What are you really good at?

Nurses New Nurse

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I'll be wrapping up my 10 week hospital orientation in about 3 weeks. I've worked with about 4 different preceptors. Each one of them has commented that my head to toe assessments are amazing. Most people also really like my documentation. I have to admit I'm thorough. I can't think of a time in my nursing career when so many people have raved about any of my skills. Makes me feel good!

This isn't a thread to brag, but tell me what you're really good at. Nothing wrong with patting yourself on the back for a job well done!!

Specializes in geriatrics.

I'm terrible at IV starts. I never have enough practise. However, I do have a good rapport with my elderly, in particular, dementia patients. I'm also great at explaining various procedures in ways that they understand.

I'm good at calming agitated patients (without having to medicate) and at defusing tense conflicts between CNAs before they explode. Those girls are at each others' throats and management has *no* idea how many headaches I've saved them by making the problem disappear before it gets a chance to reach their desk.

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I'm the nurse that every CNA wants to work with. I'm very very easy

going, I stay pretty calm about 95 percent of the time.. I keep a pretty

"oh, that's cool" attitude about everything. This seems to happen

without my even trying. It's good and bad. I have a hard time disciplining

CNA's. Fortunately I currently work with the same 3-4 CNA's all the time

and they are all pretty great.

I'm good at keeping patients calm and at ease, at least in certain

settings. If I were in Med Surge, Peds, or ICU, that probably would

not be the case, as I'm a bundle of nerves in those settings.

As LONG as their anatomy is correct, I can start a Foley on any female

that you give me. =)

Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..

I was told by a moderator during my clinical skills that I performed the most impressive head to toe assessment he had ever seen.:D

I am good at staying calm and thanking my co-workers.

One night in ICU I was the only ICU nurse (due to sick calls), with several vents and only floats, including two LVN's, available. I stayed calm, we all worked together, helped each other, made it through the night just fine.

That morning I put a note by the time time clock (that the whole hospital uses, not just the ICU staff) praising my co-workers for helping me make it through a busy night.

I guess that is why a few weeks later I was asked to take the job as the house administrative supervisor.

I float from unit to unit wing to wing I often get an upset family member/s about something I have no idea about. I think that I'm really good at listening to residents and families concerns and communicating their concerns to the aides and UM and other staff. And I always communicate to the family what I have done about their concern and then next time I work with family I follow up.

I also love to show my aides appreciation. I have on the occassion offered to get them their drink of choice DD or order pizza, bring in goodies, just thanked them for doing VS and reporting them to me, I thank them for having a resident ready for a treatment that needs to be done. I have nominated my C.N.As for caring awards and 2 of them won for giving exceptional care.

And because I float I often get the patients from other units asking me why I'm not working on their floor today...which makes me think I am good at what I do and they trust me.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

IV's I am really good with IV's.

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

I look calm even in a crisis..(if they only knew, lol)

NG's are my speciality.

My charting is thorough.

Service recovery. I can turn around most nay sayers.

Specializes in Home Health, Case Management, OR.

I am good at being organized and managing the administrative portion of my home health duties. Currently I am training our new Director! I have been told by many of my pts that they really like my no bull approach. :-)

Removing slivers and wrapping ankles. Yep, I'm a camp nurse!

I am good at kissing up to people especially the whiner pts the othe staff cant stand (play right into the spliting i guess ) anything to make a shift easier. Good at being misunderstood. I have been told I have great critical thinking skills by other nurses and higher ups.

I have a lot of empathy and compassion for my patients. Even the mean ones that no one else can stand I am able to see as being scared, or hurting, or whatever, and still treat them with kindness and dignity. I especially love the elderly and even when they are climbing out of bed or have dementia and are cussing me for asking them to take their pills I can look at them and see the little girl or young woman that they once were and appreciate the intrinsic value that they possess as a human being created in God's image.

I just wanted to say that I love this post - I think so many people forget that the elderly have been at our stage of life too and are no less human... Not nurses specifically, but as a Floridian I have often encountered people who vilify the elderly as a threat and a nuisance. I don't want to be thought of that way when I'm elderly (if I am given the grace to even live that long)... so thumbs up for your outlook!

RE: this thread in general: I'm a new student so I have no idea what I'm good at yet! I can tell you I'm a sponge and absorb and spit out facts at an alarming rate and have a natural aptitude for critical thinking... I'll get back to you in about two years and let you know if I really was good at these things or just *thought* I was ;)

All the best!

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