What are the qualities of a good nurse? If you are compassionate and caring, motivated and committed, calm under pressure, and interested in career advancement opportunities, you may have what it takes to be a nurse. Nurses also need a strong work ethic and to be committed to lifelong learning.
“Is nursing right for me?” It isn’t always easy to determine if nursing is the right career path for you, but one way is to consider whether you have the qualities of a good nurse. Traits like empathy and compassion, and soft skills like communication and organization, are all as essential in this line of work as knowing how to monitor vital signs.
If you’ve ever thought, “Should I become a nurse?” you owe it to yourself to dive deeper. You might find that you are a good fit for the University of St. Thomas’ Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in Houston, Texas. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible to apply. You could earn your nursing degree in as few as 12 months after completing prerequisites.
Is Nursing Right for Me?
Many facts are needed to answer the question, “Should I become a nurse?” You might consider the opportunities for advancement, salary potential, job growth rate, and typical responsibilities. The traits of a good nurse and whether you have them or are willing to cultivate them are a good starting point.
1. You Are Motivated and Committed
UST’s 12-month accelerated nursing program requires dedication and drive. The fast-paced curriculum and online coursework demand diligence and hard work for success, and those values don’t change after graduation.
If you’re wondering whether nursing is right for you, you need to assess how committed and motivated you are to becoming a nurse and providing quality healthcare. In the nursing field, this includes staying current on new policies and procedures, earning certifications in specialized areas, and going above and beyond to be an asset to your workplace.
2. You Perform Well Under Pressure
The healthcare field can get hectic at times. You may have to deal with situations you don’t expect or take on different roles as needed.
Here's why prerequisites in nursing are important.
One of the qualities of a good nurse is the ability to remain calm and collected during chaotic situations. Working as a nurse can be exciting and fulfilling, but there will certainly be times that feel stressful or out of your control. Being a knowledgeable and dependable nurse during these times is vital, and giving care under stress isn’t something that’s right for everyone.
3. You Are Caring and Compassionate
If you connect easily with others and are good at making people feel comfortable, you already have some traits of a good nurse. Patient care works in sync with empathy and compassion, so being able to talk to people from different walks of life and demonstrate respect and dignity is a big part of the job.
If putting a smile on a patient’s face or assisting a patient with a difficult problem energizes you, nursing may be right for you.
4. You’re Looking for a Career With Opportunity to Grow
Nursing is a dynamic career that has many avenues to explore. Becoming a nurse may not just mean working in a hospital setting. It also includes less traditional pathways such as:
- Travel nurse
- Home healthcare nurse
- Legal nurse consultant
UST’s ABSN program in Texas covers a wide range of nursing topics, diving into research, management, and community health to prepare graduates to pursue any type of nursing career. With a BSN from the University of St. Thomas, you could also later decide to earn an advanced nursing degree to become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), such as a nurse practitioner. There are plenty of opportunities to pursue professional growth in this field.
Interested in becoming a nurse practitioner? Discover how to become an NP if you don’t yet have a nursing degree.
5. You’re Prepared for Nursing School
Because our program incorporates the curriculum of a traditional four-year program into just 12 months, you must have the needed dedication. You’ll need to be organized and on top of assignments, quizzes, lab work, clinicals, and more.
Nursing school is a good barometer of how you’ll do as a working nurse. If you can succeed in your program, you can likely rise to meet the challenges you’ll encounter as a professional nurse.
6. You Love Being Active
Nursing requires you to quickly move to and from patient rooms, stay on your feet for long periods of time, and lift heavy items and occasionally people. If you love a fast-paced environment and enjoy staying active during your shift, nursing could be a great career for you.
Even if you don’t have this particular trait of a good nurse, nursing might still be right for you. Not all nursing specialties are as fast-paced as emergency nursing.
7. You Have Good Communication Skills
Communication skills are also part of the qualities of a good nurse, since nurses must work collaboratively with other nurses, doctors, and other healthcare providers, as well as with patients and their family members. It’s essential to communicate clearly and respectfully with people from different backgrounds.
Communication skills include:
- Active listening
- Interpreting and using non-verbal communication cues
- Speaking
- Writing
8. You Have a Flexible, Growth-Oriented Mindset
Nursing is an ideal profession for those who are eager to learn new things every day. As a nurse, you’ll often encounter routine cases, but you’ll also work on complex cases involving comorbidities and complications. It’s crucial to approach each new situation as a learning opportunity. You should also actively seek professional development and continuing education opportunities throughout your nursing career.
9. You Have a Strong Work Ethic
While it varies by nursing specialty, nurses often spend long shifts on their feet, rushing from patient to patient and juggling a wide range of responsibilities. It’s essential to be the type of person who has a good work ethic and who genuinely takes pride in what they do.
What If I Don’t Have These Traits Yet?
There is no single trait that defines a good nurse. Rather, nurses who are effective at their jobs can draw from a mixed skillset of hard and soft skills. If you’re concerned that you lack some of these traits or that they aren’t fully developed, there are steps you can take to support your personal and professional growth. In addition to developing your soft skills at UST, the following can help:
- Learning from those around you, particularly working nurses you’ll encounter during clinical rotations
- Pursuing professional development opportunities
- Working with a nurse mentor
- Focusing on being a good team member who learns from those around you
- Accepting, reflecting upon, and incorporating constructive criticism
Make a Bold Call for Your Future
If you’re still wondering whether you have the traits of a good nurse, a conversation with our admissions advisors can help you determine if you’re right for our program. When you work with our admissions team, your advisor will answer your questions about the program, review your eligibility, and discuss your reasons for wanting to become a nurse. Your dedicated admissions advisor will also help you navigate the admissions process.
At UST, you’ll enjoy personalized support with dedicated faculty members, small class sizes, and Academic Success Coaches. Plus, there’s no waitlist, so you can get started sooner. Don’t wait; contact an admissions advisor today.