7 Nurse Interview Questions and Answers

Apr 18, 2018

7 Nurse Interview Questions and Answers

Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Nurse interview questions and answers.

 


 

1. Why did you decide to become a nurse?

This question is an attempt to get to know the candidate better as an individual. Everyone has a reason for going into their chosen profession and this should this should be viewed as an opportunity to explain what one’s motivations are and why they chose to nurse. It would be a good idea to provide a personal example if applicable, but the answer should be honest and sincere.

A good example of an answer would be “I decided to become a nurse because I genuinely love working with people and caring for others. When I was a child, I had an appendectomy and was really apprehensive about it. The doctors were great, but only spent a limited amount of time with me. It was the nurses who spent time, answered questions, and helped put me and my family at ease. They were fantastic during my recovery and that has always stuck with me. That is a big reason I decided to become a nurse.”

 

2.Give us an example of a situation where you had to deal with a difficult and demanding patient and what you did.

Nursing is a field in which you work with many different people during difficult and stressful times. There will always be difficult patients and this question seeks to gauge one’s reaction to a common issue.

“I remember one particular patient who was in a lot of pain and did not want to be touched, was verbally abusive and constantly complaining about their pain. I reviewed his chart and spoke with the attending physician to ensure that we were doing everything we could to manage his pain. After doing so, I let him know that we were doing everything possible to make him comfortable. While what I could do for him was limited, I made sure that he felt listened to and that we weren’t dismissive.”

 

3. Why do you want to work at this hospital, office, etc.?

This is a question to determine what the candidate knows about the facility and if they did their homework. Before interviewing, it is important to research the office, hospital, or facility beforehand and to be able to ask or answer related questions. If a job applicant does not know anything about the office, hospital, or practice it shows a basic lack of preparation and casts serious doubt on whether or not they actually want to work there.

“I would like to work at this hospital because of its excellent reputation for emergency medicine. I started as an EMT and had the opportunity to transport patients to various emergency rooms throughout the city and I was always impressed at the thoroughness, professionalism, and skill of the doctors and nurses that I encountered here. I know that this particular facility gets a good number of advanced trauma patients and I am looking forward to applying what I have already learned while still having the opportunity to learn from a seasoned and professional staff.”
 

4. Why did you choose the particular field of nursing that you are in?

This question is another way to get to know the candidate. Different specialties require different personality types and each has their own unique challenges. The best answer to give is one that provides some insight as to what drives the decision-making process.

“I have always loved aviation and was naturally drawn to emergency medicine. I spent time in the Army as a combat medic and as such spent a lot of time around helicopters both for transportation and for medical evacuations. After I left the Army, I knew that a flight nurse was the best way to build upon my previous interests and experiences in the civilian world.”
 

5. What kinds of personality traits are most effective for nurses to have?

This question is great for gauging a candidate's understanding of the complexity and human side of nursing. Nurses require a number of skills, especially interpersonal skills in order to successfully work with doctors, patients, family members, and other staff.

“In my opinion, the personality traits that make nurses most effective are patience, compassion, and attention to detail.”

6. What are the biggest challenges or issues that nurses face today?

This is a great way to gauge whether a candidate is staying up to date on trends and news in the industry.

“In my opinion, the biggest challenges and issues facing nurses today are mandatory overtime, safe staffing levels, and workplace safety. The current nursing shortage has led to potentially dangerous practices like mandatory overtime and unsafe staffing levels. This increases the stress on nurses, decreases the quality of patient care, and increases the likelihood of medical errors. ”

7.  Why Do you feel you are qualified for the job?

This is an opportunity for the candidates to sell themselves and talk about past education and experiences.

“I feel that I am qualified for the job because I have my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), I am a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA), and have 6 years of practical experience as a nurse anesthetist. I also stay on top of industry news, studies, and attend seminars or symposiums at least twice a year. I genuinely enjoy what I do and put in extra effort to be the best that I possibly can.”

