Medical Surgical Nursing Careers
Medical surgical nursing is one of the first nursing specialties encountered by graduate nurses. Medical surgical units provide the foundation of learning for novice nurses by exposing them to a multitude of medical conditions experienced by clients of various adult age groups. Some nursing directors point out that medical surgical units have changed over the years, in a way resembling the intensive care units of the past. This change was inevitable since today patients have more than one medical problem and usually present with co-morbidities such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Therefore a medical surgical nurse must care for increasingly complex clients by keeping up-to-date on the treatments and the rapidly changing medical technology. Excellent assessment and strong critical thinking skills are important to provide optimal care for medical surgical patients.
What makes medical surgical nursing so complex? One reason is that it requires in-depth knowledge of multiple diseases, medications, and diagnoses. A medical surgical patient may be hospitalized for a wide array of medical problems, from seizures, to pneumonia, to surgery, and in addition suffer from other ailments such as dementia, substance abuse, or diabetes and heart disease. The nurse must integrate treatments which address all the problems the patient is facing while taking into account the age group, as well as social and psychological implications.
Patients on such units range from twenty years old to 90 years old and on a given shift a nurse may care for patients in six different age groups. Nurses must be flexible and have the ability to understand what nursing interventions work best for each patient condition. Compassion, efficiency, a love of variety and a positive attitude are all requirements for these practicing professionals. Medical surgical nurses have excellent knowledge of adult health, outstanding assessment skills, great organizational ability, and the drive to help their patients get better by returning to the best possible level of functioning.
What are the key characteristics of a medical surgical nurse?
- Possess in depth knowledge of medical conditions and treatments for adults
- Have excellent communication and critical thinking skills
- Implement treatments that will help return clients to the best possible level of health
- Remain calm and take action when emergency strikes
- Show compassion and empathy for patients
- Strive to be a good listener and patient advocate
- Keep organized and be detailed oriented
- Be able to prioritize, multi task, and adapt to a constantly changing environment or medical conditions of patients
- Become a lifelong learner by looking for any opportunities to learn new skills
How can a nurse improve professionally and gain an edge in her chosen career? As a professional, you should complete continuing education courses and attend any seminars or classes that will keep your skills current. Furthermore, you should develop skills in strategic areas that are valued in any employment setting, such as communication skills, computer skills, and training and supervisory skills. Good written and oral communication is essential for nurses.
Whether your goal is to obtain a position in the medical surgical field or move to another nursing specialty, having strong communication skills will help you accomplish your dream. Public speaking classes as well as a basic professional writing class will give you the knowledge to improve your communication skills. Most hospitals use some form of computer software to maintain and update patient records.
As a nurse it is vital that you are familiar with common software programs and comfortable with using a computer to perform basic functions such as creating and printing reports or accessing patient medical and lab records. Training skills are best obtained by taking some courses in education and volunteering to teach whenever opportunities present themselves. There are always new nurse graduates in need of a preceptor as well as newly hired nurses needing orientation on the unit.
Mentoring nursing students require good training skills and many hospitals offer special courses that will prepare you for such a task. Supervisory skills are a must for those who aspire to manage employees. You will need to learn management skills that will help with supervising people and managing a business. Hospitals and other large health care facilities do offer management training courses along with various workshops and seminars. Improving your skills and being a lifelong learner will give you an advantage over others when looking for a new job or changing your current nursing position.
Nursing Advice, Tips and Resources
Why you Should Consider Working as a Travel Nurse | New Graduate Nurses Working in the ICU | Medical Surgical Nursing | Night Shift Nurses | Tips for Helping Nurses Get Enough Sleep | Foreign Educated Registered Nurses | What You Should Know About the Boards of Nursing | What Makes a Workplace Better than Another for Nurses? | Wyoming Nursing Schools | What to Do When a Patient Requires Extra Confidentiality? | About the Influence of Ethics on Nurse Retention | NCLEX Practice Questions | Financial Aid for Nursing Students | Online Nursing Schools and Programs | Why Become a Nurse? | How to Study and Review for the NCLEX Examination | Online Master Degree Programs in Nursing | Neonatal Nursing Jobs | Free College Scholarships
