They’ve been there for you more times than you can count.
From your first broken bone, giving birth to your first baby, that seasonal bug that just wouldn’t go away — they were there. Without them, where would be we be?
And no, we’re not talking about your moms. We’re talking about your nurses.
As the unsung heroes of society, we already know how influential they are to our lives, but just how big of a difference are nurses making?
Keep reading to learn the many ways nurses are making a difference and how Trusted Nurse Staffing supports our nursing team’s commitment to society.
Table of Contents
- How Do Nurses Make a Difference?
- 6 Ways Nurses Make a Difference in People’s Lives
- How Do Nurses Make a Difference in the Community and Public Health? 2 Ways Nurses Make a Difference
- Trusted Nurse Staffing Can Help You Use Your Experience and Skills to Make a Difference in Society as a Travel Nurse
How Do Nurses Make a Difference?
Nurses make a difference by serving as a guiding light and advocate for every patient they interact with. Nurses are often referred to as the backbone of healthcare, and it’s no surprise why.
Their knowledge and abilities affect the health and wellbeing of society — the difference they make in the healthcare industry and the world is unparalleled.
6 Ways Nurses Make a Difference in People’s Lives
#1: They Are Resilient Leaders During Times of Crisis
Panic. Fear. Confusion. Dread. Helplessness.
When a crisis occurs and the feelings strike, who’s there to care for you when you can’t care for yourself?
Nurses.
No matter the situation, nurses have the innate ability to stay empathetic, calm, and confident while showing authority. When propelled into a crisis situation — like the COVID-19 pandemic — nurses are the first on the frontline to provide healthcare and support communities.
With their abilities to navigate and overcome challenging situations, nurses are resilient in times of crisis. Whether it means helping patients overcome illness, or communities overcome tragedy, nurses are always there.
#2: They Educate the Community
Nursing goes far beyond a clinical setting.
Nurses are making a difference by working with whole communities in many unique ways.
Community health nurses, specifically, work hard to educate communities by:
- Developing intervention strategies to address not only the health, but the safety and wellbeing, of community members
- Identifying health issues impacting a specific population
- Conducting community assessments to find out and potential health concerns
- Create and implement health and safety education programs
- And more
By educating communities and providing them with the resources to overcome illnesses, injuries, etc., nurses make a positive contribution to communities’ health and safety while increasing access to quality healthcare.
#3: They Provide Quality Care
Healthcare should always be patient-centered — which means providing the highest quality care no matter:
- Who the patient is
- The financial status of the patient; and
- What ailments the patient is facing
Nurses play an integral part in ensuring that patients receive the care they need, but that the care is the same quality that they’d expect to receive themselves.
Your nursing team also plays a pivotal role in ensuring that initiatives to improve the quality of care are implemented.
#4: They Provide Emotional Support
Anxiety, fear, and sadness may be just a few of the emotions a patient feels as they are admitted into a clinical setting.
But it’s not just the patient; oftentimes, their families are lost in a sea of unsettling feelings, too.
When a loved one takes their final breath in the hospital bed, who’s there to offer support immediately? Likely the nurse that’s been by their side since the day they entered the facility.
When your sister is in the ICU for weeks on end fighting for her life with a life-threatening infection. As she lays speechless each time her family leaves, the nurses are the ones whispering words of support every time they enter the room.
Nurses are often the healthcare professionals that patients and their families connect with most — and are usually the best cheerleader and support system patients have. They understand all that their patients are going through in the setting they are in.
Nurses make a difference with their humor, compassion, and even their willingness to listen or be still. They can help reduce negative feelings towards a situation — providing patients, and their loved ones, with an extra layer of comfort or security during challenging times.
Nurses provide an emotional support system that is invaluable to patients’ well-being.
#5: They Advocate for Patients
Nurses make a difference by becoming a patient’s top advocate, and while this is a personality trait for many, it is also required by the American Nurses Association (ANA) code of ethics, which states:
“The nurse promotes, advocates for, and protects the rights, health and safety of the patient.”
Everything your nurse does is patient-centered, allowing nurses to make a difference and helping to support the best possible health outcomes for their patients. Every patient has a right to quality healthcare.
Whether it be a patient they see once a year during an annual checkup, a patient they meet with regularly for rehab, or someone they’ve just met on their travel nursing assignment — nurses are committed to providing care and advocating for people as their patients.
In addition to providing care, nurses make a difference as advocates by acting as a liaison between patients and their healthcare team. Nurses may speak on behalf of their patients whose voices aren’t being heard, and defend patient rights to quality care.
But their duties as advocates don’t stop there. Nurses also play a powerful role in patient advocacy in the following ways:
- Preserving human dignity — nurses ensure patients’ concerns are being addressed and that any ethnic and cultural beliefs are being respected
- Providing equity in patient care — exceptional nurses are able to provide the same level of compassion and professionalism for every patient they work without bias
- Managing suffering — whether preventing and managing physical, mental, or emotional suffering, nurses make a difference in the lives of every patient they treat
How Do Nurses Make a Difference in the Community and Public Health? 2 Ways Nurses Make a Difference
As the first line of defense regarding public health concerns, like detecting and potentially preventing disease outbreaks, nurses continually work to educate communities worldwide.
But what exactly is their role in this?
Nurses help build relationships with patients and community members to do the following:
#1: They Promote Community and Public Health
Nurses have the ability to make a difference and promote public and community health by using their medical knowledge to:
- Provide health screenings at community events
- Give advice on exercise and diet
- Educate about the importance of handwashing, vaccinations, etc. for the overall health of the public
- Reducing preventable injuries and illnesses in communities
- Provide appropriate resources for communities in need of services, supplies, or additional health and wellness education.
#2: Protect the Public with Preparation
Nurses are a driving force to help prepare a community for worst-case scenarios health prolems. They spend time…
- Educating communities about different environmental hazards,
- Preparing for public health emergencies, and
- Preparing communities for mobilization
… during disasters, nurses make a difference in how communities handle a public health emergency appropriately.
In the instance that an emergency occurs, nurses have the ability to help in:
- Treating urgent illnesses and chronic conditions
- Delivering immunizations
- Providing preventive care and education
Trusted Nurse Staffing Can Help You Use Your Experience and Skills to Make a Difference in Society as a Travel Nurse
If you’re a nurse asking yourself, “How do nurses make a difference?” the answer is unanimous:
You’re making a difference by just trying to make a difference.
And at Trusted Nurse Staffing, we honor your sacrifice and commitment to serving your community. This is why we welcome you to be a part of our team. When you work with us as a travel nurse, not only do you receive once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences, but …
- Comprehensive benefits packages
- Sign-on bonuses
- Flexible contracts
- High pay rates
… and more.
At Trusted Nurse Staffing, we’re not just another travel nursing agency, we’re family.
Our team of professionals is here to help inspire you to keep making a difference in the community while also helping you navigate the ins and outs of your position.