Nursing is a noble profession that attracts millions of people worldwide. It has developed significantly over the years, and now it encompasses a plethora of subfields. Public health nursing is an integral part of modern nursing. Public health nurses understand the significance of communities’ health and actively run campaigns to encourage people to adopt healthy practices. Basically, they are involved in education, evaluation, activism and advocacy of public health. They work differently than other nurses as they do not deal with patients individually but work with whole communities to promote health and prevent diseases. They are active in organizations and senior citizens groups, trying to raise awareness about health issues.
Public health nursing is one of those careers that allow people to serve humanity while earning money, which is why nurses enjoy respect from people of all walks of life. However, it is a very challenging profession. Public health nurses need to be very dynamic and constantly on the go as they are responsible for many tasks. A strong educational background and compassion are not the only public health nurse requirements; their job can entail reaching out to people, designing campaigns, developing and implementing health policies, and more, depending on the organization they are working for. Thus, they must possess an amalgamation of qualities to perform proficiently in their spheres.
The following are some skills that public health nurses should have:
1. Effective Communication
Public health nurses generally handle groups of people and work to inform them about various common diseases and their prevention methods. So in order to do their job, public health nurses need to have strong communication skills to understand communities’ issues and interact efficiently with them. Moreover, they need to be precise while speaking and should not leave any piece of information out. Also, they need to employ active listening to adjust their words and tone accordingly to connect with the patients. For example, they must speak persuasively to encourage people to leave smoking, drinking or drugs and live healthily, but for that, they need to have good command over their communication skills. Keeping all of this in mind, it is safe to say that effective communication helps public health nurses convey their message accurately, thereby allowing them to perform their jobs better.
2. Critical Thinking
Critical thinking skills help nurses deal with difficult situations, as it allows them to evaluate facts as per circumstances and conclude things rationally. Since public health nurses handle communities, they come across several patients simultaneously, which is where the need for critical thinking arises.
Public health nurses may come across situations where a slight delay in action can exacerbate patients’ conditions, so they need to prioritize patients’ needs and devise solutions accurately. For this, they need a strong presence of mind and critical reasoning, so they can dress wounds, place catheters, administer injections, and stabilize patients’ needs without faltering within minutes.
3. Assertiveness
Assertiveness is people’s ability to express themselves in a way that their points come across respectfully, despite the emphasis on specific dictates. Public health nurses often have to don a hat of public speakers and address a group of people. They must exude confidence, have command of their subject, answer people’s queries and guide patients assertively. They must have conviction in their words and abilities and should act independently with utmost confidence. Only then will they be able to convince the public that they do not have a personal agenda and are only advising the public for their own good.
4. Willingness to Learn
All nurses must demonstrate open-mindedness and should have a willingness to learn. Healthcare is constantly evolving as new things are coming forward, changing the dynamics of patient-centered care. Thus, public health nurses need to be ready to advance their learning regularly, update their knowledge and equip themselves with the latest skills. A genuine sense of curiosity about medical advancements and staying abreast with the latest occurrences in the nursing world help nurses succeed and perform efficiently.
5. Adaptability
Public health nurses must be proactive in their dealings and should be flexible to adjust in any environment. They may have to cover long distances or work for grueling hours, so they need to be adaptive to changing needs. A public health nurse’s day does not necessarily go as per plan as emergencies come up and different things need their attention, so they must have the ability to reprioritize and adapt to changes instantly. The characteristic of being flexible helps them adapt to changing circumstances and does not let situations affect their performance.
6. Efficient Management
One common quality successful people possess is that they can manage their tasks effectively. Public health nurses must possess the ability to prioritize because medical emergencies arise unexpectedly and require immediate attention. Public health nurses oversee various tasks, which is why keeping things organized is imperative as it enables them to provide every job due attention and allot proper time.
Time management allows nurses to make the most of their day without wasting their efforts and time on unproductive activities. While some people have the innate ability to be organized, others need to acquire it through practice.
Also, some public health nurses serve at an authoritative designation in public health, where they are required to delegate tasks to their juniors. Thus, they need to have effective management skills to supervise their juniors’ work, delegate tasks according to their juniors’ capabilities and carry out other relevant tasks to achieve the best results.
7. Emotional Stability
Nursing is demanding, which is why it is not uncommon for public health nurses to experience emotional instability at times. They must have nerves of steel and should stay composed in times of distress. They should not let their feelings impact their assessment and must make judgments rationally. Frustrations, stress, anxiety and sadness are all part and parcel of a nurse’s life. So don’t get intimated by what you are feeling; channel some of your time and energy into finding and achieving emotional stability. Emotionally stable nurses can cater to different situations while keeping their personal feelings in check and not letting their emotions impact their performance; strive for that!
8. Resilience
Public health nurses’ job is mentally and physically taxing. They need to be constantly on the go, planning and executing their activities. However, their efforts do not always turn out to be fruitful, so they need to start from scratch. Instead of giving up or breaking down in the face of failure, public health nurses should consider these as learning opportunities, reflect on their work and improve their weak areas. They need to demonstrate perseverance and resilience.
Lately, resilience has become a buzzword for the healthcare industry due to what it entails. In simple words, resilience means ‘the ability to bounce back or withstand any situation or problem.’ However, displaying resilience requires strength, confidence and commitment to the profession. To build their resilience, public health nurses need to nurture themselves, maintain a work-life balance and develop their social networks; only then can they keep their confidence and focus on objectives.
9. Compassion
The most important aspect of nursing is compassion. Regardless of what field of nursing one chooses to serve in, no one can perform efficiently without practicing empathy. Public health nurses genuinely care about communities and want to improve their living standards. They are ready to go out of their way to educate people about healthy choices and discourage damaging practices. Public health nurses must have a gentle aura and be easily approachable. Since their domain is people, having a caring and kind demeanor will help them understand people’s health issues better as people will be more willing to open up to them.
Conclusion
Public health is a vast and demanding sector, which is why professionals in the field need to possess certain competencies to achieve visible results, and public health nurses are no exception. To function effectively as a public health nurse and achieve success in their role, people need to possess all the skills we have mentioned above and more. Just keep current with the ever-changing infrastructure and patient demands to know what new skills you need to learn to stay relevant in the industry and make a difference in people’s lives.
