Registered Nurse
Nurses are the structural beam of a hospital. Without nurses’ hospitals and clinics would seize to function properly. A nurse provides support to the doctors by completing tasks like checking vitals, cleaning the patients, and assisting the medical doctors whenever required. Some nurses are found in large hospitals, some in small clinics, and some work at care homes.
The main role of a nurse is to provide quality care to a patient. Nursing can be challenging but also rewarding. It requires a lot of skill, compassion, and hard work. To be a nurse you need to be knowledgeable in various medicinal activities. Furthermore, nurses are required to be tech-savvy that is being able to operate some hospital machines like x-ray machines and medical monitors. Apart from hard skills, nurses need to possess soft skills also. Empathy is one of the necessary traits required to be a nurse. Nurses need to show kindness to patients and the family of patients.
Requirements
For you to be a nurse in South Africa you need to have a higher certificate in auxiliary nursing. Furthermore, you need to be registered with the South African Nursing Council (SANC).
Roles of a nurse
- writing and updating clinical records
- supervising other junior staff
- organizing work shifts of junior staff
- giving emotional support to patients and family
- training junior nurses
- scheduling doctor-patient consultations
- administering medicine
- checking and recording patient samples, pulses, temperatures, and blood pressures
Skills required
- Physical and mental Fitness
- compassion
- teamwork
- Observational skills
- Verbal and written communication skills
- Resilience
- Ability to work under pressure
- Interpersonal skills
