Besides tired and overworked—that’s a joke—the successful nurse looks something like this:
1. They listen during report. Don’t you hate giving report to someone and, instead of shaking their head and looking where you’re pointing, they’re at the bedside detangling IV tubing or pouring their first cup of coffee for the shift.
Ugh! When it comes to report, it’s important to listen, nod, repeat.
2. They show initiative. You don’t have to come early and stay late every single day (or night), but if housekeeping doesn’t show up and the garbage is overflowing or a co-worker gets hung up at home with a sick kid and is late, then stepping in and picking up the slack is called teamwork, not exploitation.
Be willing to help without complaint. You may need a helping hand someday too.
3. They’re meticulous. When I worked nights, I used to follow a nurse on day shift who was an utter slob. I’d show up at 6pm to get report and her room was a disaster. Only 50% of her dirty gloves hit the garbage can and 25% of the dirty linen was in the hamper.
BUT her patient was always perfectly cared for. She knew every drip that was running, every lab drawn in the last 24 hours, and the name and emotional state of every family member.
I personally believe that neatness and orderliness are crucial life skills that help the nurse maintain all areas of life, but I suppose this day shift RN could challenge me on that point.
When it comes to patient care, be meticulous.
4. Their word is their bond. The person who does what they say they’re going to do is more rare than a rainbow. A successful nurse will learn to be careful about commitments and following up.
Being the person who consistently does what they say they will do will make you stand out throughout your nursing career.
5. They never stop learning. Believe it or not, even that 60-year-old nurse who’s been on your unit for the last 70 years, doesn’t know everything. None of us do.
But the nurse who knows what she/he doesn’t know is a rare find indeed. Healthcare and nursing are changing faster than three licks of a tootsie-pop (you have to be over that age of 40 to get that one.)
There is always something to learn about nursing. Even if you never return to school (which is okay!), never stop reading nursing journals or going to conferences. Stay fresh.
Be the nurse who says, “I don’t know, but I can find out.”
6. They acknowledge the virtues in others. Nursing has the potential to make you harsh and cynical. A great way to avoid letting the negativity seep to your core is to build up those around you. You may feel like family with your fellow employees, but remember, you’re being evaluated on how you treat and speak of others, especially when they’re not present.
Be the person who refuses to criticize or gossip.
7. They learn from their mistakes. I know they didn’t tell you this in nursing school, but you will mess up. And that’s okay! As long as you fess up and learn something that is.
When I was in the Peds ICU, I admitted a teenage girl in the middle of the night whose condition was unstable. It took hours to get things sorted. When things settled, the doc was looking things over in the room and questioned whether he had ordered the IV solution that was hanging.
I had written everything down in the chaos and was certain I had hung the right solution; I was adamant about it but I couldn’t find my paper. An hour later I found the paper. He was right, I was wrong. I didn’t hesitate. I showed him the paper confirming what he had ordered.
The patient was fine but I learned a couple things. Always double check! And always, always be honest, regardless of the consequences . . . people’s lives depend on it.
I tell my daughters:
it’s not a mistake if you learn something from it . . .
it’s a life lesson.
8. They ALWAYS tell the patient what’s happening. When I worked in the CVICU and Peds CVICU, I took care of patients who were intubated and medically sedated. But sedated doesn’t mean deaf.
For me, it didn’t matter how much medication they were on, when it was time to provide care, I always spoke to them first.
Just a simple:
“I’m Julie. I’m your nurse and you’re in the ICU. You have a breathing tube that’s helping you breathe and you’re on a lot of medications, but you’re safe and I’m taking great care of you.”
We remember to tell families that the patient’s hearing is intact, but sometimes we forget. Never stick a patient with a needle, turn them, or suction them without first telling them who you are and what you’re doing.
They can hear you. They can feel you.
Being a successful nurse isn’t about getting straight A’s in school, it’s about who you are at the very core of your being.
Cheers!
