5 WAYS TO UPSKILL NURSING PRACTICES

Nursing is one of the oldest, yet one of the most sacred professions around the globe. The
medical profession would have excelled the way it has for centuries if the nurses would not have
been apt, smart, and humble enough to cater to the needs of patients and doctors alike. However,
in order to remain topnotch within a profession and keep pace with the ever-advancing
technologies one needs to be constantly on the move to sharpen their skills and increase their
knowledge. The same goes for nurses since nursing is never a stagnant profession! Here are 5 of
the ways nurses can upskill their nursing practices:

1) Keep abreast with continuing education:

Being a nurse can be tiring but the burden can be decreased when you are well versed with "what
to do", " how to do", and "when to do what"! This " epiphany" comes with the golden rule of
being aware of the recent advances in medical and nursing practices, which in turn comes when
you befriend the trends of continuing medical education. Attend seminars and relevant
workshops to learn or advance the skills. Be a part of the committee meetings so that you can
gain knowledge regarding the medical audit. Always try to be at the forefront during medical
ward rounds which can be fruitful in learning about the patient as well as about the medical
conditions and treatment.

2) Master the art of effective communication:

Communication skills are the core of almost every professional realm. Hence, in order to up your
nursing game, mastery of the EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS should be your
foremost priority. Effective communication skills are learned through practice and are not
acquired in a day. Hence, be patient and try to incorporate everyday experiences to count in for
your learning. Try to seek the flaws and rectify them by ascertaining the ways to improve what
has gone wrong communication-wise.

3) Be empathetic:
Nursing is equivalent to caring but the successful nurse must equate it with EMPATHETIC
caring. Being empathetic allows you to put yourself in the shoes of the patient or the doctor and
then be able to relate to what are things going on for them! Being non-biased, and non-
judgmental is the key to being empathetic. Approach your patients, colleagues, and even family
members with an unbiased, understanding viewpoint, that can lead you to make empathy one of
your personality traits.

4) Be a part of a professional nursing body:

Being a part of an official professional body allows you to grow and flourish professionally
while securing and protecting your rights.
5) Think critically
Nursing is a demanding profession. Hence, always try to be logical and think out of the box
which can help you be an efficient and effective member of the medical team, yet excel in your
career.

Putting into practice the above-mentioned points, nurses can prosper while being a highly
regarded and important factor in the medical care chain. However, one should always be light on
themselves, never pressurizing and only pushing yourself incrementally, each time taking
smaller leaps and one thing at a time, into account.

References:

https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-nursing/

https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/vital-nursing-skills/

https://learn.uvm.edu/blog/blog-health/skills-for-nursing

https://online.norwich.edu/academic-programs/resources/empathy-in-nursing#:~:text=What
%20Is%20Nurse%20Empathy%3F,%2C%20cognitive%2C%20and%20behavioral
%20implications.

https://www.nursingcenter.com/ncblog/march-2019/top-10-soft-skills-for-nurses