Knowing how to write well is a skill all nurses need to have, no matter what level or degree you may happen to pursue. The ability to communicate clearly and effectively in a concise, detailed way is a key requirement for all nurses. Whether you are writing a care plan for a patient, a report for your hospital administration, or a journal article or white paper as you pursue your Master’s degree, it is important to be able to write clearly, persuasively, and effectively.
For example, in an Associate’s program, you will learn how to write, among other things, a care plan. These need to be written in a way that is easy for the general public to understand – so you might not use technical medical terms and instead will explain the plan in simple, straightforward language. In a BSN program, you will learn how to write for the community, taking your audience into consideration. You may have to write informative pieces that provide your community with education on how to promote and maintain health or how to handle a chronic health condition. Alternatively, you might find yourself writing about a patient’s experience in order to effect policy change, in which case you will need to shift your structure and tone to suit a more formal audience. Lastly, those of you pursuing a Master’s in Nursing will learn how to write pieces such as a journal article or a white paper. These more formal, academic pieces will require not only a broad knowledge of your field but also a keen awareness of your audience. In all of these instances, knowing how to write well will be one aspect of your ticket to success as a nurse.
Check out the pages below for help on your specific writing assignment or requirement.