“Good communication skills are essential in nursing” - insights from an experienced Registered Nurse

With a nursing career spanning 40 years, Ann has worked across a variety of departments - including in General Surgery, General Medical, Stroke Rehab, Coronary Care, High Dependency, Accident & Emergency, Dermatology. Here, she shared her insights in to the profession, alongside the skills needed.

What inspired you to become a nurse?

I had always wanted to look after and care for people.

What were the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your job?

In later years, the most challenging aspect of my job was the bed shortages, and the most rewarding part was seeing people recovering and being discharged.

How did the role of a nurse change during your career?

The role of a nurse changed greatly during my working life - for example, the training is now degree-level. For me, it was mostly ward-based training with 3 week blocks of theory, between ward placements.

What skills are needed to be an effective nurse?

Good communication skills are essential in nursing and I feel good listening skills are also required. Language barriers are certainly a challenge at times. I feel patience is important when communicating with people who have hearing or speech problems following a stroke.

What advice do you have for people starting a career in nursing?

My advice to people starting a career in nursing now would be to enjoy and learn as much as possible in each placement and to take time assisting patients with the fundamentals of care - as this is when you can gain information on how the patient is really feeling.