Nursing is a great career to get into, with a lot of opportunities available for workers who have the perfect blend of skills, intelligence, empathy and of course, professionalism. After working in the same medical setting for a period of time, it is pretty easy to get complacent and begin treating the workplace like a social hour instead of a place where patients can expect a high degree of professionalism all the time. Although you should feel comfortable wherever you work, it’s not okay to do things like use your cell phone or talk to your coworkers about personal issues within view of patients. Nursing students enrolled at Bradley University learn all about professionalism and maintaining high standards. Learn how exhibiting professionalism can impact your current employment as a nurse as well as your future.

Maintaining the Respect of Your Peers

When a newly degreed nurse takes his or her first job, everything learned while in college will be of the highest importance. Nursing school gives students the chance to demonstrate what they have learned by studying and taking tests, but going to work with nurses who have years of experience can be nerve wracking. In an effort to fit in and show that you are a well trained medical professional, you might feel that you need to take on additional responsibilities or perform in a manner that will help you to prove your worth to your peers.

What’s most important is the level of care you are able to give to your patients. Graduates of online nurse practitioner programs maintain the respect of their peers by keeping the comfort of their patients in mind. Don’t think that asking other nurses for assistance when you need it will diminish your worth in their eyes. In fact, knowing when you need backup is a consummate sign of professionalism.

Keeping Patients Comfortable

A patient checking into a medical facility may need time to adjust and feel at ease. You can help to keep your patients comfortable by being friendly, patient and caring, but people with medical needs also want to know that they are under the care of expert medical professionals. Take care to ensure that your appearance is neat and clean, and always mention your name and credentials when making introductions. Tell your patients how they can reach you when you are away, and respond to their calls right away, even if you don’t always feel that they are urgent. Your skills will be tested, and you can expect to run into some patients that are more difficult than others, but your level of professionalism will remain unchallenged if you maintain the identical standards for all patients.

Gaining Opportunities for Advancement

Even if you are a new family nurse practitioner, there can be many different openings for employment advancement just by proving that you are always professional. In emergencies, you should remain calm and make your decisions based on what is best for your patients. When dealing with strife, refer to your employee handbook and involve human resources if you don’t know what you should do. Best believe that your supervisor is paying attention to your ability to make decisions during difficult times.

Once you are employed as a nurse, you can look forward to touching the lives of every patient that you work with. As you get to know your coworkers you will come to understand what your role is in the workplace, and you won’t be judged for making choices with professionalism in mind. After some time, you won’t second guess any of your decisions, being professional will come natural, and the best part is that you will feel confident with each and every interaction that you have while working as a nurse.