For Experienced Nurses.....?

[NatashaFromOregon]

I am a pre-nursing student hoping to enter an ADN program in the Fall of 2009. I was wondering if anyone, especially experienced RNs, would like to give me their opinion of what personal attributes of characteristics have helped you most on the job. In other words, what do you think is essential to becomming a successful nurse?

The ability to be flexible? To be compassionate? To be efficient?

Was there anything specific in your nursing education (besides, obviously, learning the clinical aspect) that has been invaluable to you in developing your career?

[humglum, BSN, RN]

I've been an RN for 5 years and have worked in a variety of different settings and I think the most important characteristics for a nurse to have are flexibility and organization/time management.

Flexibility because medicine and nursing is always changing, your patients' health status is always changing and you need to be able to adapt. This is particularly important in the hospital environment where you may be expecting a post-op who is delayed for some reason and you get an ER admission instead; you thought you were treating a patient with X disease process and it turns out it is actually Y, and so on and so forth.

Time management and organizational skills are important for obvious reasons -- you generally have an infinite number of tasks to do (see flexibility, above) and a finite amount of time to do it in. You'll see it in your clinicals -- the disorganized nurses are the ones chasing their tails, running around in circles, saying over and over again how much they have to do and never actually doing any of it. It helps to develop a system so you won't miss things or not notice them until it's too late, to have a routine, to prioritize.

Having said THAT, please know that it is sometimes impossible to do everything you need to do and wrap your patient up in a shiny bow to pass along to the next shift. Nursing is a 24 hour job and you shouldn't feel bad about passing along things that need to be completed or followed up on by the next shift.

The thing that has saved me the most is: firm, fair, and consistent. Be that way with everyone -- patients, colleagues, physicians, subordinates. I have far less problems with this approach than my milder counterparts.

Good luck!

[casi, ASN, RN]

I'm not exactly experienced, I'm just a first semester student. The thing I've found to be the most helpful is time management. You have a tentative schedule that you plan on sticking too, but at the same time you can make a 180degree turn when necissary.

I've also found that my love of chaos does me a lot of good.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Learn how to think things through before you say or do anything. While spontaneous reaction is often necessary it's usually better to have a plan.

[sample24]

I have to agree with the pp's, time management is key. Also, the ability to prioritize well.

[blueheaven]

COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:chuckle

[NatashaFromOregon]

Learn how to think things through before you say or do anything. While spontaneous reaction is often necessary it's usually better to have a plan.

I really like this bit of advice! (It's true in life as i nursing,I'm sure... :wink2:)

Thank you all for your input!