires problem-solving skills for quick responses to an emergency, such as attending to a burn victim.
Holistic Care: A nurse should be a holistic caregiver ensuring that the patient's cultural, spiritual, and mental needs are met.
Technologically Savvy: Technology is updated frequently, providing faster access to quality care, and nurses use new technology equipment and updated applications daily. Nurses must instruct patients about the equipment they can use at home. For example, nurses educate patients to monitor glucose levels and record blood pressure at home.
Respect: Nurses respect the individuals they come across. They remain impartial and are mindful of confidentiality.
