What are some personality traits needed to be a great nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm not a nurse yet but based on what I've been told I would say one would have to have pretty tough skin. My mom's been a nurse since I was born and she's the toughest person I know.

Specializes in ER.

Boundaries are huge. Everyone wants to pass off their work and problems to nursing. W are the jacks of all trades. Some nurses have the care taking/codependent gene, and let that happen. Think about the issue, is it your problem? For example, if the pharmacy can't read the doc's orders, why are they leaving it with us to get clarification?

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Specializes in ER.

If you watch 1000 Ways to Die, on Spike, and start giggling, and telling the stories to your friends- you are a nurse.

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Specializes in LTC.

A desire to continue learning!

The knowledge that you don't know everything nursing related.

There is nothing scarier than a nurse who knows everything. Especially when that nurse is a new grad.

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Specializes in emergency, psy, case management.

take martial arts.

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Specializes in Ambulatory care.

Strong work ethic - always do your best even when no one is watching, quality of work will speak for itself.

Learning - keep learning, must stayon top of trends, computers, knowledge is power

perseverance - keep workikng on job until its done, willing to say and do whatever it takes to accomplish task. Be it pt care, advocacy, learning, questioning order

Customer Service - always answer the question spoken or not. "How can i help you."

Smile & Thank you- when in doubt smile surely they can't keep yelling at you if you smile and say thank you.

I guess these are general traits to be sucessful in any field. but yep that summarizes me.

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A nurse, especially a new one will have to find a way to deal with feelings of insecurity. If you use those insecure feelings to improve your performance, get inspired by the "star players" and learn from them you will be miles ahead of the nurses who handle the feeling of insecurity badly.

You know them. They attack and criticize the star players to make themselves feel better, arrogance blocks the ability to learn.

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When you read all the posts about nursing "eating their young" (no more cliches!!!) remember all the people who took the time to impart the incredible wisdom in these posts. !

Can I have an AMEN from the Crusty Old Bats here? Bless you, honey.

:tku:

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