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As a nurse, you will have important encounters with many people.  They will be patients and their families, endowed with a mind-boggling array of character traits, communication styles, and personal beliefs. Often, they have endured a lot of hardship before they meet you. Illness, pain, uncertainty, and long wait times can make the encounter fraught with tension and frustration. Luckily, there are tried and true techniques to transform a challenging situation into a win-win for everyone.

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The First Ten Seconds

Nurses are among the most trusted professionals. Your patients will rely on you to set the tone in the room.  Your demeanor has the power to help reassure, calm, and provide hope.

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The first few moments are a good time to convey your message, and make a great impression.  The method is simple, effective, and easy. Approach each person with the understanding that they only want to feel better, and be understood. Good eye contact and a smile may seem clichéd, but are powerful non-verbal cues that you value your patient.

If a patient says something, listen non-judgmentally, and avoid correcting if possible.  If you enjoy humor, try to feel around and see if the patient would appreciate a light-hearted joke. If you can get a patient laughing, there’s no better medicine.

You Expect me to do What?

Painful and unpleasant procedures are sometimes a necessary evil in the workflow of a nurse. The age of the patient can have a profound impact on the level of cooperation, and ability to handle discomfort.

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Children often make mental leaps to the most frightening conclusions, and may not fully comprehend your instructions. A little boy receiving kindergarten vaccinations once asked me if the needle would go all the way through his arm, and if he was being punished for being naughty. All patients do well knowing what to expect, in clear terms, on a level that they can understand, before the procedure is done. An opportunity for them to ask questions in advance, and explain the procedure in their own words can help assuage any fears.

If you are called upon to perform painful procedures regularly, become really, really good at them. Practice as often as you can, and learn distraction techniques, such as coughing or counting backwards during a shot. Soon, you’ll have people requesting you and only you to come poke them!

The Little Things

Being a great nurse can be as simple as bringing another warm blanket to the patient who is shivering under the air conditioner. If you know what your patient likes, and can have a certain kind of snack, and sneak one into their room without being asked. If a worried family member apologizes for asking so many questions, invite them to ask a hundred more, any time they want.

Some computer charting programs will allow nurses to put a note on the chart that will pop up only for you, every time you open that particular chart. If you learn that your patient has a new grandson, or is planning on running a marathon, make a note of it, and remember to ask them about it the next time you see them.

These techniques may seem like too much to take on, with your overflowing list of tasks to be done. You will be amazed at how practicing them will end up saving time, and decreasing stress. Your patients will be happier, and you will too, knowing that you have contributed to healing their body and spirit.

View more online featured programs:

• Bachelor's Programs
• Master's Programs
• Doctorate Programs

View more online featured programs:

• Bachelor's Programs
• Master's Programs
• Doctorate Programs

As you may have heard, the U.S. is on the verge of a serious nursing shortage. In fact, if the problem persists, the number of qualified registered nurses will not be able to meet healthcare demands over the next decade. Here are five reasons for the impending crisis:

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1. Aging Populace In Need of Care

America’s largest generation is getting older. The Baby Boomers, or people born between 1946 and 1964, account for almost a third of the U.S. population, and they’re currently reaching retirement age. As older individuals tend to require more medical care, additional healthcare workers are needed to fill the void. Without an increase in the number of qualified RNs, patient care is bound to suffer.

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2. Rise in Number of Insured Patients

One of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act is universally mandated health insurance. As more individuals join the healthcare rolls, the number of patients visiting their doctors for routine check-ups and other treatments is expected to rise as well. Because there aren’t enough physicians to cover this increase in patients, many practices are looking to nurse practitioners and nurse-managed health centers to help pick up the slack. As a result, more RNs are needed to meet the increased demand.

3. Lack of Skilled Nursing Instructors

Combatting our nation’s nursing shortage requires that we graduate more qualified RNs. However, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, U.S. nursing schools rejected more than 75,000 applicants from graduate and baccalaureate nursing programs in 2011 due to a lack of teachers. Nursing programs are struggling to find experienced faculty members who are willing to relocate to schools in need of instructors. Additionally, many nurses hesitate to leave jobs in hospitals and doctors’ offices to accept lower-paying positions in academia. Whatever the reason, there simply aren’t enough qualified instructors to teach the next generation of nurses.

4. Lack of Interest in the Nursing Profession

Along with faculty shortages, many nursing schools are struggling to attract top talent. In the past, nursing was one of the few career options open to female students. However, as opportunities for women increased, the number of young people entering the nursing industry declined. As a result, the current nursing population is aging rapidly. With the Health Resources and Services Administration projecting that over a million RNs will hit retirement age in the next 10 to 15 years, the nursing shortage is only expected to worsen.

5. High Turnover Due to Poor Working Conditions

While experienced nurses may enjoy greater flexibility in the workplace, employment opportunities for new nurses are hardly glamorous. Along with regular overtime shifts, younger nurses are often expected to work nights, weekends and holidays. Many new nurses opt to leave the business in favor of a career with more flexibility. Additionally, lack of staffing may lead to an increase in medical error and patient infection. The stress of working at understaffed hospitals and offices leads many nurses to exit the field early.

Despite the many challenges of working in the nursing field, the shortage is going to result in an unprecedented demand for skilled registered nurses. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics is anticipating over half a million new nursing jobs between 2012 and 2022. Whether you’re currently attending college or on the verge of enrolling, you may want to consider a career in this growing field.