Improving Professional Nursing Behavior
ANSWERS
Nine ways to demonstrate nursing professionalism
Here are nine ways nurses can maintain their professionalism at work:
1. Effective communication
Nurses must have excellent communication skills to provide adequate care to patients while minimizing errors. Nurses can effectively communicate with patients by explaining instructions or procedures in simple terms that the patient understands.
Nurses can also communicate effectively with other members of their healthcare team. Good communication skills may enable them to describe changes in a patient’s condition or request assistance in completing tasks. In their daily work, nurses also use good written communication skills and the ability to create and maintain accurate, well-written patient records.
2. Maintain a positive attitude
A positive attitude can assist nurses in adapting to workplace challenges. Nursing is a fast-paced profession that requires quick decisions in difficult situations. When faced with work challenges, cultivating a positive attitude can help you gain confidence and resilience.
A positive attitude can also help you connect with patients and coworkers. Patients may feel comforted and assured of your ability to care for them due to your positive attitude. Nurses also strive to align their attitudes with the goals and standards established by their organizations.
3. Show compassion to patients
Nurses provide emotional support to patients in addition to physical care by demonstrating compassion. This can assist them in attending to their patient’s emotional needs, especially during crises.
Compassion includes:
- Listening to and validating patients’ experiences.
- Being patient when attending to individuals.
- Advocating for patient needs and preferences.
Compassionate treatment of patients and their families can improve patient health outcomes and hasten recovery. Compassion in health care also entails forming bonds with patients and their families, identifying their needs, and instilling confidence in them through gentle voice and body language.
4. Provide high-quality care
The primary responsibility of a nurse is to provide the highest quality of care to all patients most efficiently and safely as possible. To provide high-quality care, nurses adhere to evidence-based practice guidelines and take an individualized, patient-centered approach rather than a more generalized approach.
They apply their knowledge to provide excellent medical care and advice, seek assistance when necessary, and respond promptly to patient concerns. Nurses can meet their patient’s physical and emotional needs by utilizing their resources, knowledge, training, and a team of healthcare specialists.
5. Work together with others
Nurses can work independently at times, but they can also collaborate and work well with others. Collaborating with other healthcare team members entails asking for assistance when challenges exceed their knowledge or abilities to handle them. It also entails assisting other members of their healthcare team when required.
Nurses can collaborate with their coworkers by being dependable, adaptable, supportive, and participating in group activities. Collaboration also entails making an effort to establish interdepartmental and inter-specialty relationships.
6. Take responsibility for your actions.
Nurses are responsible for knowing and adhering to guidelines and regulations to protect and ensure the safety of their patients. They may make rash decisions on the job and accept responsibility for their actions.
If a nurse makes an error, such as recording an incorrect detail on a patient’s record, they can demonstrate accountability by contacting the appropriate person to correct the error. They can also respond to mistakes by offering solutions to problems. Nurses can also demonstrate accountability by being aware of their limitations and seeking assistance when necessary.
7. Present yourself professionally.
Nurses demonstrate professionalism by maintaining good personal hygiene, dressing professionally, and presenting themselves professionally at work. Some healthcare facilities may have strict policies regarding how nurses should dress, style their hair, and apply makeup. Other establishments may be more accommodating.
Meeting your facility’s presentation standards can help you make a positive impression on your patients and coworkers. Professional attire can help you feel more prepared for your work shift. For example, having a routine for getting dressed before work may help you feel mentally focused and ready to work.
8. Maintain current knowledge of best practices standards.
Nursing best practices can change over time, so nurses must stay current on current standards. New research may change existing nursing policies or techniques.
Recent research can also introduce new approaches to your practice. Nurses can demonstrate their dedication to their profession by keeping up with changing standards and actively working to expand their knowledge.
Nurses can improve their knowledge and make more effective decisions at work by investing in their education. Nurses can also join professional organizations in their areas of interest to stay current on the latest developments.
9. Maintain a high ethical standard
Nurses uphold a high ethical standard in their work. Numerous regulations and laws are in place to protect patients’ and nurses’ safety and dignity in healthcare settings. Nurses can follow ethical guidelines to uphold these laws and meet their facility’s care expectations.
In addition to meeting legal requirements, nurses can uphold ethics in the workplace by acting with honesty and integrity. They make every effort to be fair in carrying out their duties and responsibilities, which include ensuring that all patients receive the necessary care.
Improving Professional Nursing Behavior
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