What does a nurse do?
Nurses play a vital role in the recovery and overall health of their patients. By providing critical hands-on care, monitoring patient progress, and administering treatment plans, they ensure that the prescribed steps are taken to safeguard patient health. They work in various settings, including hospitals, doctor’s offices, residential care facilities, private homes, correctional facilities, and schools. Some nurses assist with surgeries, work at immunization clinics, educate the public, and provide telehealth services.
Nurse skills and qualifications
A successful nurse possesses a set of requisite skills and qualifications in order to effectively perform their duties. Here are some of these abilities:
- Accomplished verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to disseminate accurate and concise information to patients, their loved ones, and team members
- A keen eye for detail, enabling them to recognize changes in a patient’s condition, keep accurate records, and dispense medications correctly
- Adept at teamwork and collaboration with other healthcare professionals
- Empathetic, showing compassion and providing emotional support to patients and their families
- Excellent time management and prioritization skills, ensuring that patient treatments and medications are delivered on schedule
- Highly adaptable and able to cope with rapidly changing work levels and patient needs
- Top-notch critical thinking skills, enabling them to analyze a situation quickly and make an informed judgement
- A strong code of ethics in the workplace and a thorough understanding of confidentiality
Nurse experience requirements
A nurse, or registered nurse (RN), requires experience working in a healthcare setting in a nursing capacity, even if this experience is during their formal training. If the position requires a higher level of experience, you may wish to look for a candidate with a minimum of two years in a nursing position.
Nurse education and training requirements
The majority of nurses in Canada have the registered nurse (RN) designation. In order to become a registered nurse, candidates are required to complete a nursing degree from an accredited university program. RNs who wish to practise in specialized fields may require additional training such as certifications or securing a master’s degree. According to Canada’s Job Bank, your province or territory may require that registered nurses obtain certification from a regulatory body as well.
Nurse salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the average salary for a nurse in Canada is $96,304 per year. It is important to note that this salary can vary according to the nurse’s level of experience, their geographical location, and the institution for which they work.
Job description samples for similar positions
If this job description doesn’t quite meet your needs, there are other similar job descriptions that may be worth considering, including:
Nurse job description FAQs
Who does a nurse report to?
Typically, nurses report to their nurse manager, although they may be required to report individual patient updates to the patient’s doctor. Highly experienced nurses may hold supervisory roles. In this case, they could report to a director or other senior management position.
What is the difference between a registered nurse (RN) and a nurse practitioner (NP)?
While both provide vital patient care, there are important distinctions between a nurse practitioner and a registered nurse. Their educational requirements differ. A registered nurse requires a bachelor’s degree in nursing, while a nurse practitioner must complete this followed by nurse practitioner training — in most provinces and territories, this equates to a master’s degree. The scope of a nurse practitioner’s role also affords them greater independence, enabling them to diagnose patients, order medical tests, and write prescriptions.
What qualities make a good nurse?
Your ideal nurse candidate will exhibit a high level of compassion and empathy for others. These qualities enable them to provide quality patient care. They will be accomplished communicators with a keen ability to explain complicated terms in a clear and understandable manner. Stamina and endurance, both physical and mental, are required to navigate long, busy shifts on their feet. With continuous medical advances, procedural changes, and the introduction of new technology, you will also benefit from seeking a candidate who values continuous learning. By asking the right nurse interview questions, you can better identify candidates who possess these traits.
What should you look for in a nurse’s resume?
A top-notch candidate will tailor their resume to your specific role, paying close attention to the specified skills and abilities and providing evidence of these. They will exhibit keen leadership skills and discuss quantifiable accomplishments. Look for evidence of accolades, successful initiatives, and signs that they go above and beyond the call of duty. Desirable candidates will have taken extra courses and certifications, demonstrating a dedication to a lifelong learning journey and continuously updating their skills.
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
