With the number of accidents andwidespread diseases spreading around the world, the casualty rates are
increasing rapidly. Seeing this, the healthcare systems of every country must be exceptionally unfaultable. Though doctors and paramedics are extremely crucial for upholding the healthcare system, nurses should be considered unsung heroes. They are the backbone of the public and private healthcare sectors.
Nurses hold the power to change the system, as Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, did.
The job of a nurse is never easy. It is anextremely emotional job, which requires a person to be able to face death every day. They have long hours during which they are required to help the patients in any way that they might need, be it emotionally or physically. They are expected to have patience, time management, empathy, emotional stability, and critical thinking all at once.
“Nurses are required to know a littleabout all the aspects of medicine, irrespective of their specialization. The nurses show compassion when the doctors do not have enough time for every patient's emotional well-being. This profession needs people with extensive attention to detail and efficient problem-solving skills”, says, Harshita, an online nursingassignment help expert in Australia.
What Does A Nurse Do?
Though the contractual obligation of thenursing staff may vary depending on the location, the certification, and the education of the person, most of them have these general duties.
Doling Out Medicines to The Patients
The nurses in all sectors of thehealthcare industry are expected to visit the patients and provide them with
the medicines that were prescribed by the doctors. Doctors are rarely seen doing this task. At times, the nurse even has to persuade the patients to take their medicines.
Drawing Samples and The Like
The nurses should excel at Phlebotomy –drawing blood or introducing an IV. While this skill is not generally taught in nursing schools, it is expected that the nurses be familiar with it.
Recording and Monitoring Patients' Vitals
One of the most customary nurse duties isto check the vital signs of the patients. The nurses are intended to document patients' vital signs in regular periods to ensure the person's health.
Emotional Assistance
Nurses play a crucial role in the mentalwell-being of patients. The hospital scenario can always be intimidating to the best of us, and dealing with diseases and casualties can frighten a person even more so. Add to that the fact that doctors are exceedingly busy sitting and talking to a patient about their concerns. This is where the nurses come in. They provide the necessary consolation to the patients as well as their
families.
Maintaining Records
The nursing staff is expected to maintainthe medical records with extensive details and precision. Though this task seems menial, it might cause worsening of the conditions for some patients. This is for the fact that doctors prescribe medicines to patients according to these records.
Health Promotion
We've always heard that Prevention isbetter than Cure, but it is these nurses who promote healthy living. They educate patients and the public on the prevention of illnesses and injuries.
Benefits of Being A Nurse
Akin to other career paths, while nursinghas a few drawbacks, it also has a lot of benefits. Check some out:
Conscience Fulfillment
Nursing is always regarded as a nobleprofession. A nurse can save lives. Saving lives does always increase one's self-esteem while being virtuous for the conscience. This career is very rewarding. It helps in making a difference in the lives of so many people.
Flexible Schedules
Nurses are always allowed to choose theirshifts. They can take 8-hour, 10-hour, 12-hour, or the like, shifts depending on the employer. Working longer shifts reduces the number of days per week which they need to work on. It is good for the nurse's well-being. This also allows them to work according to their wishes and attain a work-life balance, which is much needed in today's world.
Opportunities of Advancement
Nurses get a lot of opportunities fortheir advancement. They get the option to work in different fields in nursing and medicine. A certified nurse can choose to work directly with a patient in hospitals or can work in community clinics. This factor also adds to career satisfaction.
Excellent Salaries and Benefits
A nursing career ensures great wages andbenefits. They get a very fair salary and enjoy health insurance and other gains. They get paid extra for work done in overtime and even get sick leaves. Nurses are generally paid on an hourly basis, and so they are compensated for their performance. They are also known to get retirement benefits.
Traveling Prospects
Nurses often enjoy travel opportunitieswhen they are asked to take trips to certain geographical locations to fulfill shortages in those areas. They are paid hourly salaries, travel reimbursements, and lodging costs. They get to travel around the world while working, somewhat like a paid vacation. They even get to experience the places during their free time.
Job Security
The nursing staff always gets to enjoyprominent job security. This is because nurses are deeply ingrained in the healthcare system. For nurses, the more – the merrier is always the case. Hospitals are usually unable to let go of nurses, even during economic setbacks because they play an integral role in their functioning.
Having a Specialization
Nurses get to choose their specializationsat the time of their education. There are quite a few fields for nurses to specialize in. Focusing on a particular sector of the medical field according to their interests, allows the nurses to have better career satisfaction.
Here Are A Few Ways To Pursue A Career InNursing
For an Undergraduate Degree, a person cantake the Bachelor in Nursing (BSN) or the Bachelor of Science (BSc) courses. For Post-Graduation, one can either take the Master of Nursing Science or the Master of Science (MSc) courses. A Ph.D. in Medicine, Nursing, and Health can constitute a Doctoral degree. An individual could also take up short-term courses like the Graduate Certificate or the Graduate Diploma, explains, Maya, an online nursing assignment helpprofessional from Sydney.
For people looking to study nursingcourses in Australia, there exist certain eligibility criteria. They are
mentioned below:
ForBachelors (Under Graduation):
The individual must have qualified forclass 12th examinations from a recognized board. The students must have maintained a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 5.5 (50%) at the senior secondary level. The person must have taken an English language proficiency test, like TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
ForMasters (Post Graduation):
Students must have completed three yearsof graduation and must be the owner of an RN (Registered Nurse) certificate. They must have a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 7.5 (60%). The person must have taken an English language proficiency test, like TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
For Ph.D.(Doctorate):
The students must have completed boththeir Under Graduation and Post-Graduation with a Registered Nurse (RN) certificate. They must have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3 (55%) at the Masters’ level. The person must have taken an English proficiency test, like TOEFL, IELTS, or PTE.
Specializations in Nursing:
The specializations in the nursing rangefrom Diabetes Nursing, Midwifery, Acute, and Complex Care, Community Health Nursing, Cancer Care, Ambulatory Care Nursing, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Neonatal and Pediatric Care, Mental Health Care, Critical and Emergency Care, and a few more.
Average Salary of a Nurse:
The average Registered Nurse in Australiaearns up to 79,500 dollars per annum. Their hourly salary is around 40.78 dollars. The lowest salary earned by an entry-level nurse is around 75,800 dollars a year and the highest salary for most experienced nurses is around 97,500 per year.
To Sump Up…
Therefore, being a nurse has both drawbacksand benefits. It all depends on which side seems more weighted to you!