Other Articles

1. Specialization tasks 2. Pathway 3. Common job scopes 4. Common terms 5. Career opportunities Cardiology Cardiology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart as well as parts of the circulatory system the field includes medical diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart defects , coronary artery disease , heart failure , valvular heart disease and electrophysiology . Physicians who specialize in cardiac surgery are called cardiothoracic surgeons or cardiac surgeons. The supporting role of the surgeons and physicians are cardiology nurses . Although the cardiovascular system is inextricably linked to blood, cardiology is relatively unconcerned with hematology and its diseases. Some obvious exceptions that affect the function of the heart would be blood tests, decreased oxygen carrying capacity, and coagulopathies . source: Resus.me Specialization Tasks All cardiologists study the disorders of the heart and all cardiology nurses are trained to take care of either adult or children conditions. This is due to differing aspects of training for adult and paediatric physiology. Surgical aspects are not included in cardiology and are in the domain of cardiothoracic surgery. For example, coronary artery bypass surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass are both surgical procedures performed by surgeons, and not cardiologists. As a nurse, your task will be that of assisting the cardiologists in this matter. A properly-trained cardiology nurse would have the necessary critical thinking in order to draw conclusions to make meaningful impact of treatment. Common tasks in the wards that you might have to do include the insertion of stents, pacemakers, and valves. Pathway source: verywell Cardiology is a specialty of internal medicine. To be a cardiology nurse, a three-year work experience followed by a post-basic or relevant course is required. It is possible to sub-specialize in Malaysia. Recognized sub-specialties in cardiology for Malaysia are cardiac electrophysiology , echocardiography, interventional cardiology, and nuclear cardiology . Currently there is insufficient data for Malaysia, for salary, but it is guaranteed to be higher or on par with other similar nursing specialists. Common job scopes Cardiology is a vast field. Not only does it involve the heart and its systems, it also involves supporting systems such as haematology and its diseases. It is important to know and train for this when pursuing this specialization. Cardiac electrophysiology An example of echocardiography This is the science of elucidating, diagnosing, and treating the electrical activities of the heart. The term is usually used to desccribe studies of such phenomena by invasive catheter recording of spontaneous activity as well as of cardiac responses to programmed electrical stimulations. These studies are performed to assess complex arrythmias, relieve symptoms, evauate abnormal ECGs, assess risk of developing arrhythmias in the future, and to design treatment. Cardiac examination The cardiology nurse is able to carry out cardiac examinations of patients. It is performed as part of a physical examination, or when a patient presents with chest pain suggestive of a cardiovascular pathology. It would typically be modified depending on the indication and integrated with other examinations especially the respiratory examination. Like all medical examinations, the cardiac examination follows the standard structure of inspection, palpation, and auscultation. Paediatric cardiology source Paediatric cardiology is a specialty of paediatrics. To be a paediatric cardiology nurse, one must complete at least three years of registered working experience and pass all the required courses. Adult cardiology certifications are not valid due to differences in physiology in children. Common complications that you will see as a nurse practicing paediatric cardiology are paediatric hypertension , paediatric hyperlipidemia , heart palpitations and arryhthmias. Diagnostic tests Diagnostic tests in cardiology are the methods of identifying heart conditions associated with healthy vs. unhealthy pathology heart function. It is commonly started by obtaining a medical history, followed by auscultation. Blood tests soon precede after, and imaging can be done on a need-to-do basis. Common terms 1. Tetralogy of Fallot It is the most common congenital ehart disease arising in 1-3 cases per 1000 births. The cause of this defect is a ventricular septal defect and an overriding aorta. These two defects combined causes deoxygenated blood to bypass the lungs and going right back into the circulatory system. The modified Blalock-Taussig is used as a treatment for this condition. 2. Pulmonary atresia This happens in 7-8 births per 100,000 and is characterized by the aorta brancing out of the right ventricle. It causes deoxygenated blood to bypass the lungs and enter the circulatory system. Fixing it can by done by a team of cardiologists and nurses by redirecting the aorta and fixing the right ventricle-pulmonary artery connection in surgeries. 3. Double Outlet Right Ventricle Double outlet right ventricle is when both great arteries, the pulmonary artery and the aorta, are connected to the right ventricle. There is usually a ventricle in different particular places depending on the variations of DORV, typically 50% are subaortic. A VSD closure is the most common form of treatment for this condition. Career opportunities Search for high-paying cardiology nursing jobs on MIMS Career . Browse, save, and apply for nursing jobs, all in one-click. Take the opportunity for higher pay and better work locations. Our pages are all mobile-responsive, allowing you to take that leap for a better job whenever, wherever you are. All our job postings are heavily screened to prevent scams and mistrustful behavior . Our Most Popular Articles Think About These 5 Things Before You Decide On A Specialization 5 Things Nurses Need To Know To Be Paid More 10 Ways Malaysian Nurses Can Increase Their Income

A Career in Cardiology

1. Specialization tasks 2. Pathway 3. Common job scopes 4. Common terms 5. Career opportunities Cardiology Cardiology is a branch of medicine dealing with disorders of the heart as well as parts of the circulatory...

