What makes a good nurse?

Question

I'm a student nurse just entering my 3rd and final year which is very exciting and scary. Many opinions are given by medical/health-care professionals about what makes a good nurse.

I would like to know the opinions of people that are not in the medical/health-care profession.

So peeps! What really makes a good nurse??

Answer 1

Hi, I finished my Bsc Nursing almost 2 years ago, a good Nurse is someone who is caring, compassionate, trust worthy, able to work as part of a team, has good organisational skills, keen to learn new skills with an explicit aim to promote health and well-being. One has to have good people skills and be very patient with good bedside manners!! But the main thing is, always being keen to learn, because in Medicine and Nursing, it is a life time of learning and the mistake many Nurses make is thinking, OK great, I've done my degree that's it. That attitude will not work. One also has to be in keeping with the more contemporary and holistic approach to Nursing/medicine we have moved towards this century. Oh one more thing, NEVER losing sight of the importance of basic Nursing care. So many Nurses I work with think emptying a bed pan is beneath them, or washing a patient is below them. So many Nurses are just concerned with the fancy stuff and not the basic things which are the most important.  Also being able to spell, write, record information, and do simple calculations is a plus! I'm going to get shot for saying this, but there is a real issue within the NHS with regards to Nurses lacking basic numeracy skills. And not just younger newly qualified  Nurses like us, older Nurses, my mentor has been a Cardiology Nurse for 20 years and couldn't read an ECG's properly, missing vital points, ok I'm ranting again!

Sorry I just realised you wanted answers from non health care workers! sorry

Good luck on your career, a great career choice..

Answer 2

patience, a bit if chat, smiley face and lots of understanding!!

good luck with your career!

Answer 3

having knowledge is fab,but more is needed ,the old bedside manner/empathy/understanding/and compassion all rate highly with me

Answer 4

I believe nurses either have too much paperwork to fill in ( minority are just lazy) but the few good ones I've met had some interactions with people especially  those that are bed ridden & not able to talk to m any people.I believe if a nurse takes a patients hand & says don't worry thing will turn out,or even IF they spend 5 mins being interested in the patient,unlike some that pick & choose who they do or don't like so will not to much for that person.Too many nursing staff now are in a hurry to get out of the ward, maybe their meal time, or paperwork.Even a friendly word for the ward before leaving for home.BUT on the whole NOT many chat to patients now,not even to ask how they are.lol.I believe a nurses job should be a vocation,not just a job,then they don't care as long as they get paid.