Every nurse is expected to have remarkable clinical skills from the many years of schooling and training. A skill that nurses may lack due to all the studying is in fact communication. Being up to date on medical information is very important in this profession, but so is communicating. The tone of our voice and the look on our face can convey something we may or may not mean. As a nurse, being able to effectively speak to patients will make your job and their stay easier. Having people skills in addition to your clinical skills will dramatically improve your performance as a nurse. Most patients just want to feel heard, and most nurses are too overwhelmed to do this. 

1. Take A Second To Listen

I know you have a hundred things to do in every given hour, but if you take a second to listen to your patient about their allergy to Ibuprofen, it will help you. The patient can tell you things they like or don’t like which will make them easier for you to take care of. Even if a nurse was the top of his/her class, if they are rude or dismissive towards their patient, that is not the best form of healthcare. 

2. Conflict Resolution

No matter how much patience you show, you are bound to have a patient who doesn’t appreciate any of it. They simply do not want to be there or be there with you. In that case, you have to bite your tongue and be an adult. Do your best to listen to their concerns and understand why they are acting like this. Are they afraid of hospitals? Are they afraid of having blood drawn? Calm them down and listen to them to figure out a solution.  

3. Showing Compassion

Even though you have seen several patients with a broken leg just today, remember, this is new to them. The patient is probably feeling scared. Show compassion as you treat them and assure them that they will be okay. Hearing that from a healthcare professional will definitely calm their nerves. The average person hardly ever sees the inside of a hospital. When they do, it is usually associated with pain, sadness, and the loss of a loved one.  

4. Managing Time 

Throughout your day stay organized if you can. Then you can avoid having to stay late to finish all the charting you were never able to finish during the shift. You may think “I don’t have time for charting”, but there has to be a way. Look at your schedule and make that time. Time may not always be on your side, especially in healthcare, but it is in your best interest to manage your time well. 

5. Networking

Networking will always be one of the ways to advance in the workplace. Being on good terms with your fellow coworkers and supervisors will not only improve your social standing but your career as well. If you are someone who is dependable, hard-working, and reliable to do your job, you will be more likely to receive a promotion than someone who is not. 

Using these people skills is so important and part of what makes nursing such a well-known and respected profession. It is your choice to listen to patients and show compassion. It may take more time but it will have its payoffs, having happy patients and happy families.