Helpful Nursing Skills

Becoming a nurse is not a decision that should be taken lightly. There are many skills that must be learned to be an effective nurse, such as how to make an occupied bed, how to start an intravenous line and how to administer medications. Even with those skills mastered, however, there are certain skills that are helpful to have that will make it easier for a person to make it as a nurse. These skills are not taught in books, but are cultivated through clinical and on the job experience.

Compassion

• A nurse needs compassion to ably care for her patients. Often she will be confronted with suffering that circumstance and disease produce. Patients need someone to turn to when they are hurting and scared. A nurse who can offer a shoulder to cry on goes beyond just being a medication dispenser. Importantly, she becomes someone who offers a total solution for patients. She takes care of them physically, mentally and spiritually if the patient wants her to.

Communication

• A nurse who cannot communicate cannot operate. He must know how to speak to coworkers, patients, family members and doctors alike. It is crucial for a nurse gather his thoughts and effectively communicate to a doctor about a patient's condition. Only then can the doctor prescribe the correct medication or treatment. Likewise, a nurse must delegate tasks to coworkers and tell patients about their treatments. Being a nurse hinges upon being able to communicate effectively.

Manage Stress

• Nursing is a very stressful job. Not only is there a tremendous amount of work to do, it can also be very emotionally draining to care for a patient that ends up passing away. The ability to handle stress cannot be discounted. A nurse must be able to handle many tasks at once and tackle problems head on. When conflict arises between doctor and nurse, she must be able to get on with the rest of her job without missing a beat. Likewise, if a critical situation were to come up, a nurse has to remember she has other patients that need her, too.

Organization

• Nurses must be organized, able to manage their work, process information and adapt to change immediately. A nurse needs to have information available at a moment's notice. Information such as lab work, the patient's name and other pertinent information should be accessible in the event of an emergency. Most nurses have a report sheet or some other organizing tool to keep the information accessible during a shift.

Physical Fitness

• A nurse has to be able to stand, stoop, lift and sometimes run. The halls in hospitals are long and nurses must walk them many times a shift. Patients are also heavy, especially when sick and hurt, and often need a lot of assistance to walk or be moved while in bed. A nurse who has a good base of physical fitness will get his job done efficiently. It will also prevent injury to himself and to the patient. A nurse does not have to be an Olympic star, but the ability to keep up with physical demands is helpful.