8 Ways to Upskill as a Nurse
Nursing is a fast-growing and highly in-demand profession. A nurse’s job is primarily to help physicians provide healthcare services to patients. It is a multi-dimensional profession where they take care of the patient’s health while being a source of emotional comfort. Nurses have to be on their feet to keep up with the latest technologies, procedures and medicines since nursing isn’t a stagnant field. To get the most out of their profession, they must upgrade their skills.
If you have just completed nursing school, you might be thinking of enhancing your skillset. In this article, you will find eight ways to upgrade as a nurse that will help you propel your career forward.
Advance Your Knowledge:
The more educated you are, the better. It will not only help you to provide better services to your patients but will also increase your value. Research proves that nurses who are more qualified give excellent patient outcomes than those who are not. It is because nursing is a field of constant learning as things are always changing. To survive in a nursing career, you must gain more and more degrees and certifications. In fact, you are bound to complete several hours of education every couple of years to maintain your RN license.
If you have an RN degree, go for BNS and then MNS. You should also try to go the extra mile and get a DNP degree, as it will help boost your career. Nurses who have done DNP are considered key players in the future of healthcare in the United States.
Hone Your Communication Skills:
Communication skills are as important for a nurse as a stethoscope for a physician. To do your job effectively, you need to be aware of the patient’s history and progress and communicate it successfully. Hence you will have to upgrade your communication skills since effective communication is essential for your job.
A nurse is in constant touch with the patient and their family. You will have to explain the medical treatment they’ll be going through and their medicine and diet plan. In addition, educating and counseling the patient is also part of your job. Hence, you must hone your communication skills to become a better nurse.
Develop Critical Thinking:
In hospitals, an emergency is always around the corner. Each day is different in the life of a nurse. They have to be prepared for the worst and develop strong nerves and presence of mind. As a nurse, you will be encountering new patients every day. Your job is to understand each case and develop an effective treatment plan, and nurturing your critical thinking and reasoning will help you stand out. Don’t forget that a single mistake can result in a huge loss for someone.
Flexibility and Adaptability:
As a nurse, being flexible and adaptive is a necessary skill because treatment methods and medicines are always changing. You have to adapt quickly to those changes, or you will lag in this continuously evolving profession. Also, each patient you come across will have a different mindset, and you have to treat each of them accordingly. This ability will help you progress much faster than those who do not adapt to new methods.
Be Detail Oriented:
Nursing is a profession in which you deal with life and death. One wrong move or a single mistake can cost someone their life. Hence, being detail-oriented will be your weapon in the nursing field. You will need to follow the doctor’s instructions thoroughly. You must be sure that you are giving the right medicine at the right time.
In addition, you must pay attention to every minor detail and ask questions to ensure nothing is left out. In nursing, you have a very slim margin of error and require an excellent eye to perform duties effectively.
Increase your Network:
Networking is essential to progress in your career, no matter your profession. Networking starts in your nursing school. Try to connect with other fellow professionals. Join as many communities, conferences, and courses as you can. Treat your juniors well and establish a good relationship with your seniors. You can teach the former while learning a great deal from the latter. When you develop a strong network, people tend to remember you when there is a new job opening or if they are looking for someone trustworthy.
Learn Basic Computer Skills:
Nurses are required to access information about a patient’s health and illness from electronic health records. Although you don’t need a high level of computer expertise, an average level of knowledge will enable you to beat your competition. Don’t forget nurses have a lot of paths open in management and research. Computer skills such as the use of industrial software, Word and Excel will help you succeed in your career.
Learn Ethics:
Nursing ranks as the number one most ethical, honest profession every year. Nurses encounter many situations that require a strong understanding of morals and ethics. Nurses are the only ones who know patients’ history, so they should reveal it only to those concerned. They should not breach patients’ privacy and give value to their opinions. They should inform patients about every detail of their treatment. Remember, your patient’s feedback is the most essential in your progress. Set your ethics and rules and stick to them.
Everyone has a dream to progress in their career and become successful in life. Remember, it’s easier to dream and difficult to achieve your aims. But you have to continue working hard and be consistent to progress. It might seem difficult to progress in the nursing profession, but being eager to learn and striving to improve will help you progress. WHO report says that nearly 6 million nurses will be employed by 2030 to provide healthcare services. These figures show the potential for progress and success in the nursing profession. By learning the skill sets mentioned above, you will be able to stand out from other nurses and achieve your aims in life. These skills and experience will help you bring more to the table and propel your career forward.
