What Makes a Good Nurse
What makes a good nurse?
People choose nursing as a career are mostly because of family influence, work opportunities and the need to care and help others (Jirwe & Rudman 2012; McLaughlin et al. 2010; Mooney et al. 2008). Bearing in mind that nursing is influenced by the demand of society and social reforms, providing the definition of nursing is vital in order for nurses, other professionals and service users to know and understand the generic role of a nurse (Hall & Ritchie 2011). The World Health Organization and the Royal College of Nursing mutually define nursing as a profession that involves in health promotion, the application of both clinical experiences and updated knowledge when caring for a patient, as well as, achieving the best possible quality of life until death, in all settings. In addition, nursing should give importance to a service users’ utmost interest without any discrimination whilst in care.
There are several lists of abilities and characteristics mentioned in ‘The code in full’ by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010), which also gives guidance and advice for nurses and midwives professionally and or personally. Even so, caring, empathy, emotional intelligence and critical thinking are attributes that will be discussed further.
First and foremost, nursing is mainly associated with the caring characteristics or even synonymous with it. First year nursing students who does not have any experience in a health care setting are likely to value caring behaviours as a must in the nursing profession. Their view on caring behaviours will depend on their interpretation of the description society, their family and friends convey (Robinson & Bennett 2007).However, through exposure to several practice placement settings students’ will become aware that caring is impinged by a lot of factors which includes occupational socialization (Price 2009), political changes (BBC News Politics 2011) and economic issues (Shaw et al. 2009), therefore it is
People choose nursing as a career are mostly because of family influence, work opportunities and the need to care and help others (Jirwe & Rudman 2012; McLaughlin et al. 2010; Mooney et al. 2008). Bearing in mind that nursing is influenced by the demand of society and social reforms, providing the definition of nursing is vital in order for nurses, other professionals and service users to know and understand the generic role of a nurse (Hall & Ritchie 2011). The World Health Organization and the Royal College of Nursing mutually define nursing as a profession that involves in health promotion, the application of both clinical experiences and updated knowledge when caring for a patient, as well as, achieving the best possible quality of life until death, in all settings. In addition, nursing should give importance to a service users’ utmost interest without any discrimination whilst in care.
There are several lists of abilities and characteristics mentioned in ‘The code in full’ by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2010), which also gives guidance and advice for nurses and midwives professionally and or personally. Even so, caring, empathy, emotional intelligence and critical thinking are attributes that will be discussed further.
First and foremost, nursing is mainly associated with the caring characteristics or even synonymous with it. First year nursing students who does not have any experience in a health care setting are likely to value caring behaviours as a must in the nursing profession. Their view on caring behaviours will depend on their interpretation of the description society, their family and friends convey (Robinson & Bennett 2007).However, through exposure to several practice placement settings students’ will become aware that caring is impinged by a lot of factors which includes occupational socialization (Price 2009), political changes (BBC News Politics 2011) and economic issues (Shaw et al. 2009), therefore it is