Their skills are thoroughly assessed to be sure that they can handle patients well. They undergo nursing competency checklist test and has to pass certain examinations. To be in a cath lab, or any lab like orthopedic labs and pediatric labs is not just that. To be in the ICU or PACU needs some expertise to do the work there. So in nursing, skills need to be perfectly ascertained. A nursing skills checklist is a must for every nursing student or CNA student. In this article, you will learn some things about nursing skills checklist. You will know what to put in this checklist and how you can be a good nurse. So, if you are a nursing student who wants to know more about nursing, get relaxed and keep on reading!
15+ SAMPLE Nursing Skills Checklist
What is a Nursing Skills Checklist?
A nursing skills checklist is a list of skills that a nurse should have. It give details for every skills and ways on how a nursing student can achieve these skills. The skills can be technical knowledge or definite methods about self-care. A checklist is the best thing nurses could have. They can have the list of competencies that they have to develop before they could start their work. They will know the abilities that they have to possess in nursing. Skills and competencies are important for nurses to have because nursing is not a simple job. The life of the patients is the something that is on the line so we have to pay full attention in giving their needs. Nursing care plan is a very delicate work because people entrust their lives at the hand of the nurses, who are required to give proper care to them. So a checklist is very much needed so that nursing students will start to study and be accustomed to the clinical skills for nurses that are written in the checklist. If you are a nursing student, you should have a nursing skills checklist book or some nursing skills checklist form. It will help you in your nursing career.
What to Find in a Nursing Skills Checklist
Haven’t seen a nursing clinical skills checklist or a nursing assistant skills checklist? Well, you can find what is written in a nursing skills checklist below. Find out and see that they are the following:
The nurse should be stable in emotions. Tough situations can always happen in the day while nurses are working. Joy or sadness may affect them. There are times that a patient can die and it will caught them into surprise. They can even get frustrated when a patient cannot recover soon enough. But, nurses should not be overwhelmed with these kind of emotions. They must be stable at all times. They have to bear in mind that patients rely on them so they have to show that they are someone who is strong. They should not be so much affected by anything. It is a part of their job. Emotional stability is something that a nurse should learn.The nurse should have eagerness to learn. Although a professional license is needed to be a nurse, still there are a lot of things that a nurse should learn in work. A nurse must have the desire to learn. Yes, they can make good decisions at crucial circumstances through practice guidelines, but there are many things that they have to learn at work. Healthcare is always evolving, and a continuing education is needed. New medical machines are invented, and on these things, a nurse have to humble themselves to learn to operate these things. Even more so, there can be some changes in doing observations. So, a nurse should be always ready to be trained about new things on healthcare profession.The nurse needs to be empathetic. Empathy is being able to feel the hurt of others. It is also being able to sympathize with them. A nurse needs to have this so that they can relate to patients who experiences frustrations and sadness as they go along with their sickness. Nurses have to have the heart to understand. They cannot be some unconcerned being around the patient. They can better give medical assistance if they know how to feel the needs of others. Actually, every patient needs someone who can care about their needs. So, a nurse should have empathy in able to serve better in any medical institution.A nurse should have good communication skills. To be a good nurse, he or she must know how to communicate with patients in the best way. Talking to patients must come naturally. Nurses must have good communication skills. They must know how to make the patients tell how they are feeling. They must speak in a good tone that can make the patients at ease with them. How can the patients tell what was wrong with them if nurses are not easy to communicate with? Nurses should know how to develop their communication skills to be an effective talker that can make the patients to confide with them. Also, with good communication skills, nurses will be able to deliver necessary messages to the doctors and other hospital attendants.Nurses should be good in decision making. Nurses should have a critical thinking. In hospitals, other people’s lives are at stake. They should know how to decide well. They cannot compromise the health and the lives of the patients. They must know how to evaluate facts and to come at right conclusions. They must know how to interpret data, how to prioritize the needs of patients, and how to address clinical issues. They must know how to use diagnostic results on deciding how to take care of patients. Critical thinking is important because whatever their decision is, it is their sole responsibility. The health of the patient is what at risk so they have to be right with every decision that they make.The nurse must be good in mathematics. Though the profession is about science, mathematics cannot be avoided. Nurses should have a quick knowledge about numbers. They must know the metric system and must know how to measure different data such as bodily outputs. Every data should be right or doctors may come to a wrong prescription. A nurse could not let that happen. They must be able to calculate medical things like the rate of vital signs. They must be able to discern how to give medication doses. Mathematics is one thing that nurses should master somehow.Nurses should have versatility. Nursing work requires flexibility. Nurses can work by the day, and even overnights. To be a nurse, you must accept that you will have this kind of schedule. You must be ready for a shifting schedule that will make you awake even at overnight hours. You