Melissa Fitzpatrick - Qualities of a Great Nurse, Part Two

If you read “Melissa Fitzpatrick: Qualities of a Great Nurse, Part One,” you know that succeeding as a nurse isn’t easy. You need strong communication skills, emotional strength and empathy, as well as a passion to make a difference. There’s more to it, though.
Respected nursing professionals and industry leaders like Melissa Fitzpatrick possess traits such as those outlined below in addition to the aforementioned qualities:

• A Commitment to Lifelong Learning: Nursing and healthcare delivery are in a constant state of flux with new medications, therapies and technologies coming in to play every day. Nurses are dedicated to staying on top of these changes, reading professional journals, attending conferences and Webinars and assuring their ongoing competence to deliver high quality, evidence-based care. Nurses are research based and committed to continuous improvement. They are always seeking better ways to care for others and to improve healthcare delivery.

• Advocacy: Effective nurses and healthcare leaders fulfill the role of advocate with pride and vigor. They are the voice of those they serve, who in many cases, cannot speak for themselves. Nurses are the first line of defense for patients and their safety and are often the only ones who know what the patient truly wants or needs. Advocating for patients and families is the hallmark of nursing and an essential role for nurses in all roles….at the bedside, in the Boardroom or in Congress. Nursing advocacy is at the heart of the best future for patient care delivery.
• Resilience – Nursing is a demanding profession…physically, emotionally and spiritually. It requires a high level of endurance and resilience to keep coming back to do this work day after day, year after year. The ability to bounce back from loss, to support others through tragedy and to recover from the heavy lifting of the work are essential to provide nursing care for the long haul. Long shifts, miles per shift on our aging legs and having to juggle multiple demands moment to moment require resilience of the highest order.

Aspiring to succeed in nursing and in the healthcare industry, as Melissa Fitzpatrick has, is a lofty goal. Melissa Fitzpatrick has served in the healthcare industry for nearly four decades and is an exemplar of each of these qualities and many more.
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