SKILLS FORREGISTERED NURSES

10

During your nursing program, you will attend clinical

placements where you obtain new knowledge and skills

and are assessed for different competencies. Here is a list of

additional skills that are also important for your practice.

NUMERACY

Ability to do maths so you

can calculate correct dose

of medication, patient

body mass index, working

out blood results, etc

(Fedoruk & Hofmeyer,

2014).

LITERACY

Ability to speak and write

English clearly to be able to

look after your patients

safely (Fedoruk & Hofmeyer,

2014).

Ability to use computer and

relevant software in regard

to patients data collection,

interpretation, storage 

and clinical

decision making (Fedoruk

& Hofmeyer, 2014).

INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY

Ability to exchange information accurately and effectively in different

ways and forms. Tools such as ISBAR are used in the health care

system to optimise communication (Australian Commission on

Safety & Quality in Health Care, 2011, Fedoruk & Hofmeyer, 2014)

. 

COMMUNICATION

Skill of being able to think logically, interpret, analyse, evaluate,

inference , explain  and make judgment. This skill is essential in

nursing profession and can make a difference in patient safety (Levett

-Jones, 2018)

CRITICAL THINKING

Ability to understand, communicate with and effectively interact with

people across cultures. This is specially important in delivery of

quality care in Australian multicultural society (Fedoruk & Hofmeyer,

2014).

CULTURAL 

Ability to gather information, interpret and make judgment regarding

your patient. You need to have a good level of knowledge and skills

to attend this process. this is the first step of any nursing

care (Fedoruk & Hofmeyer, 2014).

ASSESSMENT

Ability to use and troubleshoot equipment  utilized at clinical facilities

in relation to patient care. You need to know about basic

maintenance of the equipment as significant amount of nursing care

adheres to a specific biomedical technology (Fedoruk & Hofmeyer,

2014). 

BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Skill to respond positively and effectively to a conflict where two

parties perceive differences in ideas. There are strategies to use to

manage the situation. An important step is to be aware of your

responses or self-awareness in such situation (Fedoruk & Hofmeyer,

2014).

CONFLICT MANAGEMENT

Ability to manage your workload ( time management), organise your

patients, delegate, make decisions, communicate, work in a team

collaboratively, and cope effectively with change . This set of skills

assists you to respond well to challenges and opportunities and later

on to take your career to the next level (Fedoruk & Hofmeyer, 2014).

MANAGEMENT

References:

 Fedoruk, M.  & Hofmeyer, A. (2014). Becoming a nurse (2nd ed.). South Melbourne,Oxfrod University Press.

Australian Commission on Safety & Quality in Health Care. (2011).  Implementation Toolkit for       Clinical Handover Improvement. ACSQHC.

Levett-Jones, T. (2018). Clinical Reasoning: learning to think like a nurse (2nd ed.). Melbourne:  Pearson.

Prepared by  Dr Farida Saghafi- Lecturer School of Nursing, MIdwifery & Paramedicine, Norht Sydney