Nursing personal development goals
Nurses are essential members of any medical team.
From record keeping and taking vital signs to assisting during diagnostic testing and educating patients, nurses play a vital role in the American health care system. Nurses work in a variety of medical settings, including doctors' offices, clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and long-term care facilities. While many nurses set their own personal goals, there are some career goals and objectives that all nurses share.
Providing Quality Patient Care
A nurse's primary objective - regardless of work environment - is to make sure all of her patients receive quality treatment in a timely manner. Nurses help expedite patient wait times by taking care of routine tasks. For example, nurses check patients' vital signs and ask questions about patients' medical histories so that doctors have as much information as possible when it's their turn to see patients and can get straight to work. Taking care of a patient's needs is rarely a one-person task, so nurses step in to assist physicians during diagnostic tests and various medical procedures. This helps ensure that all procedures are conducted properly.
Educating Patients and Families
Patients don't always understand the potential side effects of the medications they're prescribed, the postoperative instructions they're supposed to follow or even the diagnoses they're given. Nurses play an important role in patient education, and their goal is to make sure all patients fully understand any information provided to them. Nurses listen carefully to their patients' concerns and answer any questions they - or their family members - have. Additionally, some nurses are highly active in their communities and may present seminars or workshops to the public covering various topics related to health.
