While a nurse comes to each patient to provide service, that patient then has little actual knowledge of what a day in the life of a nurse consists of. Patients often take out their pain, anxiety, or frustration on nurses as well. As human beings, it’s hard to not react in kind.
Still, there are ways to help your bedside manner and achieve true excellence in the field of nursing. Try these six tips to help you be the best nurse you can be:
1. Appreciate Your Job
Nursing is now the 5th highest occupation in the United States, meaning that next to retail workers, cashiers, office clerks, and fast food workers, there are definitely a lot of nurses.
With this staggering fact comes the realization that nurses are also a very diverse group of people. What once was a workforce of matronly middle-aged women now holds people from all ages and walks of life.
Although this fact creates challenges, you should also celebrate it. Countless people had the skills and drive to become nurses, and countless more will in the future. That’s something to be proud of.
2. Be a Team Player
To create efficient service in your sphere, learn to work with others, including dealing with their different roles, skills, and personalities. When health care professionals collaborate well, they compete less and increase efficient patient care.
3. Communicate
One of the biggest failings in healthcare today includes a general lack of communication. Keep your chart organized and make notes specific but concise. This decreases frustration at shift changes, and definitely helps in emergency situations.
4. Take Things In Stride
With stressful situations comes comments or statements that may cause hurt or offense. As a nurse, it’s not your job to take offense or let rudeness affect your work ethic. Consider the context of such exchanges—was the speaker in pain, stressed, or dealing with other problems? Deal with personalities as you must, but avoid letting every little thing get you down.
5. Remember to Laugh
Although this job requires constant awareness and no lack of seriousness, times may come that require a sense of humor. Your personal efforts to lighten the mood or diffuse a tense moment create better relationships with everyone around you.
6. Set An Example
You have worked hard to get the position you have in nursing. Many nurses may have earned their certification through a master’s of science in nursing program that took a lot of time, money, and effort. Use this knowledge and power you have for the good of others and your workmates! Any medical professional has the power to influence for good or ill. Patients listen and watch how nurses interact with physicians, patients, and other nurses. Ensure your patients’ comfort by staying polite, kind, and patient through all interactions.
Nursing comes with many challenges and difficulties. Still, if you stop and appreciate them, moments of pure joy and awe do happen. Don’t forget to watch for and treasure these times, because they make it all worth it.