Great nurses are a real treasure. We all know them: intelligent, compassionate, empathetic. They manage to shine a light even during a patient’s darkest experiences. They’re careful, attentive, and responsible. The devotion with which they care for patients is unmatched. In trying to make the world a little better every day, they spare no effort. Great nurses are their patients’ lucky charms and their colleagues’ role models.
Naturally, when you embark on your nursing journey, you aspire to be that nurse. The goal you set for yourself at the starting line is to become a great nurse. So, you constantly search for ways to improve your work performance in nursing. You’re always on the lookout for nursing tips on how to better care for your patients. You’ll leave no stone unturned if it means improving your nursing skills.
How do I become a better nurse? How do I provide better care to my patients? How can I improve my nursing skills? If these questions have become part of your everyday routine, you are already on the path to becoming a successful nurse.
And we’re here to help you get there faster. Here are some tips on how to fulfill your potential and become the greatest RN you can be.
If we were to make a Top three ways to improve work performance in nursing, the highest-ranking advice would be never to stop learning. The education of a Registered Nurse does not end when the last paper is submitted, and the final exam is passed. Good nurses recognize the value of lifelong learning.
In the nursing profession, changes, improvements, and developments are a common occurrence. New information comes out every day. More efficient ways to provide care are making their way into nursing practice. New technologies are introduced aiming to assist nurses and improve the quality of care. The expansion of telehealth nursing is adding an extra layer of responsibility. The shift towards a paperless healthcare environment is taking the nursing world by storm. The rate of change and improvement in nursing will never stop, and neither should you.
Hanging on to the way things used to be done and complaining about having “one more thing to learn” is the sign of a bad nurse, and you don’t want to touch that label with a ten-foot pole. More importantly, refusing to grow as a professional and being unwilling to change your practices can put your career at risk and your patients in jeopardy.
There are many options for learning and advancement for the awesome nurses who are eager to work on themselves, update their skills, and become better caregivers.
You can join a local professional organization, subscribe to a nursing journal in your field, or attend nursing conferences that pique your interest. Additionally, you can enroll in continuing education courses. Continuing nursing education impacts your competency as a Registered Nurse, enhances your professional development, and paves the way to become a better nurse.
Another excellent idea if you would like to develop professionally further as a nurse is to seek certification. Becoming a certified nurse helps you advance your expertise and skills in a particular area of nursing. When you have your knowledge validated through certification, you become a better nurse and more confident, more efficient. Certification and recertification help you stay on top of your field, always up to date with the newest information, constantly aware of the best nursing practices.
As long as you stay committed to learning, you will be a great RN. And it’s not only you who will win as a result. So will your patients and the healthcare field, in general.
It doesn’t matter if you are a fresh graduate who’s just starting a nursing job or you are a seasoned RN – you always need to double-check your work. It may seem like a small thing, but it will significantly improve your nursing practice. Review your charting throughout the day and at the end of your shift. Ensure you have listed all your actions: all the procedures you performed, the medications you administered, the diagnostic tests you ran. Every interaction between the nurse and the patient matters, and you want to make certain they are carefully and accurately documented.
Double-checking is especially important when it comes to medication administration. Always ask yourself: Is it the right drug? Is this the prescribed dose? Is this route of administration the right one? Even verify “Is this the right patient?”
Chances are, one day, you’ll feel exhausted, distracted, or burnt out, so the risk of making a nursing mistake will increase exponentially. Independent double-checks can detect up to 95% of errors. You need to develop the habit of double-checking your work and your charting from the beginning of your nursing career. Your patients will be safer, and you’ll become a better nurse.
Being a nurse takes compassion, expertise problem-solving skills and physical and emotional strength. It’s a demanding yet highly rewarding profession. If you want to provide the best possible care for your patients, here are the top qualities and abilities you need to develop.
1. Caring and Compassion
First and foremost, being a good nurse starts with genuinely caring about people. You need a real desire to help others feel better physically and emotionally. Patients want to feel your empathy, compassion and warmth during vulnerable times. When they sense you truly care, it builds trust and rapport.
Always rember that your patients are individuals who need understanding. Be sure to listen closely to their needs and make them feel comfortable opening up to you. Offer reassurance when they feel anxious or uncertain. By extending compassion, you promote healing.
2. Communication Skills
Clear communication is one of the most vital nursing skills. You must adeptly explain complex health topics to patients in easy-to-understand language. Active listening is key as well, to ensure you fully understand patient needs, issues and concerns.
Strong written communication skills are also important for documenting patient cases thoroughly and accurately And you need to collaborate with doctors and other healthcare professionals to deliver coordinated care,
Practice explaining unfamiliar concepts simply, mirroring patient language in conversations, carefully documenting observations, and discussing care plans with colleagues. Hone these abilities every day.
