Nurses are the professionals whose objective is to promote health, prevent illnesses and care for and accompany people in those health situations in which they cannot look after themselves, with the aim of responding to their needs and promoting their autonomy.

They are part of the health team and coordinate with other professionals (doctors, physiotherapists, nutritionists, social workers, psychologists, etc.), placing the person being cared for at the centre of all interventions and thus guaranteeing the physical, emotional, social and spiritual health of people, as well as that of the families and groups, in order to improve their quality of life.

These professionals can work in a wide variety of fields: primary and community care, hospital care, social and health care, the emergency department, home care, schools, companies, palliative care teams (caring for the person at the end of their life), or in the field of teaching, research and management.

In addition to the field of work, nurses can choose one of the specialities currently available in nursing: mental health nursing, occupational nursing, midwifery, geriatric nursing, paediatric nursing, family and community nursing and medical-surgical care nursing.

• Carry out the assessment of each person to obtain their complete medical record, exploring organic, psychological, social and spiritual aspects, considering each individual, family and social situation.
• Analyse the data to determine the person's state of health and describe his/her capabilities and/or problems.
• Identify and diagnose and, in accordance with the problems detected, develop a care plan that includes objectives and appropriate intervention to reduce/solve the problems and promote his/her health and autonomy.
• Inform and explain to the person being cared for the procedures and nursing interventions to be carried out, resolving any doubts that may arise.
• Look after the person with the aim of achieving effective communication and establishing a good therapeutic relationship.
  

• Execute the defined care plan, monitoring the process and its effectiveness.
• If they detect that adaptations need to be made, apply them.
  

• Coordinate with other professionals in a cooperative manner, following the principles of teamwork and always in relation to and in reference to the assistance needs of individuals, families and the community.
• Participate and are involved in the definition of health policies at the different care and institutional levels.

• Implement health promotion programmes to encourage the acquisition of healthy habits and lifestyles, promoting a change in habits and an attitude of self-responsibility towards health, collaborating to create healthy and safe environments.
• Identify people's needs. Also needs of people at risk suffering some health problem, evaluating the environment, providing health advice and acting on the different resources. Carry out this early detection to avoid possible complications.

• Participate in the definition of research and teaching policies.
• Design lines of research in the field of the profession in order to disseminate information.

Regulated training and graduates

• Grau: Infermeria

Complementary training

Other specific skills

Empathy: Level 3

Flexibility and change management: Level 2

Customer orientation: Level 2

Analytical thought: Level 2

Team work and cooperation: Level 2

Customer service

Direct and personal interaction with people and relating to the public are highly-motivating activities for individuals who have an interest in the field of customer service. A focus on people and on satisfying customers' needs is key in the occupations included in this field. These jobs entail the need to know suitable techniques for attending to the public and being able to give appropriate service that is tailored to their needs and expectations. Good examples are activities which offer assistance and guidance during functions, trips or at facilities, and those which provide advice in relation to products and services.

Healthcare

Working to maintain and improve health, as well as physical and mental well-being, is the primary interest of people who are involved in the field of healthcare. Some of the activities in this field include making diagnoses, prescribing treatments and monitoring illnesses and injuries. These activities also include the application of therapeutic treatments (traditional or alternative) with a view to facilitating the physical recovery of those being treated. To carry out these activities, one must have in-depth knowledge of the human body and medicine, in its various specialisations.

Palliative care specialist

Naturopath

Natural therapeutic specialist

Osteopath

Acupuncture specialist

• Work hours

  Standard working time of 40 hours per week, normally in continuous hours and in shifts (morning, afternoon and night). Shifts can be rotating or fixed. Depending on the work centre and the established rotations, availability to work at weekends and public holidays will be required.

• Salary

  The remuneration of these professionals varies according to their seniority, the functions they carry out and their speciality. In general terms, the salary ranges between 25,000 and 28,000 euros gross per year.

• Other features

  Generally speaking, the remuneration in the private sector is usually lower.

• Professional category

  Technician