So many of us are obsessed with our jobs and our skills. It’s not just in our career field, though. Even within our personal lives, we are constantly bombarded with the idea that we are the best. And while that may be true for most of us, some of us are more than others.
I am not sure what it is that people are looking for in their nurses in the first place, but I do know that this kind of thing is a problem. Because while we all strive to be the best, there are some of us who are extremely talented. And we tend to surround ourselves with people who are more talented than we are, so the idea of being good at something, even if it’s a new skill, seems to be the default.
People who are good at nursing can be great at other things, but they are also great at nursing. It’s not a competition, it’s not a competition about the absolute best, it’s a competition about being good at, and getting good at, nursing. And it can be a very difficult balance to maintain.
I think a lot of nurse practitioners like to think that they are just good at the job, but I have had nurses who were more talented than me, but I was the one who got to practice. I can get better at something, but not necessarily better than anyone else. That doesn’t mean I’m not good at other things, but as a nurse practitioner, I am only as good as the people I am surrounded by.
The nurse practitioner position is often considered to be one of the most physically demanding jobs in America. To get into nursing school, you must pass a rigorous selection process. You then have 60 days to get your license and then you will be assigned a room full of highly trained nurses. It can be hard to find a balance between being fast and accurate, but as nurse practitioners we have to make decisions based on the best available information.
The nurses I’ve worked with over the past few years have all been great. I’m not going to pretend that they’re all super-knowledgeable, or that they’re all saints. They are all extremely competent, but there are times when you have to draw the line somewhere.
Ive been a nurse for over 30 years and I know a lot about the field, but I think the biggest difference between a nurse and other health care professionals is that a nurse has to make decisions on the spot based on a lot of patient-specific information. The ones who are capable of being really fast and accurate, and who know how to make that line be drawn, are not nurses. They are doctors.
The fact is that most of the information you need to know to be a good nurse comes from the patient, not you. The main thing that counts in the game is how well you listen to the patient and follow their instructions. A nurse who doesn’t really listen to patient needs, or even a nurse who isn’t fast enough to get the patient’s needs met, can only be a really bad nurse.
Again, most of the information you need to know to be a good doctor comes from the patient. If you can follow the patient’s instructions, then you can be fast and accurate. But what really counts is how well you listen to the patient and follow their instructions. A physician who doesnt truly listen to the patient needs, or even a doctor who isnt fast enough to get the patients needs met, can only be a really bad doctor.
The difference between fast and slow is all about attitude. It depends on the doctor. A fast doctor lets the patient do as they like. A slow doctor is more of a leader. He lets the patient do what he wants, but he is not a leader. Leadership is the ability to inspire others, to have the will to make others believe in you, to lead them.
