International Nurses Association - 6 Habits of Effective Nurses

6 habits of effective nurses Nursing is one of the toughest jobs there are. Anyone can be a nurse, but there are certain qualities that make you from a just a nurse to a successful nurse with a well defined career in the field. To care for the sick, to be with their families, to put in long hours is demanding and not everyone’s cup of tea. Although it is one profession that always has demand due to the shortage of dedicated workforce, growing in the industry can be a challenge.

What defines an effective and successful nurse? Unlike other industries where monetary benefits and the role define the success of an individual, the success of a nurse is defined by the quality of care delivered to the patient. An effective nurse works in two ways: as an asset to the healthcare setup and as an effective aid to the patient under her care. The effectiveness of a nurse is seen in how she caters to every little need of the patient and duly accomplishes her responsibilities towards the healthcare setup.

There are no secret tips for nurses to be effective at their work, just a few handy tips that eventually turn into a habit as they perform their duties every day.

1. Do not take shortcuts, its got to be well planned: For a good nurse, there aren’t any shortcuts, and every task needs to be a step by step process. Skipping steps overall impact the quality of care delivered to the patient and hence a good nurse follows every step to the tee.

2. Plan ahead and do not rush: Nursing is a stressful profession, and requires a calm and well processed mind to be prepared for every other emergency. The most successful nurses manage to keep their cool even through a mad day and do it all with a big pleasant smile.

3. Have an open mind towards learning more: Like doctors, the learning never stops for nurses as well. A good nurse always goes to work with an open mind and is always willing to learn something new, even if it means a new way of doing something routine.

4. Clearly communicate with patients and co workers alike: Communication is a key for success in every career and nursing is no exception. Nurses involves being able to communicate with different levels of people right from the hospital staff to doctors to patients and to relatives.

5. Set personal and realistic goals for each day: Have an objective or a goal keeps one motivated at work. Having goals helps them keep a check on their everyday productivity and measure the targets against the achievements.

6. Don't be afraid to ask for help: Asking for help doesn't mean you don't know, it just means you want to do something perfectly. As a nurse, it is always good to ask if you are unsure about how something should be done, even if it means asking repeatedly till you are clear. Nursing profession cannot afford too many mistakes particularly by the nurses, since lives are involved and hence, there should be no room for ambiguity.