Here’s what it takes to become a successful nurse:

Natural Abilities And Characteristics Common To Success

• Good math ability.
• Good communications skills (is able to read, write and speak effectively; understand and follow written instructions; nursing requires a great deal of recordkeeping and verbal interaction with people)
• Is a detail person.
• Must be able to make quick, good decisions based on the use of good logic and analytical skills.
• Must be able to work under stress.
• Should be a person of character, honesty, and integrity.
• Has the ability to work cooperatively as part of a team.
• Abstract thinking, which is necessary to understand  concepts.
• Believes that people are worthy of respect and dignity.

Facts to Help You Decide on Nursing as a Career Choice

• Nursing is a demanding career that requires dedicated, caring professionals.
• Registered nurses make decisions that affect the quality of their patient’s lives.
• Nursing is a wonderful, diverse career choice, and the need for nurses is great.
• Registered nurses are required to calculate medication dosages, safe dose for weight, IV meds and solutions, and determine ratios for mixing some solutions.  This requires math and critical thinking skills.
• New RNs report the five most important areas they use in their work: communication, pathophysiology, knowledge to perform skills, pharmacology, and clinical decision making.

What Does A Nurse Do?

• Makes decisions quickly.
• Anticipates a patient’s needs.
• Calculates safe dosages and accurate dosages of medication, IV rates, solutions.
• Manages licensed and unlicensed personnel.
• Provides care for patients without direct supervision.
• Identifies changes in the patient’s condition and documents and communicates this to other health care providers.
• Uses computer skills.
• Performs specific procedures that require manual dexterity.
• Develops a plan of care for the patient.
• Provides patient care with respect for the individual and family.