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See if the offer is too good to be true There is a fee to be paid to "process" your employment You get the job right away Unprofessional job interviews Job scams In 2013, a South African registered nurse was approached by a man outside the hospital she worked in. The 25-year old man was a recruitment agent for the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health . He offered her a job at another institution, for better pay and work hours. The nurse saw this as a great opportunity. She accepted it, and he produced a contract and offered her the job. Then he requested USD220 in cash for the job. Thankfully, the nurse grew suspicious, and realized she was being scammed. She immediately alerted hospital staff who arrested the man. Grey's Hospital, where the incident happened. That could have ended a lot worse. Luckily in that nurse's case, she was able to spot the scam job offer. It is hoped that this post can help you to spot these harmful acts and avoid costing you your precious time, money, and dignity. Scammers know that finding a job can be tough, and they trick people by advertising where real employers do. Scams are endlessly creative! This list might not encompass all of them, but it will help you in detecting these harmful job scams. 1. See If The Offer Is Too Good To Be True If it seems like you’ve landed yourself the best offer in the world, DON’T . The hiring managers will say something to you like: You can earn as much as you want, there is no upper limit on your salary. You decide what you earn. You can earn USD5,000 in one week by working at home! Run away as fast as you can. These scams like to prey on those desperate for a new job. They take advantage of your desperation by having you excited of their offer. Once they’ve gotten you on their hook, those “employers” can start to demand money, information, and time, just to get your application moving. Watch out for: Really high pay with low amount of working hours Ability to work anywhere, anytime Really shady phrases, like “ Drive the sports car you’ve ever wanted after only a few months’ work! ” or " Earn USD3000 by only working FOUR HOURS a week! " The person contacting you is the President or CEO or other executive level staff. Most of the time, the highest-ranking person contacting you for a job offer is some type of manager or human resources employee. 2. There is a fee to be paid to "process" your employment If the hiring manager contacts you again and informs you that you have to pay [insert amount here] to complete your application, forget it. You might see overseas job offers requiring you to pay a few hundred dollars to "process" your application. They'll claim it's to secure your employment. To sweeten the deal, some of them claim that you'll get back the money within days after you get in the company/institution. Here are the most common ways job scams use to cheat your money, like: Buying their software Paying a fee to complete your application Sign up for some insurance program that deducts money from your account every month Job scammers make all kinds of promises about your chances of employment, and an astounding amount of them require you to pay them for their services to employ you. It's important to note that the promise of a job is not the same thing as a job. If you have to pay for that promise, it's most definitely a scam. 3. You get the job right away You get the job, without much interviewing, or even applying through anything. The "offer" gets sent to your inbox. They often mention that they got your email from Jobstreet, CareerBuilder, or LinkedIn. Most of the time, these job offers are sent with emails that are similar to emails of legitimate employers. Be careful! Imagine if a David Chen from Ramsay Sime Darby emailed you about a sweet job offer. If he really worked at RSD, his email would be something like david.c@simedarby.com. Watch out for david.c.simedarby@gmail.com, david.c@gmail.com, david.chen.HR.simedarby@yahoo.com, etc. When in doubt, call up the company and ask for that employee! A real company would want to talk to a candidate before hiring him or her. 4. Unprofessional job interviews Look out for interviews online, such as over Facebook Messenger . Worse still, are interviews using a software that the scammer asks you to install on you computer. You will risk having your computer infected with harmful malware that can record what you type , activate your webcam without notifying you , and hold your personal information as ransom . Look out for interviewers with bad grammar or spelling. If it doesn't seem like what a real professional company would say, don't trust it. With some common sense, and a bit of suspicion, you can easily spot scam job offers. The rule of thumb is that if it looks too good to be true, sounds too good to be true, and seems to good to be true, then it's definitely not true. Also look out for shady characters and language. As mentioned above, there is no limit to the creativity of these scam artists and their job offers. The tips mentioned above might cover ALL the scam job methods out there, but at least you'll be better prepared, and more aware that these things can happen. As a healthcare-focused job portal site, MIMS Career takes the legitimacy of any employer and job posting very seriously . We screen employers thoroughly, contacting them at various levels, to determine authenticity of said employers. Our privacy policy also dictates that we never share your personal information to unrelated third parties, nor do we sell them. The next time you're in search of a job, apply through MIMS Career . Sign up, fill in your details, and apply for job vacancies from top healthcare institutions in Malaysia , Singapore , Indonesia , and the Philippines with one click. Browse through our extensive database of job postings, updated daily. Our pages are mobile-responsive, so you can save jobs you're interested in on your desktop, and continue reading about it and apply later on your phone. Can't find what you're looking for? Set a job alert, and we'll notify you once a job with your preferences is made available. Sign up now with MIMS Career . It's fast, convenient, and secure. We do the hard work of verifying scam jobs so you won't have to. Our Most Popular Articles Think About These 5 Things Before You Decide On A Specialization 5 Things Nurses Need To Know To Be Paid More 10 Ways Malaysian Nurses Can Increase Their Income

How To Spot Job Offer Scams

See if the offer is too good to be true There is a fee to be paid to "process" your employment You get the job right away Unprofessional job interviews Job scams In 2013, a South African...

