Reasons for Choosing Nursing as a Career - Essay Sample

Nursing is perhaps one of the fastest growing occupations in the healthcare workforce, and this phenomenon has culminated in the expansion of career opportunities. Some of the contributory factors include the incorporation of the Affordable Care Act and the proliferation of the aging population in the U.S. I found the job descriptions of a nurse to be appealing in the sense that the responsibility transcends beyond treating injured and sick patients. This may be attributed to the fact that nurses are also expected to offer emotional support and advice to patients and the next of kin including the mandate of assisting clinicians in the diagnosis of patients and providing ideal follow-up care. Such qualities have created a niche demand for nurses which is coupled with the projection that the aging workforce will culminate in new nursing job vacancies in the years to come. Moreover, the growth of populations as a result of increased longevity in life has prompted the need for an augmentation in healthcare service delivery. In essence, the advanced practice nurses would be required for purposes of providing primary care and preventive measures to an extending population.

Ideal Qualities and Attributes for Nursing Practice

I possess solid communication skills which are characterized by the employment of both active speaking and listening approaches. Additionally, such attributes will enable me to gain patient feedback and establish thriving teamwork with my colleagues in regards to problem-solving within the healthcare setting. A nurse is also expected to develop a rapport with the patient and their family, and optimised communication skills are projected to execute such duties. Nursing entails rigorous and seemingly stressful activities which are characterized by the prevalence of traumatic events. Hence, my ability to separate my emotions from the experiences within the health care setting reinforces the attribute of emotional stability. Such traits would be essential in the process of accepting death and suffering without causing emotional disruptions. The application of empathy is necessary for addressing the issue of pain and suffering in patients. Such an attribute enables patients to feel compassion and a sense of care and a patient would feel comfortable with confiding to the attending nurse. The quality of being empathetic catapults nurses to the role of being advocates where they represent the lenient side of hospital bureaucracy. Moreover, my prowess in problem-solving approaches to will be critical in an organization setting where one is expected to think quickly and deal with problems even before they manifest themselves. The application of problem-solving proficiencies may range from soothing a patient, handling the family, dealing with emergencies and managing the staff.

Role of Nurses in Improving Global Healthcare

Due to the daily interaction with hospital systems, nurses are significantly poised to develop a comprehensive knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of the structures and how to improve them. Moreover, nurses can create workarounds within dysfunctional systems hence the increased global focus on the need for patient safety, patient-centered care including efficiency and commitment to patients is synonymous with the dynamism of nurses profession. Moreover, nurses perspectives have been deemed necessary in contemporary healthcare organizations as they have assumed roles in hospital leadership to guide the decision-making process. Nurses, also need to be considered as part of the frontline staff in an effort of not only achieving change but also sustaining it. Such an approach would ensure that patient outcomes such as mortality, pressure ulcers, and length of stay are adequately addressed.