must be also willing to work even at weekends. Well, this kind of schedule is not bad at all. You can have a flexible schedule ahead of you. For those who love a shift system, being a nurse can be good to you. So this is one thing that can be in a nursing orientation skills checklist.The nurse should be flexible. Nurses should be ready to adapt changes. There is no average day in the life of a nurse. They would never know how many patients can require their help at a time. So, flexibility is a good trait that nurses should have. Whatever circumstance will happen at the hospital, they could adapt to it. Sometimes, work in the hospital becomes heavy, especially if there are a lot of patients. Though essential nursing skills could help them, it is still best that nurses has flexibility as a competency. They will be able to do every kind of work that will be given to them.A nurse should have physical endurance. Usually, nurses work between 8-12 hours. To be able to do this kind of work, the nurse should have a good physical stamina. Their work requires bending, turning, lifting, and they are usually on their feet for a long time. To endure everything, they must be physically fit. Sometimes, patients can even ask their assistance to walk them or to help them sit or stand. With these instances, nurses should have a good physical strength. It is one thing that should be in a nursing skills checklist for resume or nursing skills checklist for home health.A nurse should be open-minded. If you know what are the basic nursing skills, you will tell that nurses should need to be open-minded. Sometimes, patients do not want to have medical treatment just because of their religious beliefs. Nurses should know how to handle this kind of thing. They must not force the patients to do anything against their will. They must be willing to accept all differences. They must have cultural competence. It is the ability to handle patients in different languages and beliefs. Nurses should adjust to the patients that they are taking care of. They must be open-minded to all their requests.A nurse should be respectful. Every nurse need to practice professional courtesy. They must speak to the patients with the nicest tone that they can have. They have to be in a friendly manner or in a manner that denotes their profession – giving care to them. The patients will feel at ease with them if they will do that. It will be easier to communicate with the patients. One cannot be a nurse without being respectful. It is a must in this profession. It is one of things that will show that they are really giving care to the patients. A soft or gentle tone is necessary.A nurse needs to have patience. One of the best characteristic that a nurse should have is patience. Nurses needs to be patient with all the patients. They are people who especially need that kind of care because they are sick. Some patients may be irritable. Some will vomit at their front. Some will not be willing to take medications. In times like these, nurses should understand their patients and be always kind to them. Patience is one thing that they should not forget. If you are a nursing student, put patience on the top of your long-term care nursing tips.
How to Be a Successful Nurse
Aside from a nursing skills checklist, we will show you some steps on how you can be a successful nurse. Read the following steps and learn some things on nursing:
Step 1: You have to be reliable.
As a nurse, you must know that patients are counting on you. They are sick, and they need someone to look after them. Medical things need some essential knowledge, and you are the one who can guide them for that. Whatever the patient needs, you must give them that. Be also apt in reporting to the doctor all the observations that you can get on the patient. You have to be especially reliable, that every time that the patient needs you, you are there. Never neglect your work or the patient. Play the good role of the nurse always. You must be dedicated in all you do.
Step 2: Put the patient first.
At your work, you should have in mind to always have the priority on your patients. Their needs must come first. Do not discriminate any patient. Help them whatever their background is. Even if the patient has no good personality, you must be quick in attending to his or her needs. If the condition of the patient is worst, it is even more necessary for you to give proper care.
Step 3: Have continuing education.
Continuing education will further your career. You will be updated to the new medical breakthrough, and you will be reliable in all conditions of all the patients. It is important that you are always eager to learn new things. Medical is always advancing. You have to go along with the flow. Whatever things that you have to learn, be quick to study about it. It will be a good investment for your career. You will know everything in your profession.
Step 4: Invest on programs.
You may want to consider RN to BSN program. It will be a good investment for you. You need certifications that will make you eligible. You can work with a better hospital if you will finish programs. You will get a better salary. Not only this, you can learn new skills that you can apply in your work. Your job will be more rewarding.
FAQs
How Can a Nursing Skills Checklist Help Me?
It will remind you of all the skills that you should have in your nursing career. You will be able to develop these skills. These competencies will be needed in your work so you better learn them. These are necessary skills that you should possess.
Where Can I Find a Nursing Skills Checklist?
There are nursing skills checklist that are available on the internet. Browse the internet using your laptop. Or if you want, you can make your own checklist. Find a nursing skills checklist template that you can use. Edit it and then have a printable copy.
Nursing is a good career. It is in demand in rich countries, and it can give a good salary. Nurses are needed because everyday, a lot of people are getting sick, and there is a need for somebody to take care of them. To help you in your career, you may want to make a nursing skills checklist. This post can be a lot of a help to you. It has 15+ SAMPLE Nursing Skills Checklist in PDF. They are downloadable and editable. Get one now! And create your own nursing skills checklist that can be a roadmap to your career!
