If you are ready for a new career, becoming a registered nurse through achieving high-quality nursing student skills can lead you to a rewarding future.
Registered nurses can work in various settings to impact their communities in many positive ways. From medical knowledge to superior care, nurses are difference-makers.
Switching to a nursing career
Choosing to switch to a nursing career is not a small decision, but you can access an online program to take the classes you need to become a registered nurse. Marymount University offers the chance to enhance your nursing student skills by offering courses such as an accelerated Bachelor of Nursing program where you can learn about health assessments.
Remote learning modules allow you to continue working in your current field if you choose. The flexibility of online modules lets you work on a degree at your own pace. You can fast-track your studies to finish quickly or work through assignments at a slower pace.
This path allows you to complete your work in a personalized, comfortable setting for the greatest success. Creating a designated study space and managing your assignments online will help you achieve an important degree.
Here are some compelling reasons to change careers and become a registered nurse:
- In most areas, there are significant nursing shortages. As the population ages, there are more opportunities than ever to care for people who need medical help.
- As nurses retire, the aging baby boomer population needs extra nursing and medical help. You can fill this need by giving superior care to a wide range of people.
- Pursuing a nursing career has many paths. You can work in many specialties to improve the medical care patients receive.
- As a registered nurse, you can earn a higher degree that opens even more career doors for you.
- Every day is different in nursing. Because your patients change from day to day, you will have variety and the opportunity to make a difference in many lives.
- You will build relationships with patients and their families as you deliver superior medical care.
Online programs are designed to allow you to earn a nursing degree at your own pace and on your own timetable. Remote learning has opened previously closed doors to let you earn the nursing degree you have always wanted.
Foundational skills for nursing
There are foundational skills in nursing that form the core of your clinical skills, nursing judgments, and patient care priorities. Combining the soft skills that relate to caring for sick people with clinical nursing skills will make you a top-level caregiver to your patients.
Nursing soft skills
To build a rewarding, successful nursing career, you need to possess some people skills that allow you to understand the complex needs of your patients. Here are some skills you should have:
Adaptability: In nursing, every day is different and delivers unique challenges. You should be someone who embraces the flexibility necessary to handle what comes your way during your shift.
- Positivity: A positive person can see the bright side of situations. Remember that your patients are experiencing life-altering illnesses and diseases, and your positivity can be exactly what they need to pull through a tough time.
- Communication: While communication is key in any career, using active-listening techniques, engaging with your patients, and developing a good rapport with patients make your job easier and more productive. Most patients are frightened, so the more communication they have, the better they can understand what is happening.
- Dependability: The nursing load is heavy, and your co-workers rely on you to do your part. As a registered nurse, you will need to be dependable by showing up for work regularly and helping those you work with as needed.
- Time management: As you learn nursing student skills in school, a key component is effective time management. You will experience disruptions and unexpected situations that you must balance with the routine care your patients need. Time management is a crucial skill for nursing.
- Critical thinking: As a nurse, you will need critical thinking skills to make the best decisions. Every situation won’t be textbook-related, and you will need to assess the details and make decisions on the spot for the best patient care.
- Leadership: Patients and families will look to you for updates and information, making you a leader. You will also handle emergencies and conflicts that require leadership decisions.
- A Patient Advocate: Since patients often cannot advocate for themselves, you will need to speak up for them. When you understand that each circumstance has multiple points of view and complexity, you can take those into account when you speak for patients.
Clinical nursing skills
To provide quality, holistic care for your patients, you will need to demonstrate specific clinical nursing skills that you learn through a quality nursing program. They are essential to delivering the best patient care.
Patient assessments
The core of nursing is to use evidence-based assessments to choose the most appropriate care for patients. Every moment of the day, you will be assessing situations and patients to determine the best route for care, medications, and outcomes. You should be prepared to look at the following characteristics:
Physical assessments of how the patient looks and responds.
- Psychological assessments of the mindset of the patient, including depression, lack of interest in eating, etc.
- Spiritual assessments of the patient regarding hopelessness, fear, or a negative outlook.
- Economic factors, such as lack of money, to ensure care when they are discharged from the hospital.
Patient diagnoses
As a registered nurse, you are a partner with the other medical professionals who deliver care to a patient. Patients in the hospital for longer periods can develop problems like respiratory infections and bedsores.
You should be prepared to diagnose and treat minor issues and consult with the doctor when they are out of your scope of care.
Patient care planning
You will know your patient better than anyone and can assist with care planning, like walking around the hospital floor several times per day. Pain management is another important assessment and plans you will make for your patient.
Many times, doctors leave instructions that you will help the patient follow so their condition or illness can improve and they can leave the hospital faster.