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Nephrology/Renal Nursing Nephrology is a specialty of medicine and pediatrics that concerns itself with the kidneys: the study of normal kidney function, kidney problems, kidney health, and the treatment of kidney problems. It encompasses dietary and medication to replacement forms of treatments. Systemic conditions that affect the kidneys and systemic problems that occur as a result of kidney problems are also studied in nephrology. A physician who has undertaken additional training to become an expert in nephrology may call themselves a nephrologist or a renal physician. A nephrology nurse (or renal nurse - those two terms are used interchangeably) is a nursing practitioner that focuses on kidney health. They treat and care for patients that are suffering from those suffering from kidney problems as well as those that are at risk of developing them. As a renal nurse, one must be prepared to stay on top of current developments, as treatments in this field are accelerating their development at a very rapid pace. This is possible to be done by regular consumption of renal-related literary content such as medical journals. Attending seminars and conference is also a possible method. Scope Renal nursing concerns the diagnosis and treatment of kidney diseases , including electrolyte disturbances and hypertension, and the care of those needing replacement therapy, including dialysis and transplant patients. Many diseases affecting the kidney are systemic disorders not limited to the organ itself. Examples include acquired conditions such as systemic vasculitides and autoimmune diseases, as well as congenital or generic conditions such as polycystic kidney disease. Methodology of nursing History and physical examinations are central to the diagnostic workup in nephrology or renal nursing. This may include inquires regarding family history, general medical history, diet, medication use, drug use and occupation. Examination typically includes an assessment of volume state, blood pressure, skin, joints, abdomen, and flank. Urinary analysis (urinalysis) is an instrumental method in assessing possible kidney problems. Nurses in this specialization are trained to notice the appearance of blood in the urine, protein, pus cells or cancer cells in the urine, often with the help of a urologist or nephrology physician. Basic blood tests can be used to check the concentration of hemoglobin, platelets, sodium, potassium, chloride, or phosphate in the blood. All of these may be affected by kidney problems, and renal nurses are supposed to be well-versed in this area. Under certain circumstances, an invasive test is required for diagnosis. A biopsy of the kidney may be performed. This typically involves the insertion, under local anesthetic and ultrasound or CT guidance, of a core biopsy needle into the kidney to obtain a small sample of kidney tissue. Kidney biopsy is also used to monitor response to treatment and identify early relapse. Training The process differs across countries, but the outcome is indefinitely similar. Nephrology is a subspecialty of general medicine. A nephrology/renal nurse will have to complete nursing school, a minimum of three years of practice as a general nurse, and a BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing) or post-basic course in renal subjects. Typically this training lasts 1-2 years. Nurses in training for renal nursing often continue in the world of academia to obtain research degrees, putting a temporary halt to their clinical practice. Some also sub-specialize in dialysis, kidney transplantation, CKD, cancer-related kidney diseases, procedural nephrology or other non-nephrology areas. However, only pediatric-trained nurses are allowed to train in pediatric nephrology, due to differences in physiology. Work environment A major task and responsibility for renal nurses are administering treatments to patients. Treatments can include medications, blood products, surgical interventions, renal replacement therapy and plasma exchange. Kidney problems can have a significant impact on quality and length of life, and so psychological support, health education and advanced care planning play key roles in nephrology. Renal nurses often find themselves having a better work setting compared to their non-specialized counterparts. Schedules are less erratic, especially for nurses working in dialysis support roles. On average, renal nurses with post basic certification get about 10% more pay. Career opportunities Dialysis centers (out- and in-patient) Nephrology wards Transplant units Home care Medical device industry Pharmaceutical industry Government and nonprofit healthcare settings (eg: NKF ) Community clinics There is a severe shortage of nephrology nurses in Malaysia. Search for high-paying job in renal nursing at MIMS Career . MIMS Career is a premier, healthcare-focused job portal site for Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia. Our simple sign-up process allows you to easily apply for jobs you might be interested in with a single click. Job locations include hospitals, nursing homes, and private practices. It’s free, easy to use, and safe. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Set up a job alert and we’ll notify you by email whenever positions that suit your preferences are available. All of our pages are mobile-responsive, so you can take your applications with you on the go. Our Most Popular Articles Think About These 5 Things Before You Decide On A Specialization 5 Things Nurses Need To Know To Be Paid More 10 Ways Malaysian Nurses Can Increase Their Income

Career Highlight: Specialty in Nephrology/Renal

Nephrology/Renal Nursing Nephrology is a specialty of medicine and pediatrics that concerns itself with the kidneys: the study of normal kidney function, kidney problems, kidney health, and the treatment of kidney problems. It...