3. Empathy
Empathy enables you to better understand what patients are going through and how they feel physically and emotionally. By seeing through their eyes, you can provide the necessary mental support along with clinical care.
To build empathy, try putting yourself in your patient’s situation. Imagine how you would feel if you were sick or injured and in an unfamiliar hospital environment. Strive to see their perspective when communicating and making care decisions.
4. Organization and Attention to Detail
Nursing requires juggling substantial data, tasks, medication administration schedules, reporting, and coordination. Strong organizational skills help you handle these demands and avoid oversights or errors.
Create structured care plans, to-do lists and reminders. Establish routines. Document everything meticulously. Double-check medication types and dosages. Developing these habits makes you an efficient, responsible nurse.
5. Problem-Solving Skills
As a nurse, you constantly need to assess situations, recognize issues, analyze information, and make smart decisions. Whether it’s figuring out how to get a dementia patient to swallow medication or adjusting a plan of care, you need sharp critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Practice identifying root causes and coming up with creative solutions. Learn techniques like root cause analysis. Ask yourself “What if?” questions to prepare for different scenarios. By honing your problem-solving abilities, you’ll be ready to address whatever situations arise.
6. Stamina and Endurance
Nursing is physically and emotionally draining. The job requires standing for long periods, lifting patients, working overnight and weekend shifts, managing stress, and bearing your patients’ suffering. You need ample stamina and endurance to perform at your best.
Make self-care a priority. Adopt healthy habits like eating nutritious meals, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. Hydrate frequently. Implement stress management practices like deep breathing, yoga, or meditating. Pace yourself and take rest breaks. This helps you withstand the demands.
7. Sense of Humor and Emotional Resilience
Nursing holds heavy responsibilities and nurses witness human suffering daily. To avoid burnout, you need to know how to manage stress and process difficult emotions. A sense of humor helps provide needed moments of lightness.
Reflect on inspiring moments that reinforce why you chose this vital work. Identify healthy stress outlets like talking with colleagues, exercising, or spending time with family. Be willing to ask your supervisor for help if you feel overwhelmed. Staying resilient enables you to be there for those relying on you.
8. Commitment to Patient Advocacy
Advocating for patients encompasses protecting their rights, voicing concerns on their behalf, defending their best interests, and helping ensure they receive proper care. Performing as a patient advocate is central to being a good nurse.
Don’t hesitate to speak up respectfully if you believe a physician’s orders seem inappropriate or risky for a patient. Question unclear or inaccurate charting by other staff. Help at-risk groups like children or elderly patients. Make patients’ safety and wellbeing your top priority.
Developing Your Nursing Skills
Here are some key ways to keep strengthening your capabilities:
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Continuing education: Take courses to stay updated on medical advances and expand your knowledge and techniques.
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Read professional journals: Subscribe to publications to learn about the latest research and best practices.
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Attend conferences: Go to professional events to gain new skills and network with other nurses.
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Seek mentorships: Learn from more experienced nurses by asking for their guidance and feedback.
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Earn certifications: Getting certified in specialty areas like critical care demonstrates your dedication and abilities.
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Cross-train: Seek opportunities to develop experience in different units like the ER, surgery, pediatrics, or maternity.
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Join associations: Become part of professional organizations like the American Nurses Association for networking and development.
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Precept students: Helping train the next generation keeps your skills sharp.
Handling the Emotional Toll
One aspect of being a great nurse is learning how to manage the emotional toll of the job. From seeing firsthand the effects of disease, to witnessing dying patients, to supporting distressed families, nursing takes an emotional weight.
Here are positive ways to cope:
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Separate work and personal life: Make sure to compartmentalize caring for patients at work, and your personal life outside of work.
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Set boundaries: Don’t take on more responsibilities than you can handle. It’s OK to say no sometimes.
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Don’t isolate: Speak openly with colleagues who understand the difficulties you face. Seek support.
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Practice self-care: Make daily time for healthy habits and stress management techniques.
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Change focus: After an especially hard day, do something uplifting like volunteering or pursuing a hobby.
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Get counseling: Seek professional counseling if you have trouble moving past grief or trauma experienced on the job.
Why the Nursing Profession Is So Rewarding
Despite the challenges, being a nurse is incredibly meaningful work. Here’s why it’s so rewarding:
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You directly and positively impact people’s lives daily.
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You get to participate in major life events like births and play a role in overcoming illness.
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You experience the fulfillment of comforting those in need.
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You gain deep insights into the full spectrum of human experiences.
