So you’re planning to go to medical school and learn how to be a professional nurse?
Going Pro
You’ve watched Scrubs, you’ve seen a bit of ER, and now you’re ready to jump in and give it a go for yourself?
Hold your horses; there are a few things you’ll need to consider before you take the leap from student to full-time nurse.
When you’re a new nurse, the most important thing is that you have enough time to practice and that you’ve given proper care to the reasons you became a nurse in the first place. Nursing is hard; you’ll need all the passion for it that you can muster!
A Good Education
You’ll need to get yourself a degree first of all, and this will be no easy feat!
There are many prerequisites, including math, science, and English classes that you’ll need to take to get you where you want to go. You may even have already taken some classes before deciding that nursing is the right career for you.
If you’ve got a few college classes under your belt when you decide to change paths from student to nurse, there’s a chance you could be accepted onto one of the many accelerated BSN programs available for busy young professionals. This can get you to your nursing career a lot faster, but it’s going to depend on the requirements of the program and your current education level.
Clean and Presentable Scrubs or Uniform
You’re going to need a uniform, and to make sure you get yourself a good one, look for brands that are known for their quality workmanship and overall durability.
As with any profession, you want to look your best whenever you go into work or any situation where the public is likely to see you.
You’ll also want to invest in a good scrub set, which is the uniform for any type of healthcare setting. The scrub set will cover all your clothing needs.
If you haven’t purchased your uniform yet, and know that you’ll need something soon to be able to start your career in nursing, ask around your fellow students or your nursing school to find the best places to look.
A Good Attitude
A good attitude towards your work, your patients, and other healthcare workers is very important.
You must be open to learning. You will always need to remember that no matter how experienced you become as a nurse, you can always learn new things. Nurses with a great attitude are also more successful in their careers than those who do not have one.
A Great Memory
Nursing school is going to teach you a lot about being a good nurse, and if you can remember all the information and tips the teachers give you, you’ll be able to make use of it later on in your career.
Your memory will be tested in class and while taking exams, but more importantly, you’ll need to remember things about your patients that they tell you. You must remember their medical history, their occupation, and any other relevant information that can help keep them healthy.
Proper Sanitary Care and Techniques
There are a lot of ways to be the best nurse you can, and by ensuring that you follow proper hygiene and sanitary techniques, you’ll be on your way to being a reputable one. You may think this is basic knowledge for someone in the healthcare field, but there are still nurses out there who don’t practice proper sanitary techniques.
You’ll need access to hand sanitizers and tissues whenever you’re working with or around patients. You’ll also want to make sure that all you know about proper hygiene as well. This is not optional in healthcare, and it’s a good way to promote a healthy environment for everyone.
Good Hygiene
While we’re on the subject, it’s best to also keep your own personal hygiene up. You’ll want to make sure that you wash your hands with soap and water often, not only when you come in contact with patients or other people.
You never know when a patient you are caring for could have an infectious disease or disease that is spread easily through being around others. This means wearing clean clothes and keeping up with any other requirements of the hospital where you’ll be working.
Communication Skills
You’ll need to make sure that you have good people skills, and the most important is the ability to communicate effectively to all of your patients. You’ll also need these skills when working with other nurses in the hospital to know that proper communication about patients can happen.
If you’re not a highly social person, it may be hard for you to adopt these skills overnight. You can practice them by taking advantage of every opportunity that comes your way, such as going out with friends or joining clubs at school.
The more people you communicate with, the better it will be for you as a nurse.
Comfortable Shoes
There’s nothing worse than getting a blister on your heels or hurting your feet while you’re walking around the hospital. You’ll want to make sure that you have comfortable shoes for work and that they fit well on your feet.
You don’t want to end up with any kind of foot problems as a nurse, so be sure to get shoes that fit well and are in good condition. You should also check out the ones at the hospital store before buying them yourself.
While a good pair of dress shoes may not help you deal with possible blisters, they can still be good when it comes to comfort and fit. Look for something that is made out of leather because it will be better for your feet than anything else.
Lots of Pens
You’ll need pens to take notes about your patients, the treatments they will receive, and any other important information you find about them.
You may want to get a set that has high-quality materials in it, such as one made out of metal instead of a plastic pen. You can also ask your teachers for recommendations on pens that are great for keeping track of everything.