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A close relative of mine is a young nurse. Two years ago she started taking care of this nice lady who was partially paralysed; her breathing muscles would no longer function autonomously, hence a tracheostomy was done so she could breathe. The condition left her bed-ridden on bad days, and wheel-chair bound on good ones. She cared for the lady to the best of her abilities, for about 18 months. One day the lady started feeling cold. She was sweating and shivering at the same time. She went unconscious, and had five cardiac arrests within 36 hours. After unsuccessfully trying to stabilize her blood pressure, she died of heart failure. The young nurse was devastated. It wasn’t her own mother, but it might as well seemed like it. It was her first patient death while working as a nurse. It affected her so much she found it difficult to work for the next week. This experience is shared by many nurses in the country. How nurses bond with their patients depends on circumstances and the length of time they provided care to them. A strong bond between patient and nurse is essential to effective nursing, but when death happens, it can deal a very significant blow. The first death of your patient can massively impact you as a nurse. So will subsequent ones. It is extremely important that this doesn’t mentally compromise your ability to do your work. How can you, as a nurse, deal with it? 1. It’s okay to feel emotions. Embrace it fully. You are human. You are in a compassionate profession: the very basis of nursing started on the principle to relieve pain, assuage suffering, and provide help to those of ailing health. It is okay to feel overwhelmed at first, especially when you have cared for the patient for so long. Empathy is good for your job, it makes you a better nurse, but it makes loss more painful. Allow yourself some time to feel, and understand your emotions. Your line of work is to care for people, the noblest of all human traits. Your grief on the death of your patient means that you have done your job. 2. Try to accept the death happened. Some wards have it harder than others for this. A geriatric ward would have the oldest, most needy patients. Conducting CPR on these patients can be cruel, especially if you or your team are not willing to “let go” of the patient. However, death in these parts of the hospital would be a routine part of the day. It is wise to accept it, so you can continue giving out the best care to the other still-living patients without letting it affect the quality of your work. Accept their deaths, and the fact that you have done all you could to alleviate their suffering. Know that you have done your best to keep them comfortable and retain their dignity. 3. Remain in control and neutral if breaking the news to the family. Don’t add to the problem. It is okay to share your emotions with the patient’s loved ones. Respect the family; if they do not wish you to partake in their grief, then kindly leave them alone. They have also gone through much, just like you. Some relatives will blame the doctor/nurse for causing the death. Don’t take this to heart. The Kubler-Ross model of grief lays out five stages, and anger is one of them. Find your own ways to vent, either through support groups, family, or colleagues. 4. Talk about it. Don’t bottle it in. One of the best things about being in the nursing workforce is that you’re surrounded by people who have gone through similar experiences too. Death is prevalent amongst healthcare professions, and sometimes just talking to a senior can help a lot. Find someone you’re comfortable with. It can be a senior nurse, a matron, or even your other colleagues in the ward. Ask them how they managed to overcome such periods of distress. Pour out whatever you’re feeling to them; it is very likely that they have felt everything you are feeling right now. Talking about it helps you make sense of what you’re feeling. By articulating it into words, you can pinpoint exactly what’s bothering you, and help you to come to terms. 5. Realize that these things happen. Things happen. Death is part and parcel of the life in a hospital. Some areas will be more prone to dealing with death than others, like the ER, surgical ward, the ICU. You might find yourself poring over the moments that led up to the death in your mind, going over what you could have done better, what you could have done differently. This leads to a general feeling of guilt. This can be very destructive to your well-being, and can affect the performance of your work to other patient who also need your care. This is not a good coping mechanism if it jeopardizes the health of your other patients. 6. Believe that you are making a difference. The death of a patient does not equal to failure. How you deal with the patient’s relatives is an extension of how you treated their late relative. For all the grief that you may be feeling right now, the patient’s family has it harder. Showing that you cared provides a monumental difference, and leads the family to a safer path of acceptance. Conclusion The trait that sets humans apart from other species is our ability to empathize for our fellow brethren. Other fauna have demonstrated this to a certain degree, but only humans have been able to take it to their very core, make it into their reason to live, and deliver it back to their community. Nursing is more than just facts or skills or the amount of certifications that you can obtain to move your career. It is founded on empathy; the ability to understand others’ suffering and pain. During times when you feel overwhelmed or devastated by the loss of your patient, stand firm and be proud of who you are, because nurses do things that not many will have the capacity to accomplish. You will find your way to deal with it as you become more experienced, and become better at learning what is the best way to help families cope with grief over time. Steel your heart, adjust that uniform, and carry on providing the best that you can give to your other patients.

