Nursing is a vocational degree program that provides knowledge about patients and patient care, packed up with the bundle of roles in health and wellness; to work for any possible in clinical and nonclinical roles. Nursing degree programs are best for those who have an inclination towards social welfare, or the people who have a greater interest in medicine and healthcare. People who possess the flare of community service within the healthcare management and development or hospitals.
It requires dedication and allegiance of serving humanity in the true sense if you become a healthcare service provider or a nurse practitioner. Apart from being one of the most demanding professions, it is also one of the most prestigious ones. The nursing profession is quite a vast field however, it demands complete commitment for greater job security. Acquiring the nursing degree gives you the knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pharmacy, nutrition, drawing blood, assisting the surgeons, taking vital signs of the patients, basic care, attending the emergency requirements of a patient, and a lot more. Nursing practitioners have to perform normal tasks involving first aid to the injured or taking care of the new-borns in natal care units, but also show some of the higher-level responsibility jobs in providing care and comfort with compassion towards the patients. It is a type of job that is quite challenging since it can involve saving the lives of many people.
There are many ways of getting a qualified nursing practitioner license, but before that, you must have a proper graduate degree in hand. There are many institutes that are offering nursing practitioner degrees, you can even register in the Master of Science in nursing online for a convenient and self-paced program. This degree can put you on a path towards a responsible yet rewarding and meaningful career path.
What does a Nurse practitioner do?
The ever-increasing population and Healthcare reforms are a few of the reasons for the higher demand for qualified healthcare professionals. Nursing practitioners are required to fill the gap and provide professional services to cover the shortage of healthcare professionals. Specialty nurse practitioners are bridging the gap by their expertise. According to the national governor’s association, the demand will increase further, and this is the best time to pursue a degree in nursing for professional advancement.
Nurse practitioners (NPs) are a type of advanced practice registered nurse, whose experience, specialized education and clinical training; help them to provide a higher level of care and perform clinical duties that resident nurses are not licensed to do it. Nurse practitioners focus on specialized areas for a specific type of population, which may include pediatrics, geriatrics, adult medicine or mental healthcare. With the procurement of advanced degree programs, they are able to practice independently or take on roles similar to that of a doctor.
According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are around more than 270,000 nurse practitioners. This is a great big pool to stand out in the market and compete in the market. Any kind of nursing is challenging; however, the nursing practitioner has additional duties and responsibilities to fulfill with care and vigilance. Cumulatively nurses are an emblem of character that exudes caring, compassion, integrity and dedication to bring out optimized patient results. This type of job demands flexibility, creativity and the utmost level of energy to surpass the hectic day. This nurse practitioner position demands the need for clarity, advocacy, optimized communication, and interpersonal relations.
Here are the following five ways that can help the nurse practitioners to excel and stand out from the stream of several masters of nurse practitioner:
- Mental and Physical Endurance:
Prepare for the unexpected. You never know what your day will bring for you as a nurse practitioner. Each day is packed with new challenges and surprises, so lots of personal reflections and discussions with peers along with cultivating skills can help you in managing something that you have not faced before. Successful nurse practitioners must have the mental and physical strength to cope with the pressure and stress, of the complexity and seriousness of the job. Sometimes your job requires you to work long hours and have stressed feet, standing all the time to see your patients that need special care. You may come across some of the patients that are scared, angry, in pain, confused or depressed. This is where your skills play a vital role in handling the patients who are not patient, cooperative, pleasant or appreciative. Being a nurse practitioner, it is their duty to provide valuable treatment, education, and empathy for all your patients. Successful nurse practitioners should be introspective, handle stress well and accept criticism. Developing a coping mechanism is a skill that practicing nurses will cultivate as they move forward in their careers. Every nurse needs to figure out their coping technique when they encounter conflicts. However, it is not easy to adapt to new techniques and approaches, though the successful nurses will sharpen their focus and will settle well with just a little effort.
- Make technology your friend:
While the new nurses might not have years of patient experience, they will have essential technical skills and greater familiarity with new applications and software. Technological advances move faster than nursing advancement. Generally, the nurses that have not grown up with the technology tend to struggle more than the nurse practitioner who has grown with the technological presence (millennials). Technology is changing rapidly and with apps and software that determine the appropriate medication dosage, medicine interaction and patient history record website; technology is an integral part of modern nursing.
- Manage Your Time:
It is a known fact that the life of a nurse practitioner will revolve around the clinical rotations, exams of your program, studying and other practical work experience if you aim to achieve an excellent career. Apart from that, you might be juggling through your family life, taking care of other obligations, work and a lot more. Manage your time well and respect it as a rare commodity.
- Develop Critical Thinking/Reasoning:
The nurse practitioner should possess the skill of critical thinking and reasoning, for the best treatment approach. In order to excel in your profession, it is important that you adapt to the changing situations, unique patient presentation, unusual medication combinations and a lot of care for the patient. Having an eye for assessing and evaluating the whole scenario by the virtue of critical thinking and reasoning, is essential to your success as a nurse practitioner.
- Practise Effective Communication:
It takes a lot of skills and active listening to hear your patient’s side of the story and his perception of his illness. Good communication builds on the ground of listening to the other side. Those who really excel as a nurse practitioner, use their innate communication skills, in order to drive themselves towards the victory of a successful career. Proper listening is as important as diagnostic skills. Good communication is as important as giving proper medicine to the patient. Take care that the communication is kind, compassionate, empathetic and meaningful for your patient.
Conclusion
Nurse practitioners should consider adopting all the above-mentioned skills that are required to succeed from which some are easier to gain than the others. You actually start learning when you step into the practical rotations. It is simply the knowledge behind the skills that you need, in order to fulfill your dream career as an accomplished nurse practitioner. Finally, the most important aspect of excelling as a nurse practitioner is the one who performs complete communication protocol with patients and follows other techniques.