Nursing is an essential function in health care. These professionals offer valuable service, which helps sick, injured, or dying people. They work in clinics, community and health clinics, hospices, schools, prisons, residential homes, companies, emergency units or in a hospital. Nurses support healthcare professionals such as surgeons, pharmacists, therapists, specialists, and doctors.
Nurses train in several nursing areas. They include children, adults, learning disability, and mental health nursing. Although their shifts are demanding, it offers flexibility. They can sometimes choose to work, weekdays, nights, weekends, overtime, mornings, evenings, or nights. Nurses wear uniforms to identify them, and to protect themselves and their patients from transmission of germs and diseases. Their gear includes aprons, masks, and gloves.
Nurses perform the following functions:
•  Utilize medical and healthcare equipments
• Collect and check patient blood samples
•  Take patients vitals, and temperatures
• Administer tablets, pills or medicines
• Assist practitioners with various tasks and examinations
•  Immunize babies and children
•  Manage health clinics
•  Provide family planning
•  Work with healthcare teams
•  Care for minor wounds
Nurses can transition into senior positions such as hospital administrators, senior nurses, nursing consultants, sister, matrons, charge nurse, or nursing educators. In addition, specialists’ training allows them to focus on areas such as therapy, pain management, teaching, research, or operating nursing. The salaries for nurses vary depending on the type of nursing, pay grade, length of shifts, or location.

• Be able to work long shifts
• Be compassionate
• Be flexible and understanding
• Be able to work effectively in a team atmosphere
• Be resilient mentally, physically and psychologically
• Be hygienic and vigilant
• Good communication skills
• Be methodical, keen, discreet and thoughtful
• Be mature and open-minded
• Be able to use the requisite equipment, hardware and applications

Nurses must have the requisite qualifications in nursing, whether diploma or first degree. The prerequisites for studying nursing vary with different schools. Before gaining access into a nursing program, an applicant must be able to read, write, and be healthy. Students studying a diploma course may study for two to three years. A first degree may take up to four years.
Nurses receive theoretical and practical training before working in hospitals or other health institutions. They work in hospitals to prove their practical knowledge before being certified. Due to the consistent developments in health care, nurses must continually update and improve their skills and knowledge.
Persons who want to transition into nursing can do so if their prior qualification is health or science based. Having a biology-based or social science degree can allow easier access into accelerated programs. Graduates can pursue practical, registered, or midwifery. They can also transition into specialist areas.