Nurses don’t always get the recognition they deserve – but they are truly the superheroes of today's healthcare system. Their responsibilities often go above and beyond the role of a doctor's assistant, and depending on the needs of a particular situation, can include tasks that are far less clear-cut.
Being a nurse in healthcare today requires them to be a regular Captain Incredible, showing outstanding versatility and flexibility alongside the traditional skills and references. While nurse credentialing, like those offered by symplr, can help you verify the qualifications of your nursing candidates, your process for onboarding new staff should also include an overview of the roles they may be expected to fulfill.
Here is a quick guide to how you can identify the real-life superheroes who save the day (every day) at your facility:
1. They are Multi-tasking Caregiver Extraordinaires
Nurses will sometimes need to devote a lot of attention to a patient’s care, and occasionally this means covering a broad range of duties. This can involve anything from assisting with basic physical needs (think trips to the restroom), to understanding cultural, spiritual, or mental concerns. Holistical care of a patient is a huge commitment, and requires patience, dedication, and a sincere interest in caring for others.
2. Decisive is Their Name; Effective Decision-making is Their Game
A nurse's ability to think critically on the fly is absolutely essential. Your nurse credentialing process should verify the ability of nursing candidates to act as effective decision-makers. This includes the ability to use critical thinking skills to accurately evaluate and assess a patient's status; to know when to call in additional guidance; and to determine what, overall, is the best intervention or course of action in any given situation, in order to promote the patient's best interest.
3. They Coordinate Care Effortlessly
The role of nurses in managing patient care cannot be overstated. It often falls to nurses to make sure every element and aspect of patient care are coordinated effectively, and the efforts of physicians and other care professionals are working harmoniously to meet the patient's unique needs.
4. Their Communication Technique is Second to None
It seems like a no brainer, but your nurses need to be excellent communicators. In order to improve patient outcomes, they must have the ability to accurately translate information between physicians and patients. Doing so can drastically affect the healing process, resulting in more effective patient treatment and overall care. This can significantly improve your facility's overall standard of care.
5. They Get an A+ Every Time
Oftentimes, you can check a candidate's medical and professional knowledge during the nurse credentialing process, but their ability to act as an educator goes over and above. This requires patience and an ability to break down knowledge into bite-sized, easily understood pieces with a primary focus on patient self-care. By educating your patients on their health, and providing helpful information regarding medication or ongoing therapy, nurses can help your healthcare facility improve disease management, eliminate patient confusion, and lower readmission rates.
6. They Are Always in the Patient’s Corner
Being a patient’s advocate may be the most crucial part of being a nurse because it involves making sure patient rights are respected and protected. When taking on the role of patient advocate, nurses not only attend to the wants and needs of their patients, but help those experiencing the debilitating effects of illness maintain their dignity, and humanity.
Embodying each of these characteristics is critical to the process of patient care and shows you have a real life superhero on your team. Your best nursing candidate will be capable of reading each situation, and will seamlessly move between demonstrating each characteristic as needed. When combined into a whole, these attributes add up to a patient experience that will not only improve outcomes, but supports a positive patient experience for all those treated within your walls.
To learn more about how excellent candidate screening and nurse credentialing can help your healthcare facility reduce risk, improve patient satisfaction, and support positive outcomes, contact symplr today!