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You are there for people during times of vulnerability.
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You get to continuously expand your knowledge and expertise.
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You have endless opportunities for career development and specialization.
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You are part of advancing healthcare and medical discoveries.
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You have job stability and varied career paths.
If you have the drive, abilities and passion for it, nursing offers a lifetime of purpose and fulfillment. Follow these tips to gain the qualities and expertise to provide the best possible care for those who put their health in your dedicated hands. You have the power to make a true difference.
Don’t Forget to Put Yourself First
We have mentioned how essential it is to focus on the patient and give them your undivided care and attention. But you know who else deserves the same treatment? You. You need to take good care of yourself. It is the only way to be able to take good care of your patients.
If you see yourself struggling to sleep and eat; if you lose interest in the job that once brought you so much joy; if you want to call in sick to work all the time; if you’re highly irritable and less compassionate – all of these are symptoms you’re experiencing burnout. And burnt out nurses are much more prone to cutting corners, making errors, and experiencing compassion fatigue. They can be a danger to themselves and their patients.
Overworked nurses are in the same boat. They feel like they hate being a nurse. Maybe the boss is controlling, they don’t get along with their co-workers, or a patient is extremely rude. Being overworked will amplify these feelings and, eventually, their wellbeing, professionalism, and job satisfaction will be negatively affected.
That’s why taking care of your mental and physical health is of paramount importance. You need to develop a regular sleep schedule; you need to set boundaries and take breaks. It’s also essential that you process your feelings and ask for support when things get too hard to handle.
Our most important nursing tip? Don’t underestimate how detrimental burnout can be. Learn how to recognize its signs and what you can do to prevent it. Understand that only by being better to yourself you’ll manage to be better to your patients.
Hone Your Communication Skills
Communication is one of the most fundamental nursing skills. If you want to become a successful RN, you need to master it. Whether talking to your fellow nurses, debriefing with the doctors, or educating the patients, efficient communication is at the core of good nursing practice.
It might take some time to become proficient in nurse communication. At first, when you have to report to a physician, you may find yourself nervous and shivering, not knowing how to approach the situation at hand. When you interact with a patient, especially as a beginner nurse, you might use so much medical jargon in your explanations that you leave the patient even more confused. But as long as you keep sharpening your communication skills, you will become a better nurse.
You can try using the SBAR technique to communicate efficiently with other healthcare professionals. SBAR is an acronym for Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendations – and it’s an excellent framework for sharing your patient’s condition with the doctor or other members of the medical team. This easy-to-remember mechanism can help you become a more effective communicator within your organization.
Another potential area for improvement for nurses is their communication with patients. Always make sure the patients understand and follow what you’re saying, especially when explaining care plans. Try to avoid using too many acronyms. Terms like CBC, ITT, LFT, or RDA may seem easy to understand to you, but remember that not everyone has nursing school experience. When you interact with patients, they should comprehend what you’re saying. That doesn’t mean you have to talk down to them. Just treat them with respect. Patient education is an integral part of your job as a nurse. Improve your communication skills, and the ability to educate your patients will follow.
Nurse mentorship – either formal or informal – is crucial to the education and training of new nurses. It helps them prepare better for the challenges of the real-world healthcare workplace. When you’re just starting your nursing career, the pressures and intensity of the job may take you by surprise. You’ll find yourself in need of guidance and advice. You’ll want to hear about other nurses’ clinical experiences so that you improve your own work performance. Cue the Nurse mentor.
A Nurse mentor will be a role model, motivator, and supporter. They’ll help you grow accustomed to the workplace. They will aid you in developing the nursing skills needed to excel in your practice. By listening and considering their experiences and expertise, you’ll learn the critical competencies required to deliver effective patient care.
You can find a nurse mentor at work, through certain networking events, or within professional organizations. Just remember that learning from others is a great way to become a better nurse yourself.
What makes a good nurse? | Brigham and Women’s Hospital
What are the benefits of being a nurse?
Nurses receive tremendous wages and benefits. Their wages are among the top 10 best-payed jobs. They also secure excellent benefits from their employers, covering their health and dental bills. One main benefit of the nursing career is the high wage they receive. Of course, better wages are a great motivation to work efficiently.
Is nursing a good career?
Healthcare careers are thriving and nursing is one of the fastest increasing occupations projected in following 5 years. Sharla Hercules Verras This is a particular attractive post.
How can a nurse help a patient?
Nurses can provide support to help a patient identify a safe and effective activity plan that they will stick with. These personal interactions and individual care can be even more beneficial as family and communities get involved. Helping teach one patient some healthy choices can in turn help a whole family.
