Nurses may
seem like superheroes at times, but they are still people, very hard-working
people, but still people. They have
personalities, unique to themselves, just as everyone does. With every nurse is a different personality,
and this what creates a different style of nursing for each nurse.
Direct & To the Point
The direct and
to-the-point nurse cares for their patients just as every other nurse. They
just don't exactly display the emotions as much. They tend to be direct, and say what they
mean, without adding a lot of idle talk or humor to the conversation at
hand. Some patients prefer someone that
is very matter-of-fact, in their mannerism, and would just as soon skip the
friendly talk and get right to the point.
The pros of the more direct nurse are that they tend to be very
forthcoming with information, if they know something about your condition, then
you will know something as well, the
nurse delivers information you are entitled to. Patients can generally depend on what the
nurse with the more direct style says, as they are usually very precise and to
the point.
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Nurturing
Some people
just prefer that nurturing personality, especially when they are sick. Of course patients do not have the option to
pick and choose their nurse for the day or night. A study was done on percentages and
preferences of nursing styles. The study
was conducted at multiple hospitals, with patients of varying ages and medical
conditions, the results were as follows:
- Patients prefer nurses that are direct and to the point- 30%
- Patients that prefer a sympathetic bedside manner with a nurse- 28%
- Patients that indicated it depended on their own mood- 15%
- Patients that had no preference- 27%
Not a real
significant difference in what most people prefer. As personalities differ, it's apparent that
preferences among patients differ as well, and proof positive that one nursing
style is not better than the other.
Flexibility
Flexibility is
essential when working in a hospital.
The 24/7 shifts all must be adequately covered, and on occasion your
normal working shift may need to be altered.
Your willingness to be flexible can go a long way in demonstrating to
coworkers and superiors your ability to be a team player, something that
companies greatly appreciate.
Balancing Work & Personal Time
While
flexibility in nursing is a great attribute,
it is also essential to have a personal life, and time for
yourself. As long as there are
emergencies, severe weather, or outbreaks of flu, there will be a need for
flexibility in schedules with nurses.
Emergency situation can appear at any given moment, and you may be asked
to give up personal time to assist in the situation. In most circumstances,
these are reasonable requests, and as a nurse you want to ensure all patients
receive adequate care, which requires adequate staffing. However, there are times that it is necessary
to determine if you need to turn down overtime offers in order to maintain a
balance of work with a personal life. A
nurse explains, she worked for a 400 bed hospital, and enjoyed her job, and
working with her coworkers. Her
supervisors really appreciated her hard work, and her ethics, however most of
all they appreciated her ability to cover shift openings when needed. With no immediate family, this particular
nurse was always the one that everyone needing coverage would turn to. At 50 years of age, the nurse was considering
changing careers, as she felt she was at the point of burning out. She knew she was too young to retire,
however, she felt overworked, and exhausted.
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She finally
took the advice of a good friend and added up the number of hours in overtime
she averaged in a month. Taking this
information to her supervisor, she brought up the fact that she had averaged 70
hours of unplanned overtime each month, and it was slowly burning her out. This was a case that is not that uncommon in
hospitals, often those willing to cover any open shift may feel, as though they
are being taken advantage of. A good
rule to remember is, when starting a nursing career is to be sure to balance
working time, with an appropriate amount of personal time. It's great to be flexible, provided it is not
on a regular basis and to the point that you feel obligated to cover every
shift that is requested of you.
Flexibility
is great, provided it allows for you to have adequate free time away from
work. If you feel that you are being
taken advantage of, speak up. Discuss
concerns with your supervisor, or if necessary, human resource staff. Nursing is a very difficult job, and it
requires an alert and attentive personnel. Balance flexibility with reality,
and continue to be a great nurse that is well rested.
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