If you are unsure which career path to take at the current time, it can be stressful to decide the first steps to take. For those interested in healthcare, nursing is certainly an option worth considering – however, it does take a special kind of individual to dedicate their lives to taking care of others. Nursing is more than just a job – it is a vocation that requires a great deal of passion from the individual. If you are wondering whether nursing is the right profession for you, we are going to give you some useful aspects to think about which could help you make a decision going forwards:
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Be compassionate
When it comes to dealing with ill patients, you need to show a sense of compassion, kindness, and empathy for those in your care. Research has shown that showing compassion can quicken up ill patients’ recovery process; due to believing that they are in the very best care. Some patients may be distressed or feeling helpless knowing that they are unwell and may look to their nurse for strength and reassurance. Ultimately, you need to take the attitude of treating patients how you would like your family members to be treated.
Have emotional resilience
Working in healthcare is extremely rewarding, but watching a patient suffer is one of the most difficult aspects of the job. Even if you have never felt queasy at the sight of blood or injuries, seeing people in pain can hit you harder than you may have ever anticipated. There is no way to prepare for this situation until it happens but being aware of what to expect will ensure you do not panic when you are put in the situation. Emotional resilience is an attribute that can be developed.
Going to work and feeling anxious about what to expect is not good for the long-term, so you may want to consider the specialty of nursing that is best for you. Some nurses will deal with physical injuries and illness, while other specialties may concentrate on mental health. Regardless of which sector you choose, you need to be able to develop emotional resilience to handle hard-hitting situations.
Interest in nursing
As mentioned previously, nursing is not an easy career path. Therefore, you need to have a real interest in the job. The hours are long, and you will be challenged with demands, so you need to love what you do to stick it out. If you enjoy watching ER documentaries and the real-life goings-on of a hospital shift, you should be in your element. If you can picture yourself carrying out the role yourself and believing you would be able to handle the grueling reality of nursing, it is certainly worth researching how to get on this career path. The effect of nurse practitioners on healthcare may be a good avenue to research, fully understand how you can make a difference in this industry and gain a clearer understanding of how your services will be of benefit. Click here to find out more.
Be non-judgmental
Another aspect of nursing that you may not have considered before is whether you cast judgment on others. As humans, it is a natural reaction to judge people and situations when faced with them, but it is how you act on that judgment that matters. Different backgrounds and experiences can affect how we view situations, but ultimately, you need to understand each person on an individual basis in relation to the illness or injury they are experiencing. Try not to bring any personal opinions into the situation and remain unbiased to prevent making the patient feel uneasy. The more you practice being non-judgmental with friends and family, the more natural it will come across while nursing. If you are quite an opinionated and outspoken individual and struggle to hold your thoughts back, then a nursing career may not be the most suitable choice for you.
Keeping fit and active
Nursing can be a physically demanding job that requires moving between patients and wards very quickly and often having to move around heavy equipment. While you do not need to have a great deal of stamina and have a bodybuilder physique, you do need to stay in relatively food shape so that you are able to cope with the physical demands of the day. This may mean forcing yourself to stick to a healthy diet and enduring daily exercise outside of the workplace environment.
Be willing to continue learning
While you may have gained the relevant qualifications to secure a job as a nurse, this does not mean that the learning stops at the moment you receive your degree certificate. Throughout your career, you will undergo further training following new advancements and developing your theoretical knowledge to help you with the physical side of the job. If you are someone who enjoys learning as much as they can about their field of work, you should be in your element with nursing.
Be a good communicator
Being a nurse requires you to have a specific set of skills to succeed in your role. Communication is one of the most vital skills any nurse should acquire, as they need to communicate information to patients, doctors, and family members. When dealing with patients, they need to understand their worries, opinions, and feelings through verbal and non-verbal communication. Therefore, this is not just polishing up your speaking and listening skills, but also the use of body language, eye contact, and the tone of voice used.
If you have been contemplating whether or not the nursing profession is the right career for you, we hope this blog has given you some useful pointers to think about before making the first move in this direction. Nursing is not for everyone – but if you feel like you have the relevant skills and the right personality to care for others, you should seriously consider making that all-important career change in the near future.
