• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Incredible Health

Empowering healthcare professionals to find and do their best work.

  • Nurses
    • Get Hired
    • Career
      • Job Search Guides
      • Licensure Guides
      • For New Grads
      • Specialty Guides
      • Resume Guide
      • Cover Letter Guide
      • Interview Questions
      • Conferences
    • Free Nursing CEUs
    • Salaries
      • Salary Estimator
      • Highest-Paying States
      • Highest-Paying Cities
      • Highest-Paying Jobs
    • Discounts
    • Resources
      • Nurses Blog
      • Nurse Advice Q&A
      • Nurse Specialty Quiz
      • Personal Finance
      • Employer Overviews
      • Hiring Locations
  • Employers
    • Employers Blog
  • About
    • Reviews
    • Inside Incredible Health
    • Press
    • Careers
    • Contact
  • Browse Jobs
    • ER Nurse Jobs
    • ICU Nurse Jobs
    • OR Nurse Jobs
    • Labor & Delivery Nurse Jobs
    • Browse All Jobs
  • Sign In
  • Sign Up

Why Introverts Can Be Amazing Nurses

WRITTEN BY Shari Berg
DATE

Dec 04 2020


CATEGORIES Nursing Careers

Some of the best nurses in the world have certain characteristics in common. Tops on the list are empathy and attention to detail. What does not often make the list of must-have nursing traits? Introversion.

Does that mean introverted nurses are not amazing at their jobs? Quite the contrary. Introverts often are the best nurse leaders because of their ability to excel at mentoring while developing and empowering others.

Can an introverted person be a nurse?

Introverted people have valuable skills and abilities that can translate well to the nursing profession. While extroverts are known for being outgoing and may have an easier time communicating with other people, introverted nurses bring some of the following admirable and useful talents to the mix:

1.       They are good listeners.

Communicating is about more than being able to talk to someone. The best communicators in the world understand the value and role of being a good listener. Introverts may find it a bit more difficult to express themselves, but they are top-notch audiophiles. Why is this important for nursing? Actively listening to patients helps build trust, which is paramount to delivering quality care.

2.       They have keen observation skills

When monitoring a patient’s progress, being highly observant is a distinct advantage. Introvert nurses may be more likely to notice slight changes in a patient’s condition that others may miss. They also may be more skilled at “connecting the dots” when a patient’s environment or prescribed treatments are not working well.

3.       They are good at reading between the lines

Introverts are believed to be more intuitive than extroverts, which is a handy skill to have when communicating with patients. It can help in developing rapport with patients and their families, which leads to a more trusting relationship. When patients have confidence in their nurses it leads to better care.

Tips for succeeding as an introvert nurse

Nursing is an exhausting profession at times. Long shifts and nursing shortages can make for a stressful environment. While this can be taxing for any nurse, it is especially nerve-wracking for introverts. Here are some things you can do to help ease the burden while maximizing your natural skills and abilities.

  • Recharge your batteries. Even if that means sneaking in a five-minute break during a long shift, do it. Replenishing your energy and taking time to recenter yourself is a crucial component of delivering quality care. Introverts and extroverts respond to dopamine differently. Whereas an extrovert buzzes with good vibes with increased dopamine levels, introverts can become overstimulated. Introverts recharge by spending time alone. It does not mean they do not like or value others. It is simply the way their minds work.
  • Take some risks now and again. This means stepping outside your comfort zone and forcing yourself to interact. A great way to ease into this practice is by engaging in professional development opportunities. Both in-person and online continuing education programs offer classes in communication that introvert nurses may find useful in developing the ability to stick their heads out of their proverbial shells once in a while.
  • Start the conversation. Take a few deep breaths and stop panicking over the possibility of saying the wrong thing. Something as simple as introducing yourself to your patient and then segueing into general questions to assist in their care is a great way to start. Then, allow them the opportunity to engage and continue the conversation.

The bottom line on introvert nurses

There is no reason to “fake it until you make it” when you are an introverted nurse. Follow these helpful tips and you will be soaring to nurse stardom levels in no time.

Tired of applying for nursing jobs?

With Incredible Health, hospitals apply to YOU.

Join free
Learn how it works
Written by Shari Berg

Shari is an award-winning writer with more than 24 years of experience. Prior to her work as a freelancer/owner of The Write Reflection, Shari worked for a decade as a professional journalist for several publications covering education and politics.

Read more from Shari

Footer

NURSES

  • Resume guide
  • Cover letter
  • Interview questions
  • Job search guides
  • Browse jobs
  • Salaries
  • New nurse graduates
  • Nurse advice Q&A
  • Nurses blog
  • Nurse specialty quiz
  • Discounts
  • Personal finance
  • Free nursing CEUs
  • Wellness resources

BROWSE JOBS

  • Atlanta
  • Baltimore
  • Boston
  • Dallas
  • Fort Worth
  • Los Angeles
  • Miami
  • New York
  • Philadelphia
  • Richmond
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Washington, DC
  • See all

EMPLOYERS

  • Why Incredible Health
  • How it works
  • Employers blog
  • Pricing
  • Free consultation

COMPANY

  • About
  • Inside Incredible Health
  • Reviews
  • Press
  • Careers
  • Contact & support
[email protected]
​+1 888 410 1479
San Francisco
California

 

Download on the App Store
Get it on Google Play

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Terms
  • Privacy

Copyright © 2022 · Incredible Health