The greatest element that defines nurses is humanity. The ability to empathize and show kindness is only developed when humanity is nurtured. Nurses need to be in touch with their humanity at all times, and that way, be in touch with all their patients. The hospital environment can be hectic sometimes, and patience becomes an impossible task in such situations. Through understanding, an element characterized by humanity, nurses can muster the art of tolerance.
Nurses should also be listeners. Often, when a physical illness hits someone, the patient's mental and emotional well-being is affected as well. Further, the unfamiliar hospital environment may be too much to take for some patients. To hasten their road to recovery, nurses should help alleviate their emotional or mental suffering through warm conversations. By creating a rapport with their patients, nurses make their work easier (Gluck & Charter, 2018). Through the professional relationship the nurses create with their patients, they can offer them medical advice concerning their illnesses to reduce patient-safety incidents. If a patient is aware what their prescription entails, they would be more likely to point out a mix-up before it becomes a crisis.
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Nurses should also be professional. Not all nurses may afford to strike camaraderie with ease due to their difference in temperaments. However, professionalism should not be affected by mood swings or emotional turmoil (Gluck & Charter, 2018). Nurses should learn how separate their personal life from their professional life such that no patient suffers the effects of a personal problem. It is enough that a patient is sick and in pain; they should not have to undergo poor public relations from nurses.
Lastly, the learning process should never end. Any discipline related to the anatomy of the human body is complex in nature. Nurses should not rely on the knowledge gained in medical school to sustain their whole career. They should remind themselves of the major concepts while keeping track of emerging trends in the medical area. It is only through this extensive study that a nurse can provide the best services for their patients.
My first few experiences as a volunteer nurse caused me to see how vulnerable patients are. Patients have to share their most intimate details for efficient treatment. In some situations, they have to strip naked for the medical specialist to examine them. The most embarrassing experience is usually the injection on one's behind. Older patients particularly feel uncomfortable with younger doctors and nurses, and the discomfort extends to the difference in genders. With this realization, I made it my top priority to make the patients feel comfortable.
The strategies to do so included giving them ample personal space to dress and undress and maintaining eye contact whenever possible. I also tried to maintain a light conversation throughout procedures which mainly involved me explaining to the patient in layman's language the process of their treatment. This strategy allowed me to educate patients on how to engage in preventive measures that would reduce their trips to the hospital. It also allowed me to learn from the patient important details concerning their sickness; details that could have been left out in a hurry or out of insecurity.
For the patients who preferred quiet sessions, I respected their wishes. Implementing this strategy required a lot of discernment and reading non-verbal cues. I wanted to understand a patient's needs so that I could provide treatment in the most efficient way. Although most treatment is physical, like the administration of drugs, psychological wellness significantly contributes to an individual's recovery rate. I intended to help my patients recover physically and psychologically. I also wanted to keep the patients loyal to that particular hospital.
Reference
Gluck, M., & Charter, R. (2018). Personal qualities of nurses implying need for continuing
education to increase interpersonal and leadership effectiveness. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing , 11 (4), 29-36.
