Nurses are integral members of the healthcare community. They are amazing people who not only provide essential support for other members of their team but also help patients to heal and make them feel more at ease about their circumstances. They are present in all kinds of healthcare establishments, from hospitals, GP surgeries, and even at nursing homes as well as many other places. There is no denying that nurses are heroes who deserve to be treated with respect and recognition for everything that they do.
Yes, becoming a nurse is a very noble career choice, and having the satisfaction to know that you’re helping others can be a very alluring part of pursuing this as a career. However, being a nurse comes with a lot of challenges, and not everybody is right for these kinds of roles. If you have been thinking about getting into nursing, read on to find out more about what kind of things you will be dealing with and what it takes to succeed in this intensive field.
Resilience
While nursing can be a very rewarding job when you see your patients get better, there will be times when this is not the case. Not only will there be tragic circumstances throughout your career as a nurse, but there will also be a lot of pressure working in a fast-paced clinical environment. This may be more prevalent when working in a hospital environment, but that doesn’t mean you won’t come across similar issues elsewhere. You will also have to deal with disgruntled or frustrated patients and their loved ones on occasion, which can be challenging. If you want to be a nurse, you need to be resilient. This doesn’t mean that you won’t still find these situations hard, but you need to be able to pick yourself up and carry on for the sake of your other patients and to continue supporting others in your nursing team and beyond.
A Good Bedside Manner
Another key quality for a nurse is having a good bedside manner. Being compassionate when speaking with patients is important because dealing with any kind of healthcare concern can be an anxious time and people need to have their minds put at ease. Even if their circumstances aren’t good, having a kind of distraction is essential to help them manage from day-to-day with the reality of what is happening to them. As mentioned previously, there may be times when your patients aren’t exactly easy to deal with, which is why being patient is also a vital quality to have. This won’t always be easy, but you do need to be someone who can deal with these circumstances calmly for your benefit as well as the patients.
A Willingness to Learn
Nursing can be a tough job generally, but you must also be prepared to go through a lot of training and education just to get started in your career and progress to more senior roles. If you aren’t willing to put in the time to learn about nursing and get your qualifications, then this truly isn’t the right career for you. However, if you are more than happy and even excited to pursue this kind of education and training, you should start researching the various options available to you; you will need a college degree if you want to pursue nursing, but if you currently need to work full or part-time, or have other commitments in your life that mean you can’t go to college in the traditional sense, look at online nursing programs like this one at Marymount University. These are much more flexible approaches to your education so you can still pursue your nursing career dreams while managing your daily lifestyle.
Dedication
Considering all of the challenges you will face as a nurse, including the pressures of keeping up with your studies, you need to make sure you’re truly dedicated to this as a career path. While changing careers at a later date is perfectly fine if you do find it isn’t right for you, as getting into nursing has a lot of steps to go through, it’s important to be dedicated from the start, so you don’t find that you have wasted your time. There will be times when you might second-guess your career choice, but if you’re getting into nursing just because you want a stable job, or aren’t sure what else to pursue, perhaps think again before starting your journey in a nursing career. You must be sure this is what you want.
Are You a Good Team Player?
You will need to use your initiative as a nurse, but every single day you will need to be a good team player. No matter what kind of environment you choose to work in as a nurse, there will always be plenty of tasks to do each day, and the only way things will run smoothly is if your nursing team works together. It’s about more than just supporting each other with daily tasks, but also providing a bit of emotional support when one of your colleagues might be having a tough day and making sure that you all have each other’s backs. This is how you will keep morale high and increase your overall productivity as a department.
Do You Like Being Challenged?
It should be clear by now, if it wasn’t before, how challenging this career path can be. If you’re an individual who shies away from this kind of thing, you will find it difficult to navigate your way through your nursing career. It can be a wonderful opportunity to develop your skills professionally and for your personal growth, but it isn’t a role for the faint-hearted.
Have You Done Your Research?
Finally, before you start taking any steps towards a nursing career, make sure you have done plenty of research. Where possible, talk to other nurses about their experiences and see if they can offer you any advice when it comes to applying for educational courses or future jobs. You must look into various aspects of nursing as a career so you can get a better idea of what to expect from these roles and where your career could take you.
If you’re still uncertain about pursuing a career as an RN, considering the role of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) can be beneficial. As a CNA, you won’t have direct patient contact, making it an excellent opportunity to test the waters and determine if nursing is the right fit for you. Moreover, the CNA exam is relatively straightforward, and there are ample study materials available online. The exam covers various subjects, such as nutrition, daily living activities, and the responsibilities associated with being a CNA. Testing experts at Career Employer offer a wide range of reading materials and 17 study guides that cover the topics tested in the CNA exam.
Nursing can be an excellent career choice but consider the points above to make sure that it is the right fit for you and that you feel that you have what it takes to succeed.
