Nursing
is both incredibly rewarding and incredibly exhausting. The profession has a
high rate of burnout as well as a high turnover, as young nurses leave the
profession sometimes within months of completing their training. While
self-care is essential for survival as a nurse, and employers must also do
their bit for the welfare of their staff, a critical ingredient in the make-up
of any nurse is the right mindset.
Attitude comes first
Developing
the mindset or mental attitude of a successful nurse is one of the first things
that any nursing student needs to do. Arguably, this is just as important as
the technical skills learnt on a nursing course. One of the biggest online
nursing programs, Wilkes
University psychology, bears this out, with a strong emphasis on
cultivating the right outlook and thorough student support in the form of
guidance and counseling.
Identifying the mindset
A mindset is a mental attitude to your job and the situations you regularly face. Think of it as your personal programming. It’s the way that you look at the world, the way that you process your experiences and emotions, and the way that you respond to what life throws at you. With the right mindset, you can generate positive energy that will not only keep you going but will also energize those around you.
Soft skills
Bundled up with the nursing mindset are what might be called soft skills. A good nurse needs to be observant, always looking, listening and above all empathizing. They need to be naturally caring at all times, and be able to communicate well and pay attention to details. Good problem-solving skills sit alongside personal resilience and a good sense of humor. Above all else, you need to be committed to the job you’re doing.
A sense of purpose
You’ll hear it said many times that nursing is a calling. Successful nurses see their career as a vocation, one that they’re compelled to undertake not just for the money but also because it enables them to make a difference in the world. Alongside service to other people when they are most in need, nurses can generate a powerful sense of self-fulfillment as they follow their passion. What they are doing matters, and it’s by hanging onto this belief that nurses get through the many incredibly tough shifts they will experience over the course of their working lives.
Shining through
Nursing students with the right mindset often find this shining through even before they begin working professionally. It can manifest as the willingness to go the extra mile, to always do the best you can and put in the hours to excel at your course.
Nursing
students with the right mindset are always punctual and have a strong sense of
self-belief. This certainly doesn’t mean that they think that the world owes
them a living or that they can coast through life without making an effort. It
means that they know that they can tap into the inner strength to do the hard
work that’s necessary to succeed and overcome the obstacles ahead of them.
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