Nurses skills and qualities - Why they are the most trusted profession

Nurse in scrubs with angel wings Nursenav.com.au Health system navigation why trust nurses? What makes nurses so great?  Why won't my health team listen to me? Who can help me with my health concern? Registered Nurses Nurses skills and qualities what makes a good nurse what a good nurse looks like, why nurses are the most trusted in the world, international nurses day Nurses are one of the most trusted professions around the world. Topping the US Professions (Gallop poll) for a straight 19 years in a row, AND in Australia again this year (2021).  Most journalistic articles discuss integrity and ethics however it's more than that.

Is this because they always put the patient first and advocate on their behalf, or that they look after the person holistically, honestly, with compassion and care no matter how they are feeling or what day they have had?

With over 20 years in the industry I have seen a side to nurses that you don't see.  They put everything going on in their personal lives aside when they walk in that door; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - that's right, nightshifts and afternoon shifts, weekends, all antisocial hours, sacrificing normal sleep, family time, partner time and not to mention the missing brain cells that are gone and lost forever after working nightshifts. I have seen times where they have been on their feet for 8 hours without a break and haven't peed the entire shift, finish up with one of the most distressing, emotionally draining shift and agree to put in another couple of hours for their colleagues to catch up on the back log, because that's what you do.  These times used to be rare but are getting more and more common as the health system strives to keep up with demand. 

Nurses are at the coal face with you in almost all interactions within the health system.  They are the ones that assess you, observe you, plan your care, escalate concerns, educate and explain what is going on, advocate on your behalf, notice what is happening with your family and friends, identify and take care of your physical, mental, emotional, psycho-social and spiritual needs.  

Nurses will Nurse-splain...starting with recognising your misunderstanding, identify gaps in your knowledge and will gain an understand as to why you might behave the way you do. They are constantly taking in data then customising a message in the form of a style of communication to produce information that might make a difference for you in a way that you understand.  This data might be in the form of body language, eye contact, appearance, demeanor, way you walk, conversation, what is said, and what is not said, how you answer and don't answer questions, so many ways we gather information... 

Within the Health industry, nurse drive service design and delivery of patient centred care and support innovation and new models of care. 

On a larger scale, nurses advocate for populations and are well placed because who seeks healthcare and how it is delivered is a marker of how healthy our communities are.  Nurses will notice environmental issues, public health issues, and are there when disaster strikes; COVID, natural disasters and relief support. 

Here are a few Nurses Skills listed below 

  • Great Communicators
  • Supporting minorities
  • Drive change within health 
  • Great listeners
  • Compassionate
  • Adaptable
  • Stamina
  • Emotional stability 
  • Versatility 
  • Flexibility 
  • Discretion 
  • Open mindedness
  • Ethical
  • Reliable 
  • Trusted
  • Attitude - 
  • Confidence
  • Teamwork 
  • Networking 
  • Critical thinking
  • Creative problem solving
  • Professionalism
  • Empathy 
  • Conflict resolution 
  • Prioritising 
  • Time management - time benders
  • Intuitive
  • Read the room
  • Know when you speak up
  • Advocacy 
  • Holistic
  • Efficient 
  • Kind
  • Initiative
  • Strong work ethic

 Blue card saying THANK YOU NURSES with red hearts Nursenav.com.au Registered Nurses Nurses skills and qualities what makes a good nurse what a good nurse looks like, why nurses are the most trusted in the world, international nurses day