The practice of nursing is both an art and a science. While some careers require good interpersonal skills and other careers require academic strength, the most successful nurses have both of these skill sets.

Nurses must have good "people" skills. They must successfully interact with their patients, the patients' families, other members of the patient care team, and each other. Employers are increasingly seeking nurses who will be able to communicate effectively with patients from different cultural backgrounds.

But "people" skills are only half the story. Because their jobs involve the administration of medication, analysis of their patients' responses to illness and injury, and the use of technology, nurses complete extensive training in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and pharmacology. Mastery of these subjects requires a good understanding of math and physics.

While academic and interpersonal skills are required of all nurses, additional skills are required of those who work in certain settings. These are as varied and as numerous as the different settings themselves, so it is necessary to examine the many different types of nursing in order to determine whether your strengths match those required for the path you've chosen

For More Information, visit the following links:

• To read more about the skills and personality types that are best suited to nursing, go to the National Student Nurses' Associations's Is Nursing For You?

Continue to How to Get From Here to There >>
Go Back to the Adult Learners homepage >>