What is a registered nurse?
A registered nurse is a specially educated healthcare professional that assists physicians, administers drugs and sees to the care and comfort of patients. Their responsibilities and duties will vary depending on their specialities and the place of their work, but their core tasks are:
- Monitoring patients and informing physicians of any progress of changes in their condition
- Education of the general public
- Treatment planning
- Filing and reporting
- Taking patients details
- Directing visitors and ensuring patients safety
Skills
Nurses should have high levels of empathy and deep passion for helping people. The ability to deal with highly stressful situations, as well as work for long hours without breaks is essential. On top of this, great nurses are great listeners. Patients who feel as if their problems are being listened to generally fair better than those who don’t, and are more likely to pass on information helpful to their recovery.
Education
To become a registered nurse, you have to complete a three year degree that includes both study and hands-on training. Specialisation in a certain area will require more study and training time.