How to Cope with Death and Loss, as A Nurse

A close relative of mine is a young nurse. Two years ago she started taking care of this nice lady who was partially paralysed; her breathing muscles would no longer function autonomously, hence a tracheostomy was done so she could breathe. The...

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How do we define a great nurse? Is it one that fully accomplishes his/her tasks? Completes her shifts well without any issues? Great nurses are those who alleviate suffering and heal the body, mind, and soul. Compassion Compassion is the feeling of concern and sympathy for others. The word compassion literally means to “suffer together.” It arises when a person sees another suffering, and feels a deep desire to relieve the said suffering. It is a central tenet of nursing; the very mature of the work originates from the compassion of individuals to relieve suffering and pain. A compassionate nurse will always do what is right for her patients. In times of fatigue, tiredness, or exhaustion, compassion for that patient will drive this nurse to trudge onwards and do her job. On developing compassion: Make it a daily practice: Think about it in the morning during rounds. At night during late shifts. When you talk to patients. It is a simple philosophy of kindness. If you’re finding it hard to develop compassion in your nursing life, remind yourself that everyone you meet is seeking happiness, avoiding suffering, has lost something, and is learning about what it means to be human. Think about a person you know who’s recently suffering. Imagine if the suffering happened to you. Now imagine if there is another person who realizes your situation and is trying her very best to make you feel better. You would appreciate that a lot. This helps you develop the feeling of wanting to relieve others’ suffering, which is the definition of compassion. Compassion has many benefits: it has been proven that compassionate people produce 23% less cortisol, the “stress” hormone. Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Understanding the feelings of patients is crucial to their recovery. It does not mean you completely understand what they are going through. It also does not mean you agree with everything they are feeling. It means that you are willing to make a voluntary effort to listen to them and understand their challenges. It is shown that patients are more receptive to treatments when they feel that their caregivers understand their situation. On developing empathy: It needs to be done without judgement. Everyone has a different set of values. Two similar patients can have completely different challenges. Understand what they are fighting against, and what they are fearful of. Use it to better develop a relationship with your patient, so he/she may continue to recover holistically. Selflessness The ability to think less about ourselves, and more about other people. Nurses need this trait, mostly for their own benefit over the patient’s. Being selfless means to give to others at the expense of their own selves. By being selfless, it makes working the stressful nursing life a lot better. Some nurses miss their lunches just to hold their patient’s hand. Some stay up the night to make sure their patient manages to live through it. The reason why these kind of nurses are great is that they would do it all over again. For many more years to come. They also have to. Selflessness prevents these nurses from burning out on their work by caring for others more. On developing selflessness: Take pleasure in the happiness of your patients. Don’t hurt another person for the sake of hurting them. Watch your selfish thoughts; like when a patient irritates you, threatens you, you get the idea. That kind of thinking gets in the way of compassion as well. Good communicator Not only will you be needing to administer IVs, triage patients in the ER, or carry out CPR, you will also need to be dealing with your patients as humans. There are instances where you will have to help patients and their relatives to understand their medical situation, in a comprehensible way. Moreover, you will need to deal with your superiors, and sometimes you might not agree with what they would have you do. Being a solid communicator allows you to express those feelings of disagreement, and come to a favorable conclusion. If deciding