Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, once said, “I think one's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought all to be distilled into actions which bring results.”

Nursing is indeed one vocation where actions, not words, matter. Nurses are the main point of contact for patients and their families, and play a vital role in teams of multidisciplinary professional and medical staff. They work with, amongst others, doctors, social workers and therapists, and attend to a patient's comfort and emotional well-being as well as their medical needs.

The primary duties of a nurse include: assessing patient health problems and needs, developing and implementing nursing care plans, and maintaining medical records, administering nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients. They may also be required to advise patients on health maintenance and disease prevention or provide case management and education. Shift-work to provide 24-hour care is a common requirement.

Gaining the trust and confidence of each patient is also an important aspect of the job for nurses, especially as they have more contact with the patients than other members of the medical team. This extends to developing a good relationship with the patient’s relatives as well, particularly in cases of chronic illnesses where the patient may be returning regularly for treatment. Thus, social skills are of paramount importance to a nurse.

If you too think that actions speak louder than words and want to play a key role in caring for the ill and the injured, nursing is the prime career option for you.

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