One of the most respected jobs there is being a nurse. Being in the medical field is undoubtedly an arduous task. You have to shoulder great and heavy responsibilities. Your work schedule is busy enough that you will barely get some sleep. We definitely commend these surgeons and doctors. But the most overlooked among them are the nurses. Their work may seem lesser than that of doctors, but their job contributes greatly to how the hospital functions. They are the foundation of the system. They have the most hands-on responsibilities compared to the others. The person that patients go to when they have questions and concerns are the nurses. Being a nurse is a difficult job. Handling and meeting hundreds of different people per shift requires incredible personal skills. On top of that, you must also have a lot of technical skills. Here are some skills a good nurse should possess to get a glimpse of the nurse’s responsibilities.

Hard skills a nurse should possess:

Basic Life Support

Even during the med school days, BSL or Basic Life Support is one of the most important and (from its name) basic types of care you should have if you are in the medical field. Having this skill shows that you know and can use different life-saving responses. In addition, you must know how to perform CPR and use other life support equipment like the defibrillator.

Intravenous therapy

One of the most common things you see a nurse performs is inserting an IV into the patient. Being good at Intravenous therapy is important since this is one of the most used and versatile kinds of treatment. IV therapy is one of the most efficient ways to put medications into the bloodstream. This will help treat health conditions and dehydration.

Ventilator care

Ventilators are one of the machines used to give respiratory support. This machine is often used in the intensive care unit. Unfortunately, ventilators have instances wherein they malfunction, or issues arise, so as a nurse, you must know how to take care of this to prevent your patient from getting further damage.

Applied Patient Care Skills

Since the nurse is the person who has the most interactions with the patients, it is expected that a nurse must be able to provide patient care. In addition, nursing is about compassion, caring, and efficiency.  Having these skills means you can perform hand on pharmacy practice, empathize with your patient, communicate well and be a critical thinker.

Pain management

Being in the hospital means that you are dealing with patients. They are suffering in many ways; it is part of your job to show empathy. One of the ways you can empathize with your patient is by showing that you care for their well-being and want to help relieve pain. A nurse should be able to guide them in understanding their perception of control over pain. 

Soft skills a nurse should possess

• Time management
• Empathy
• Communication skills
• Compassion
• Critical thinking
• Teamwork
• Patience
• Honesty
• Dedication
• Excellent work ethic
• Problem-solving 
• Respectful
• Professionalism 

Being a nurse isn’t just about putting an iV drip or controlling machines. A nurse should be able to communicate and interact well with the patients. To do that effectively, one must possess the different soft skills mentioned. Of course, you will be given credit for your accomplishments and excellence in the technical field. But, no matter how outstanding your credentials are, it would be useless if your nursing resume would not catch the hiring manager’s attention, so make sure that it is well written and unique. 

RN Resume: Nursing Skills to Boost Your CV – Nightingale College