5 Qualities a Licensed Practical Nurse Must Have

The profession of nursing is not just about giving and being a selfless being. The amount of effort they put in to serve the sick and the aged, cannot be measured. It is at times quite stressful, taxing and even frustrating to go about doing the daily responsibilities for nurses. With endless patients and strenuous surgeries, nursing is indeed a demanding a profession. It takes some mettle for a person to become a nurse, and survive the job. In order to become a nurse, it is important to have these skills.

1. Patience

A nurse has to cater to all kinds of patients in her day-to-day schedule. This includes handling moody patients, active children, weary pregnant ladies and the list goes on. A nurse has to handle all these situations with grace and utmost professionalism. This calls for being patient and tolerant at all times. Frustrations must be kept internal.

2. Caring in Nature

This is the most important virtue for a nurse. They should be nurturing and be able to care and comfort patients in difficult situations. This forms the crux of the nursing profession. As a nurse, you are expected to be caring towards everyone. You cannot be someone who does not care about others. This may include not only the patient but the family and loved ones of the patient.

3. Team Player

A good nurse has to be a good team player. This means they should be able to work well in a team. This might require them to have good interpersonal skills. The person should be able to function with their teammates and work in conjunction with them. Nurses work with other nurses, health care aides, doctors, specialists, lab assistants, porters, and so many other individuals that make up the team treating each individual.

4. Responsible

Being responsible is an essential practical nurse skill. When a number of tasks are assigned to you all through the day, you cannot afford to be careless at any point in time. Failing to do any of these duties can even cost the life of a patient. So when you handle such tasks, you ought to be responsible.

5. Time Management Skills

During the times of emergencies and mass causalities, a nurse has to deal with many patients simultaneously. The duties of the nurse increase considerably. Only with good time-management skills, the ability to prioritize, and make decisions efficiently can someone be able to finish all the tasks assigned to them. So a nurse has to have good time management skills.

To know more about the employment opportunities for nurses, browse through the diploma program for practical nurses at Columbia College.