10 of the Most Inspirational Parts of Nursing

The crazy shifts, the constant wrestling with life and death. What keeps a nurse going? Here is a random list of the most important things a nurse holds onto in order to keep showing up for work.

1. Passion

That's the drive that brings nurses to medicine in the first place. Keeping sight of this and staying connected to the desire to help people are vital in any nurse’s career.

2. Respect

For each other, for the profession, for the lives so often hanging in the balance.

3. Humor

Laughter, we all know, is often the best medicine. In order to make it through the toughest days, it's often mandatory to find humor in the darkness.

4. Gratitude

As important for nurses as everyone else—perhaps more so. Being thankful for patients, personal health, and the patience of families and friends is key.

5. Teamwork

Nurses work together to make it look seamless, but it takes a lot of individual effort and care.

6. Learning and teaching

Both are the best way to keep the passion up—whether by mentoring and teaching a new colleague or fulfilling your own desire to keep learning more and advancing in your professional development.

7. Advocacy

Being there for the patient and standing up for him or her when they can’t speak for themselves is challenging, but necessary and humbling.

8. Trust

Without it, nurses are sunk. They have to trust themselves, their knowledge, and the people they working with, or they can’t help anyone.

9. Courage

Nurses couldn’t do their jobs without it. It takes courage just to come to work—more to take a stand whenever necessary for patients’ interests.

10. Innovation

Exciting decisions happen every day, in very setting. Nurses are always using what we know to make the world a healthier, safer place.