Nurses are an integral component of the healthcare sector. Without their support, doctors and other healthcare workers find themselves unable to perform their duties efficiently. Nurses are the superheroes of real-life who do not fly in the air, neither do they possess supernatural powers. Yet, they play an active part in enhancing humanity. The outbreak of COVID-19 has put nurses at the forefront. They did not show any hesitancy in putting in extra hours and worked tirelessly to serve the community.
Nursing has become a vast field, and today several subfields come under its umbrella. Due to technological advancements, the world’s functioning has transformed on a massive scale, and nursing is no exception. Modern-day nursing practices are primarily dependent on technical devices and new research findings. Still, the primary motive behind the whole nursing field is the same, which is to provide patients with the best possible care and help them recover quickly.
Nurse Practitioners, NP are a crucial aspect of the nursing field. They possess an advanced degree in nursing and have multiple responsibilities. NPS career is dynamic, and they work in a variety of settings. An NP can further pursue a specialization in a preferred area and serve as a specific nurse practitioner, such as family, pediatric, or mental health nurse practitioner. Success does not come easily to people as it requires them to work hard with consistency and determination. Regardless of what field you are serving in, you need to possess some extraordinary abilities and command on your specific subject to become a pioneer in that field. NP’s need to demonstrate their absolute best and work hard to excel in their field. The following are some skills which nurse practitioners need to possess to become successful in their career:
- Willingness to Improve
NPs who have an open mind and look for opportunities to improve their functioning achieve success. They understand that nothing is perfect in this world, and there is always room for improvement. Moreover, discoveries and new technical tools keep on emerging, which bring ease to nurse practitioners’ lives and can enhance their practices. Instead of sticking to the same old techniques, Nurse practitioners who demonstrate a willingness to learn and adopt new ways of providing care to patients flourish in their profession. NP’s get several opportunities as numerous prestigious institutes offer advanced certification programs which help them gain the latest knowledge. They can register themselves in CCNE accredited online MSN programs as e-education offers flexibility. Nurse practitioners can set their schedules as per their preferences. Getting an advanced certification gives them an enriching experience and adds weightage to the resume.
- Leadership Skills
NPS often find themselves in leading positions, and they have to influence junior nurses to work for the shared goal. They need to have leadership skills to persuade their team members and make them work with enthusiasm. Nurse practitioners should have confidence in themselves and should speak persuasively to inspire others. They may have to make crucial decisions on behalf of their team and should possess quick decision-making skills. A strong presence of mind helps them look at their options and predict the impact of their decisions and decide for their team’s betterment. NP’s should have a keen eye and insight into team members’ abilities to delegate tasks as per the competence of their group members.
- Observational Skills
Keen observance helps people noticing minute things and pinpointing the areas that may lead to any problem. Nurse practitioners should understand nothing in their profession is insignificant, and they need to pay attention to detail. To succeed in their careers, NPs need to develop observational skills not to miss anything. They should have a healthy mind that helps them scrutinize situation in one glance and enable them to spot everything. Being keen observers as nurse practitioners helps them detect gaps instantly, and they can work to fill them up.
- Logical Reasoning
They should understand that no two patients are ever the same. Every patient needs to have a separate assessment and dealing. A successful NP goes through every patient’s condition thoroughly and decides the treatment mode after analyzing the case from every angle. Nurse practitioners need to possess critical thinking skills and look for the answers to all questions before taking action. Nurse practitioners should realize that their reasoning may have worked 99 out of 100 times. They should be ready for the time when their strategy fails to bring expected results.
- Adaptability
Irrespective of what profession you are serving, adaptability and flexibility can help you grow as a professional. Adaptability is especially significant for NPs. It allows them to adjust to any environment and give their absolute best to their jobs. Nurse practitioners deal with people from all walks of life, and they need to alter their techniques as per the patients. Furthermore, their work schedules change very often. Their ability to adapt to the changes helps them excel as a Nurse Practitioner.
- Patience
They handle different kinds of patients, and some can be tough nut to crack. They may give NPs a hard time and test their patience. NPs need to exercise patience and deal with them firmly. Kindness is the virtue of nursing, and nurse practitioners exercise patience while dealing with difficult patients. Their quality of demonstrating tolerance takes them to a higher level of their career.
- Effective Communication
Nurse practitioners communicate with various people in their daily lives and narrate all kinds of messages from one place to another. They need to have excellent communication skills, to relate the complete message. Nurse practitioners often have to give unpleasant news to patients or their families. They should have the ability to choose words and tone wisely. On the other hand, they connect doctors, patients, and other healthcare workers. Their communication skills assist them in relating patients’ conditions in their entirety. Practical communication skills help them thrive in their profession.
Conclusion
Nursing is a physically demanding and mentally draining career, yet it is rewarding at the same time. Nurse practitioners show compassion and empathy and leave a positive impact on patients. Nurses feel a sense of satisfaction that they make a positive difference in people’s lives and play their part in helping them get back on their feet. They assist in providing patients better care, diagnostics, and treatments of illnesses and disease prevention. They work hard and put in earnest efforts to cater to patients’ needs. Nurse Practitioners’ job is not easy, and they need to possess a vital skill set to thrive in their career.