to go into teaching, being a great communicator is essential that you can impart your knowledge onto junior nurses effectively. On developing communication skills: Practice practice practice. Try to be as understandable as possible. It helps to realize what kind of patient or relative you’re talking to, their proficiency in the language you speak and their terminologies. Some states of malaysia have a different colloquial grammar compared to the standard Bahasa. It helps to understand these nuances in language. Mirror their way of speaking and you’ll come off as more approachable. Never EVER condescend someone else for not understanding what you were trying to tell them. More often than not it is the inability of the speaker to explain, not the inability of the listener to understand. Possess mental fortitude Some days are pleasant. Some are rewarding. But some are difficult. Some are downright devastating, like when you lose a patient you cared for. It is important not to let these things mentally incapacitate you, and compromise your ability to care for your patients. It is okay to feel sad, angry, frustrated, or even shattered. We are all human. Great nurses have the mental fortitude to weather these types of events. It might not be easy, but they still return to practise their art of healing. On developing mental fortitude: Identify the obstacle in your path. Is it a difficult patient? An angry relative? Death? Understand how your emotions are making you react. Are you upset? Why? Know that the obstacle can sometimes be the way. A difficult patient can teach you patience. An angry relative can teach you to deal with irrational people with stride. Death can teach you to be compassionate of other people’s loss. Focus on making the obstacle that’s disturbing you. Ask yourself, “If I can’t solve this for myself, how can I make this better for othe people?” Calm under pressure Great nurses remain calm and composed under great duress. Diamonds are forged under high pressure. Great nurses too, are like that; the do not cave under the load, they emerge stronger and better. Being calm under pressure-filled situations allows you to perceive problems with better accuracy. It leads to better decision making, which can mean life or death for your patients. Remain calm, and you will make better sense of things around you. On developing mental calm: The events that we see as negative all have a positive benefit that we can act on. A computer glitch that destroys your work in the hospital is now an opportunity to become two times better at your job because you’re going to do it twice. Having a terrible supervisor in the wards is now an opportunity to learn from his/her faults while you fill up your resume and look for better opportunities elsewhere. Being mentally calm is seeing through the negative, past its underside and through to the positive. Lifelong learner A carpenter is only as good as the tools he is given. Same thing applies to a nurse. However, in this case, the tools to a nurse are her knowledge and skillset. A diverse skillset will make you valuable at a lot of situations. A deep understanding of a certain skillset will make you highly valued at that field. Whatever it is, learning new things and constantly studying to make yourself better is always a good idea. On developing lifelong learning skills: Develop a passion for the latest advancements in nursing policy, technology, and laws. The changes in those areas will ultimately affect the future of your work. Have a career plan, and work towards getting the skills, certifications, or knowledge that you need to move on to the next stage of your career. Follow great medical podcasts to listen to on your commute. Subscribe to nursing-related journals and publications, and make it a point to read in your spare time. Conclusion It is said that in times that require greatness, we do not rise to the occasion but we fall back on our training. These habits may not be in you, but with deliberate and constant practice, you can cultivate these, and continue on your path of becoming not only a good nurse, but a great one. Great nurses are always on the lookout for new, exciting, and better opportunities to grow their career. Find out your next employment with MIMS Career, a fast, secure, and convenient portal to connect you to top-class healthcare employers in MY, SG, ID, and PH.

