6 NON-CLINICAL SKILLS EVERY NURSE NEEDS TO SUCCEED

Opportunities in the nursing sector have been rising ever since the pandemic. Being a nurse is a thankless job and requires the will to help others genuinely. It’s a rigorous and demanding job, a challenge that not everyone is suited to take on. If you’re interested in pursuing nursing as a career, you must already be aware of the required clinical skills to help you qualify. The skills in question include acute care, life care, patient care, advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), telemetry, case management, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), among other necessary skills.

Clinical skills alone are by no way sufficient to land you a successful nursing career. It is also essential for you to be aware of the necessary non-clinical skills you may need to excel. These include interpersonal skills, attention to detail, critical thinking, cultural awareness, passion and commitment to learning, adaptability, and flexibility. Coupled with the clinical skills, these are a lot of skills to take in – and you might feel overwhelmed thinking about how you can learn all of them to improve your career as a nurse.

A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) can equip you with all the necessary clinical and non-clinical skills. If you’re still wondering why earning a bachelor’s in nursing is worth it, then take into account the immense benefits it can offer for your nursing career. A BSN can help you earn significantly more, advance your nursing competency, provide better job opportunities, and equip you with leadership skills, among other benefits.

Now let’s explore some of the must-have non-clinical skills to help you succeed as a nurse.

1.    Effective Communication

One of the essential non-clinical skills for a nurse is the ability to communicate effectively with the medical team and patients. Nurses need to understand the concerns of their patients clearly. This is important for them to make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe proper treatment. They should also be able to give directions clearly and carefully. Nurses can also improve their communication skills by using appropriate body language speaking with respect, humility, and consideration. Additionally they should avoid complicated medical jargon while communicating with patients and practice active listening.

2.    Attention to Detail

It is also essential for nurses to show complete attention to detail. Often even minor negligence in reporting or recording medical information can cause severe risks for patients and may cause their condition to worsen. Nurses need to be precise and accurate with every single detail to be able to help patients effectively. None of the details, including minor allergies or symptoms, should go missing while recording patient history. Therefore, a nurse shouldn’t hesitate to ask the same questions repeatedly if anything is still unclear.

3.    Critical Thinking

Part of being a nurse requires being able to act quickly and adequately. A patient’s condition may change at any time, which calls for a fast and appropriate response on the nurse’s part. Nurses need to have exceptional critical thinking skills to diagnose and treat the ongoing and fluctuating conditions of patients without making mistakes. They should also be calm in emergencies and make timely decisions instead of panicking. The situation can be out of the nurse’s domain, in which case they need to rush and call for immediate help from a more qualified professional right away. Some must-have critical-thinking skills include interpreting – analyzing – evaluating – explaining – and self-regulating. These skills are useful in emergencies where immediate aid might be necessary.

4.    Cultural Awareness

Patients come from all walks of life – a nurse needs to be culturally competent to avoid triggering the sensitivities of their patients in any way possible. Nurses need to be mindful of how a patient’s socioeconomic background or religious belief may prevent them from availing certain treatments or medications. They also need to treat everyone with respect and provide top-quality care regardless of the patient’s positionality and beliefs. A nurse can be mindful of cultural differences by establishing clear communication using the patient’s preferred mode, inquiring about the dos and don’ts in terms of treatment and care, and controlling personal biases.

5.    Flair for Learning

There are constant developments and amendments in healthcare, so you need to demonstrate a strong commitment and flair for learning to be a successful nurse. Nurses need to learn about the new advances in medical conditions and treatments throughout their careers. They also need to be well-versed with the latest technological advancements to understand treatments better and keep up with patient records more effectively.

6.    Adaptability and Flexibility

For nurses to succeed, it is also essential to be adaptable and flexible with all that comes their way. Nurses need to be mindful of the possibility of a shift change, delayed paperwork, or a last-minute change in the treatment plan and adjust their schedules accordingly. Back-to-back shifts can often get pretty overwhelming. Therefore, it is also vital for a nurse to relax between shifts, prioritize their tasks, turn down extra shifts, and delegate responsibilities to other nurses if need be. An efficient nurse should also know how to manage time and balance work and family life.

Final Thoughts

Landing a successful career in the nursing sector is rewarding in countless ways. It can help you earn a lot of money, opportunities, and internal satisfaction. Being a nurse requires a lot of determination and willpower. The job tends to get very demanding and stressful, but tackling the hardship with perseverance and steadfastness can help you succeed.

You need to push yourself beyond your limits and always be on the lookout for advancements in medical conditions, treatments, and related technology. Clinical skills and knowledge aside, you cannot neglect any non-clinical skills if you wish to succeed. As a nurse, you need to work on your interpersonal skills, educate yourself on the cultural differences of your patients, and show immense attention to detail.

Earning a bachelor’s in nursing can go a long way and help you cross many barriers in your career. It can help you learn the necessary clinical skills. In addition, it also enables you to develop and refine the non-clinical skills and abilities that can help you progress as a nurse.