7 Essential Skills Every Med-Surg Nurse Needs to Thrive

Specific skills are indispensable in the world of medical-surgical nursing.

Whether you're a recent nursing graduate or a seasoned practitioner considering a shift to med-surg, understanding the core competencies required in this field is vital to success.

Med-surg nurses handle a high patient volume and provide comprehensive, patient-centered care in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. 

1. Awareness

It may not sound like a skill, but when you conduct a thorough patient assessment, awareness is critical. Awareness is a skill, used much like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets.

Awareness is one of the avenues that help achieve a thorough head-to-toe assessment. Awareness also enables you to identify any changes in the patient's condition.

"You should really hone this skill at the start of your nursing career," said Sandra Ouchley, a lead registered nurse at CHRISTUS Health in Shreveport. 

2. Critical Thinking

Awareness is key. But so is critical thinking. The question is: What do you do with all that awareness?

As a med-surg nurse, your ability to think critically is essential. Critical thinking in med-surg nursing involves more than just following instructions; it requires analyzing, synthesizing, and applying the information in real-time to make the best decisions for patient care.

Knowing when to administer medication based on a patient's condition is a prime example of critical thinking.

If a patient has a scheduled blood pressure medication, and their blood pressure is already low, administering it as ordered can cause the patient more harm than good.

In essence, critical thinking in med-surg nursing is the skill that turns knowledge and awareness into effective, patient-centered action. It enables nurses to adapt to the unpredictable nature of patient care.

3. Active Listening

In addition to being aware during the assessment, it is critical to truly listen to your patient.

"Some people think they just go in and listen to the patient's heart, and they’re good," Ouchley said. "But you really need to listen to the patient themselves because if they have a concern, they know their body better than we do."

Listening builds awareness of a more severe condition or something affecting the patient's recovery.

4. Teamwork

As a new med-surg nurse, relying on your team is critical in med-surge.

If you use all the above skills–awareness, critical thinking, and listening–you will know there is something to address.

But you may need to learn how to act on your assessment and critical thinking skills.

That is one reason teamwork is critical for a new med-surg nurse. There are new skills you need to learn, patients with conditions you have never seen, and expertise you do not have.

Your team is your greatest asset. And because of the nature of med-surge with constant changes and a high patient volume, you tend to lean on your team for expertise and help.

5. Readiness and Flexibility

Change happens extremely fast in the med-surg unit, and you must be prepared to handle anything and everything.

Seeing many different types of patients, you are unsure what kind of patient you will see next.

"You need to be very well-rounded in handling change and navigate these changes effectively," said Brandi Knotts, MSN, RN, and administrative director of nursing at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center.

6. Time Management

Time management is a big one.

As a med-surg nurse, you often juggle multiple patients with varying needs, making efficient time management crucial. It's about prioritizing tasks, delegating when appropriate, and organizing your approach to patient care.

This also includes balancing the immediate needs of your patients with the ongoing tasks of charting, medication administration, and coordinating with other health care professionals.

7. Strong Communication Skills

Clear and effective communication with patients, families, and health care team members is essential. Communicating includes educating and explaining medical conditions and treatments to patients and their families.

Effective communication within health care teams is critical for ensuring continuity of care and patient safety.

This involves accurately handing over patient information during shift changes and collaborating with other professionals to provide the best possible care. 

The seven listed skills – awareness, critical thinking, listening, teamwork, flexibility, time management, and strong communication–are more than just requirements, they are the pillars that support a successful and fulfilling career in med-surg nursing.

As we've seen through the insights of experienced nurses at CHRISTUS Highland Medical Center, these skills do more than help manage the day-to-day challenges of the job; they empower nurses to make a real difference in the lives of their patients. In med-surg nursing, every shift is an opportunity to touch lives, learn, and grow professionally and personally.