Is a Nursing Career For You?

Date Published: March 9, 2022

Being a nurse is extremely rewarding, but it’s not for everyone. When determining whether a career in nursing is right for you, visualize yourself in many different scenarios and think about how adaptive you can be. Not only does the nursing profession take a lot of commitment, but the talent to improvise and the empathy to be supportive are just as important. Below is a list of qualities nurses need to be successful. If you have most of these, nursing might be the career for you.

Flexibility. As a nurse, your hours and work duties are likely to change frequently. Unique circumstances arise, tasks change rapidly, and nurses are consistently kept on their toes. It is important that a nurse can be flexible and cope well under pressure and uncertainty.

Empathy. Understanding the feelings and thoughts of other people is helpful in this field. A lot of patients are going to be in difficult situations where you will have to not only be their medical advisor but also their support system. Being able to provide an individual with an empathic hand can be helpful when looking at the overall picture.

“The 5 Cs.”  This concept was developed by Simon Roach to teach future nurses the ways to maintain healthy medical relationships.

Commitment. Not only is nursing your career, but it requires you to serve a higher purpose: taking care of sick individuals who are dependent on you. If you’re not invested in caring for others, nursing probably isn’t the career for you.

Conscience. Unwavering morals are a huge part of being a nurse. Often lines can blur, and choices between what is right versus wrong can be lost. It is important to keep a strong moral compass to handle such ethical dilemmas.

Competence. Competency in every skill is a must. A nurse’s responsibilities can literally change in an instance and mean the difference between the life and death of a patient. Making sure you come to work wide-eyed and ready to go is necessary, no matter what may be going on in your personal life.

Compassion. Being compassionate and understanding is a must. Oftentimes, the individual being treated has never dealt with these challenges before. The more comfort you can provide, the more your patient will relax.

Confidence. Patients need to trust their medical providers, and nurses are who they will interact with the most. Be confident in your decisions, advice, and tasks, and you will be successful.

Nurses require a variety of qualities and must be willing to face challenges throughout their career. Understanding what is required of you before you jump into this challenging profession will save you time and effort in the long run if you decide it’s not for you. Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers, but those rewards don’t come free.

For more information: https://www.registerednursing.org/articles/is-nursing-right-career-for-me/