Patient care implementation
Once the patient enters your care, you are responsible for carrying out the orders of the various medical providers. Consistency is key to ensuring your patients get better and can be discharged safely from the hospital or medical facility.
Patient care over the lifespan
Depending on where you choose to work, you will need to deliver care to a wide range of people at different life stages. You could be caring for pediatric patients and their parents, or you might be handling the care of an elderly patient.
Each patient and patient group has unique needs. As a registered nurse, you are responsible for adapting to your patient’s needs and providing vital nursing care.
Broad nursing skills
You can hone your nursing student skills during your online instruction and clinical phase. Some broad nursing skills are part of nursing, in general. When you go to work in a hospital unit or medical center, you will use the broad skills and the finer skills that are part of the medical unit. You need familiarity with the following concentrations:
Phlebotomy nursing
Drawing blood is a skill you will learn in nursing school. While there are phlebotomy technicians who draw blood for multiple patients, there are times when you must draw the patient’s blood. If an emergency or a test requires to be blood drawn, you should be prepared to handle this need.
Telemetry and nursing
A telemetry nurse monitors cardiac patients who have chronic heart disease or other heart disorders. Among the devices you will read is the electrocardiogram. You will also monitor other devices that deliver patient status information. Careful attention to the monitors is a life-saving skill that can help patients with serious cardiac problems recover more quickly.
Wound care and nursing
Some patients will have wounds that need ongoing care, including ostomies, bed ulcers, injuries and more. As part of the care of a wound, you will perform the following tasks to help the wound heal:
- You will assess and monitor the patient’s wound to ensure no infection develops.
- You will care for ostomies, which is the opening for a patient who has experienced the removal of part or all the intestines. The ostomy bag collects the bodily waste that would normally pass through the intestines. Cleaning and care of the opening and bag are essential.
- You will wash, dry, and moisturize the feet of a diabetic. Diabetics are at higher risk for foot wounds, which can lead to an infection that travels through the body.
- You will tend to burns and provide treatment, including removing dead skin.
- You will coordinate with the medical care team to ensure wounds are treated properly.
- You will educate patients and their families on correct wound care and how to spot a worsening wound.
Cardiology and Nursing
Cardiology nurses specialize in the cardiac system. You care for patients who have various heart problems or patients who have had heart surgery. Your role is to monitor your patient’s progress, administer the prescribed medications and alert the cardiologist if there are problems.
Oncology and Nursing
Oncology nurses care for patients who are at risk for or have cancer. Patients with cancer need gentle care and empathy. You are responsible for monitoring their progress, administering medications, and alerting the oncologist if there are concerns.
If you are considering oncology nursing, be certain you are comfortable with end-of-life issues and care.
Endocrinology and Nursing
Endocrinology nurses focus on patients who have disorders of the endocrine. This includes Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, Cushing’s disease, and other endocrine disorders.
Since endocrinology is a complex medical field, you should be able to break down the endocrine disorder into understandable language for your patients and discuss the disorder with the doctors. Many patients with endocrine disorders have comorbidities, like diabetes or cardiac issues, so you will communicate with medical professionals in many departments.
Psychology and Nursing
Today’s nursing practice requires understanding how the mind (psychology) and body relate to overall health. Every nurse needs to be skilled at navigating their patients’ physical and emotional needs.
Anxiety, mental disorders, and chronic illness require a certain understanding of the connection between the patient’s emotional and physical state. Most nursing programs incorporate a psychology class as part of the coursework.
Neurology and Nursing
A neurology nurse cares for patients who have spine and head trauma from accidents, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders. You need a clear understanding of the connection between the nervous system, body, and mind.
You will perform neurological assessments to relay to the neurologist, assist with rehabilitation and attend to wounds.
Neonatal and Nursing
If the thought of working with babies excites you, then neonatal nursing could be for you. A neonatal nurse works with newborn babies who face challenges after birth. You could be working with babies who have heart issues, birth defects, Down’s syndrome, or other problems that cause them to not thrive right away.
Many neonatal nurses work with premature babies. You would work with parents as they adapt to having a premature baby and assist them when they are with their baby. There are three levels of neonatal nursing:
- Level 1 neonatal nursing involves caring for healthy babies after birth. You help mothers learn about their babies, give baths and other care to babies who are in the nursery.
- Level 2 neonatal nursing involves caring for babies who are born at or after 32 weeks. They often have problems that need continual monitoring and care. You would handle IVs, specialized feeding, oxygen therapy, and other needs of the babies.
- Level 3 neonatal nurses care for very early premature babies and those who have congenital issues. You would interact with their care team to provide exceptional care for them, including handling incubators, feeding tubes, monitors, and other machines that aid high-risk babies.
