4 Reasons Why Mothers Make the Best Nurses

Moms are pretty amazing. They carry their children for nine months and bring them into the world with the objective of helping them to become happy, healthy, and respectful adults. It’s not an easy job to be a mother, and many moms build useful skills as they cope with the challenges of parenting. 

After being out of the workforce for a while, some moms feel like they don’t have the skills needed to find a job they’ll love, but this isn’t true at all. Mothers who are considering a new career should think about leveraging the skills they’ve already gained as parents to find success. Nursing can be an ideal choice for moms, thanks to all the transferrable skills that can be applied to this in-demand medical career. 

Here are 4 reasons that mothers make the best nurses of all. 

Mothers Are Naturally Empathetic Communicators 

Communication is one of the most important skills for nurses. They are often the person relaying healthcare decisions to patients and helping them to understand their care and treatment plan. Patients who are scared or having trouble comprehending verbal communication can struggle to understand information and manage their emotions without the empathy and abilities of a skilled communicator. 

Fortunately, moms are naturally empathetic and often excel in delivering quality therapeutic communication. Empathetic communication that takes into account a patient’s concerns and feelings can make a huge difference in the patient experience and might be able to reduce stress and anxiety associated with medical procedures. Moms are great at asking questions and assessing others’ emotions quickly, making them ideal communicators in a healthcare setting. 

Nurses & Mothers Both Need to Excel at Critical Thinking 

Problem-solving is key both when dealing with small children and when working in a high-pressure hospital or care facility setting. Nurses need to use critical thinking skills to deal with unique challenges that might arise on a daily basis. Mothers, likewise, have to think on their feet and get creative when behavioral issues and other parenting crises occur. 

Nurses deal with situations that are literally life and death. Without critical thinking skills and the ability to adapt, patients could be harmed. Being able to think under pressure is an important skill that mothers can bring to a nursing position. 

And Don’t Forget the Value of Patience 

There’s nothing that cultivates patience like answering endless questions or dealing with temper tantrums. You can’t lose your temper on a child, even when you feel like walking out of the room and away from the situation. Because of this, moms are pros when it comes to dealing with potentially frustrating situations requiring patience, like nursing. 

Because patients are people, they all have different personalities, expectations, and quirks. On top of that, people are usually sick or in pain when they need the help of a nurse, and may not be on their best behavior. Family members can also be emotional and demanding. Nurses have to be friendly, calm, compassionate and patient to everyone who walks through the door, even when they’re being difficult. 

Planning is a Skill Nurses Need & Mothers Master 

Kids’ schedules can be incredibly complicated. Over the years, medical appointments, extracurricular activities, sports, and school responsibilities will shift and change, requiring mothers to plan and juggle their time carefully—especially if they have more than one child. Becoming an expert planner is a side benefit of parenting that most moms don’t expect. 

Nurses work together around the clock and typically have to manage the care for many different patients at once. Errors can endanger patients, so nurses have to learn how to plan and work together safely and efficiently. Moms have a head start in developing this skill because they’ve had to navigate complex schedules while preparing for the unexpected. 

What to Do If You’re a Mother Interested in Nursing 

Moms already have many of the skills that nurses need to be successful. However, it is a field that requires a degree, since it involves the health and safety of people in a medical setting. There are different levels of education for nurses, but getting a master of science in nursing online might provide the best work opportunities. 

If you’re a mother, know that you’ve developed lots of skills simply through raising your children. Don’t be shy about using those skills to help other people! If you enjoy making a difference in the lives of others, then nursing could be the perfect fit.