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What are nursing skills? - Top skills need to become a nurse in the UK

A skilled nurse staff providing attentive care to an elderly patient

What are the clinical nursing skills needed? - A guide

Nurses play a crucial role in providing healthcare services. To become a nurse in UK, you need to have specific skills and good qualities. If you are thinking about becoming a nurse, it will be helpful to know what skills you need to do well in this job. Nurses work in different places and often give patients most of the care they need while they're being treated. This article talks about some important skills for registered nurses that can help you do great in your career. 

What are nursing skills?

Nursing skills are abilities that nurses should know to give really good care to their patients. To become a good nurse, they need both technical and soft skills. Technical skills are learned by training and education. Soft skills are personal characteristics or habits that will help you to work with other people efficiently. 

What are some examples of nursing skills?

1) Communication skills 

Being a good communicator is the most important factor to become a good nurse. In nursing you have to interact with your co-workers most of the time. It is really important to update your colleague or give them advice on patient’s condition. Another important part of nursing job is to communicate with patients’ family. Nurses have to explain the condition and treatment of patient to their families in a way they can understand even if its technical. Also making sure patients understand is important so they can agree to treatments. 

2) Medical skills

Nurses pick up medical skills for their specific type of nursing as they finish learning and practicing. This includes the below activities  

  • Taking good care of patients  
  • Planning treatments  
  • Knowing CPR and how to help with heart problems 
  • Using special machines to watch patients closely 
  • Managing cases  
  • Taking care of kids 
  • Understanding medical words 
  • Helping moms during birth 
  • Handling emergencies 
3) Compassion and empathy

It is really important to be kind and understanding in a job like nursing where you take care of others. Nurses have to become extra compassionate as they work closely with patients. Nurses also have to make sure that their patients are happy and comfortable along with giving medicine. Most of the times patients will be feeling uncomfortable and upset because of their illness. Nurses have to deal with all those situations. Even though it can be difficult nurses always should try to understand and support their patients. They take care of people including those with mental health issues. Treating everyone with kindness no matter who they are is a big part of being a good nurse. 

4) Leadership skills

Lots of nurses lead teams or manage different parts of a hospital or clinic. These roles need strong leadership skills to manage the entire nursing team. Good leadership means you can help and inspire your team and guide them to do well. It also includes how you lead and manage tasks, and help your team get better. 

5) Time management skills 

Being good at managing time and staying organized is really important for nurses. They have a lot to do every day, like taking care of patients and handling emergencies. Nurses need to make sure they spend enough time with each patient and handle urgent situations quickly. It's also helpful for nurses to share tips with their teams on how to manage time better, which can help them succeed in their careers.  

6) Organisation skills

Being organized is important in nursing. Patients often need treatments and medicines at specific times, so nurses have to keep track of that. They also make sure patients eat, stay clean and update their medical records. Since nurses often look after several patients, being organized helps them handle everything well. They also help each other at the beginning and end of shifts. Being organized and keeping good records makes sure patients get consistent care, especially in busy places like hospitals. 

7) Attention to detail

Nurses need to be really good at paying attention to small details and thinking logically to do their job well. They have to check patient records, update treatment plans, keep track of symptoms and write down how patients are doing. Being detail-oriented helps them make sure everything is accurate and follows the rules for taking care of patients. 

What approaches should be considered to showcase your nursing skills in the workplace? 
  • Show that you're good at working with others, solving problems, and making compromises to help patients. This shows how well you can communicate and work in tough situations. 
  • Getting good at using computer programs for tasks like taking in patient information and handling insurance and billing shows that you can easily learn new things to do your job well. 
  • Getting better at how you care for patients and teach their families proves that you can treat everyone with fairness and kindness. This demonstrates your eagerness to be a great nurse
  • Think about being a guide to help and encourage new nurses who join your group. This shows how much you care and enjoy helping other medical workers do well. 
  • Step up on your team and be a leader by helping others plan and assign tasks, leading team meetings, and assisting nurses and assistants in making patient care better. 

What are the clinical skills in nursing?

Clinical skills are what healthcare workers use when they check, diagnose, and treat patients. They also include using medical knowledge practically, like analysing blood tests. Doctors, nurses, surgeons, lab techs, medical assistants, and physical therapists all rely on these skills. You can learn these skills during medical school and through hands-on experience during internships, where you treat patients directly. 

Here are some examples of clinical skills 

  • Communication 
  • Observation 
  • Analysis  
  • Giving Medication 
  • Managing cases  
  • Collaboration 
  • Diagnostics 
  • Proficiency with computers. 
  • Record keeping 
  • Examination 
  • Emergency care 

A skilled nurse can bring people together and give excellent care. If you need certified agency nurses in the UK, contact the Nurses Group. 

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