Develop These 7 Habits To Become A Great Nurse

How do we define a great nurse? Is it one that fully accomplishes his/her tasks? Completes her shifts well without any issues? Great nurses are those who alleviate suffering and heal the body, mind, and soul. Compassion...

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Photo by Rami Al-Zayat 1. Note-taking 2. Scheduling 3. Reading Smartphone as a work assistant Our phones have gone from blocky, awkward devices to sleek, thin machines. It is now 2017, and processing power in smartphones (even in budget ones) have overcome the performance of some computers just ten years ago. With the modern smartphone now more of a pocket computer than a communication device, several apps have been made to make work easier. These apps, when used with a bit of creativity and time, can help you stay on top of your goals, never miss an important piece of info, track everything that matters to you and increase mental focus. Read on to find out how you can transform your phone from a typical communications device to an indispensable work and life assistant. 1. Note-taking Text Take notes with your phone rather than on a piece of paper. Unlike paper, you won’t lose digital notes if you have them backed up to the cloud. Moreover, you can take hundreds of notes with you on your phone without needing to carry thick notebooks everywhere you go. Most note-taking apps are searchable, like a web browser. Retrieve your information quickly and easily, whenever you need it. On Android, the best note-taking app is Google Keep . Keep allows your to color-code your notes to your fancy. Add them to your home screen as a widget for quick access. You can still view your notes on any computer with an internet connection. Simply go over to the Google Keep site, log in with your Google account, and browse through your notes. source source On iOS, we recommend the default Notes app. It’s beautifully designed, clean, and robust. Write notes on the fly, and format your text in bold , italics , or underlined. Much like Google Keep, you can attach photos on to your notes. You can also organize them in folders, for easy retrieval. source Bonus tip : You can create a note with your voice! Activate Siri by long-pressing the home button, and say “ Make a note “. Siri will ask you what to write about, and it will write whatever you just said. Scan documents What if you had access to all the paper receipts, documents, letters, and notes; any time, anywhere? You can! Your smartphone has a camera. The best scanner is the scanner you always have with you! Simply point your phone towards a paper document and take a photo. Make sure you adjust the focus a bit so text is clear on your phone’s screen. Then, simply create a photo album in your phone’s photos gallery, label it SCANS and move the photos of your documents there. Evernote ( iOS , Android ) is a multi-platform note-taking app that has a really cool scanning function. When you scan documents with Evernote, the app will brighten the document, making it seem like it was really scanned using a proper scanner. In dark environments, the app will automatically activate your phone’s flash to brighten up the image. Even when taking scans of the document at an angle, Evernote will modify the image to make it seem like you took it straight down! source Evernote has OCR (Optical Character Recognition); meaning that words in the document scans are searchable in the app. It even works for handwriting! Other alternatives to Evernote include Scanbot , PDF Scanner + OCR Free , and Scanner Pro . Draw sketches Sometimes text just doesn’t cut it. What if you need to draw something? It happens a lot, especially in nursing and medical work. Both Google Keep and iOS notes have the ability to create drawings. Unlike pen and paper, you’ll never run out of ink! Android Police How to make a drawing in Notes iOS 2. Scheduling Calendar Schedule events or tasks that you can’t do today. Any calendar app works well; but we recommend Google Calendar ( iOS , Android ). It has natural language text-parsing, meaning you simply type your event into the app like how you’d say it. For example, typing: Midwifery refresher seminar 8pm Sunday at UMMC Will add a calendar entry Midwifery refresher seminar , dated on Sunday at 8PM, and location at UMMC. The app can take the information of the location of the event from Google Maps. So on that day, it notifies you what time you should leave to arrive on time! Macworld 3. Reading Books Why bring your whole bookshelf when you can just carry your phone with you? Many textbook publishers also offer ebook versions of their textbooks. With an ebook reader app, you can read books you’ve saved on your phone. Now you can refer your favorite 900-page physiology textbook anywhere without needing to break your back. The Kindle ( iOS , Android ) app allows you to buy ebooks from Amazon and you can read them anytime you like. Check out their selection of nursing textbooks that you can get cheaper than the physical copies. Even if you delete the ebooks off your phone, you can still re-download them from Kindle. Play Store 3. Task Management Todoist (iOS, Android) Putting tasks out of your head and into a system that you trust is one of the best ways to prevent information overload. This enables you to have less mental distractions as you only focus on the task you are currently doing, rather than having other future tasks nagging in your mind. Using task management apps can seem complicated, but it actually is not. The end goal is to spend less time doing the things you want to do, so that you have more time to do the things you want to do. Having a to-do list makes it easy for you to see what you have right now, and what actions are up next. Todoist is a great app for this. It’s available on all platforms: iOS, Android, Windows, and Chrome. Todoist Start by listing down tasks in your Inbox. As your task list grows, you might start to see some tasks are related to each other. Create projects in Todoist to group these tasks and sort them. Some tasks are more complicated than other tasks. You can break down these tasks into a series of sub-tasks, allowing you to focus on tackling one thing at a time in pursuit of a larger goal. Remember, to eat an elephant, you need to take one bite at a time. Todoist Also, just like Google Calendar, Todoist accepts natural language input; set tasks to recur daily, monthly, every two weeks, or even something complicated such as “ Every third Saturday of the month “. Todoist will understand you. See here for the complete guide. Todoist is free to use, but with a small subscription fee, premium features such as location-based reminders, file attachments, and tagging are unlocked. The modern smartphone is a great tool for self-improvement, organization, and productivity. In such a small device, you can read books, take notes, and stay on top of your work any time, any day. As nurses’ work become more and more complex, we need better tools to help us keep track of daily life. Hopefully you have gained insight into using this great tool, and help you take on challenges that will advance your career as a nurse. Head over to MIMS Career and discover our wide range of nurse jobs. All of our pages are mobile-responsive; browse jobs, sign up, and apply are all doable on your smartphone. Make your next career move, with MIMS Career . Our Most Popular Articles Think About These 5 Things Before You Decide On A Specialization 5 Things Nurses Need To Know To Be Paid More 10 Ways Malaysian Nurses Can Increase Their Income

You Should Be Using These Apps On Your Phone

Photo by Rami Al-Zayat 1. Note-taking 2. Scheduling 3. Reading Smartphone as a work assistant Our phones have gone from blocky, awkward devices to sleek, thin machines. It is now 2017, and processing power in...

Read More