Personality Traits of a Good Nurse
Maybe you like the nurses depicted on TV. Or, you like nurses because you love the idea of helping people and being a part of the medical profession. It might be a nurse who inspired you a long time ago, and to this day, you continue to think about the value of the job. In any event, you have chosen a good profession, and a promising one. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this profession is growing at a higher than average rate of 19%, which means a tremendous opportunity for you.
Of course, this is not an easy career by any means, and it will require a few years of schooling, as well as a residency program, which will provide on-the-job training and certification of your skills. However, it’s not enough to simply be qualified. You also have to be hired — to be seen as desirable and valuable by a hospital administrator. The qualities he or she looks for will be the focus of this list.
Personality Traits of a Good Nurse
Compassion
Nurses must be compassionate, and this is the number one quality. You are going to be dealing with a lot of people, most who are in pain, and many who will rely on you for support, both medically and emotionally. A nurse without compassion is of no use to a hospital. Maybe doctors can afford to be emotionally unavailable, but nurses are expected to be empathetic as part of their job description.
Leadership
Contrary to popular belief, nurses are not merely assistants to doctors. They have their own list of duties and are helpers to doctors, patients, and the hospital itself. Nurses perform administrative tasks, organize files and duties, and truly serve as an example to others within the facility. All of this requires strong leadership skills, particularly when it comes to volunteering. Nurses may even help shape future policies for the hospital.
Patience
Yes, patience for patients describes a nurse’s duties extremely well. Along with empathy and compassion, patience is a virtue. Sick people cannot be expected to be polite, to be fast, and be efficient or prepared for all of this unknown territory. Nurses are the example when it comes to patience. They have to comfort patients when they are feeling frustrated, and even in the worst case scenarios, where doctors have to reorder tests or diagnose a serious illness. Nurses often work twelve hour days or more, so patience is definitely something to start working on now.
Confidence
Confidence is something that most patients will run out of; it is up to you to maintain confidence and be sure of everything you say and do. This will also prove helpful when you work with a doctor. Doctors think fast and act fast and cannot work with a nurse who is second-guessing herself. Your lack of confidence, usually because of secondary work, will disrupt the team environment. This is a job requiring extremely good communication, confidence and the ability to follow orders.
Calmness
Lastly, despite these huge obstacles to overcome, you must always remain calm and collected, since this is a high stress environment and frustration and anger is definitely contagious. You’re going to see some disturbing, depressive things, and you will possibly clash with doctors and other nurses. Flying off the handle will serve no purpose. Calmness, though, will mend all injuries and get work done faster.
Show these five traits on your job interview, and you will be hired sooner than later!
