Anyone with a nursing degree can become a nurse, but it takes more than a degree to truly become a nursing professional. There are evident attributes and qualities that professionals in the workplace have when pursuing their nursing careers.
This article discusses the attributes and qualities a nurse needs to be a true nursing professional.
Attributes and qualities of a nursing professional
What does a nursing professional look like? What turns a nurse into a nursing professional? What behaviors does a nurse with professionalism possess? Here are the top attributes and qualities of a nursing professional:
- Always does their best: A nursing professional will always do their best. They will always do what is necessary to achieve their goals, and they will complete every task that is asked of them to the best of their ability. While some nurses perform the minimum requirements of being a nurse, a true professional will always do the best job they can.
- Treats patients with respect: A nursing professional will treat patients with respect. As long as a nurse is doing what is required of them to care for their patient’s health, they don’t necessarily need to do anything further. However, a professional nurse will also treat every patient with respect no matter who they are, how they act, or what they look like. Showing respect to patients can additionally increase their wellbeing, which is what a professional nurse strives to achieve.
- Treats other employees with respect: Besides treating patients with respect, a nurse who commits to professionalism will also treat every other employee in the hospital or facility with respect. This goes further than the nurses in their unit. A professional nurse will treat everyone with respect, including nurses, doctors, management, janitors, security, and any other associate that is employed by the same facility.
- Commits to lifelong learning: A nurse that strives for professionalism will always be learning. They commit to lifelong learning that may include yearly training, additional education and classes, self-learning, and understanding new processes or technology. While a nurse can do just fine with everything they learned from their initial education, a professional nurse will always be striving to learn more to make their career worthwhile for themselves and better for others.
- Looks professional: A nursing professional looks professional. How a nurse dresses is essential to showing professionalism. Professionals in a nursing unit will spend time and money to look the part. While some nurses don’t think how they dress matters, it can significantly affect how employers and patients perceive them. This leads to better reviews and the opportunity for pay raises and promotions.
- A true dedication to helping others: Nursing professionals have a true dedication and commitment to helping others. Like any profession, there will be those that hate their jobs or have negative feelings about the position they hold. Professional nurses love their job no matter what roadblocks or issues they encounter. Having a true dedication to valuing people and valuing life is what makes a nurse a nursing professional. People can tell when someone doesn’t like their job, and the same goes for nurses. Showing genuine care for other people will make a professional nurse have a long-lasting career as a nurse.
Conclusion
There are nurses, and then there are nursing professionals. Which one are you? It takes real dedication and understanding as to why you want to be a nurse. Displaying professionalism can be a deciding factor to how much people like you, how much progress you make in your career, and how happy or content you are with your nursing profession.