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Nurse
The nurse is one of the healthcare professionals everything relies on day to day. They are the one who welcomes patients, observes them, reassures them, provides care, monitors their condition, and acts as the link between the patient, their loved ones, and the medical team.
Missions: Nurse
The core of the job is the patient’s overall care. From the moment the patient arrives, the nurse gathers the relevant information, assesses their clinical condition, identifies what needs close monitoring, and anticipates risks. They then adjust priorities based on the patient’s progress, medical orders, and the level of urgency.
On a daily basis, they carry out a wide range of care activities, often technical: IV infusions, injections, dressings, samples, preparing and administering treatments, monitoring vital signs, pain management, and preventing complications. They follow strict protocols, check equipment, and continuously ensure hygiene and safety rules are respected.
The job also has a strong “coordination” dimension. The nurse hands over information, documents care, raises alerts when needed, and ensures continuity of care with the multidisciplinary team. They liaise with doctors, nursing assistants, physiotherapists, pharmacists, and imaging departments so everything runs smoothly and reliably. They also remain a key point of reference for the patient: explaining, reassuring, and supporting them, sometimes through difficult moments, is fully part of the job.
Researched profile
- Sense of responsibility and rigor: follow protocols, ensure safe care, and be reliable in documentation and handovers.
- Empathy and interpersonal skills: listen, reassure, explain clearly, and maintain a respectful attitude even in tense situations.
- Organization and prioritization: focus on essentials, anticipate needs, adapt to the unit’s pace, and manage the unexpected.
- Team spirit and communication: work effectively with the multidisciplinary team, share information at the right time, and contribute to smooth patient care.
Skills and training
To practice, you must obtain the State Diploma in Nursing (DEI), completed in an IFSI (nursing school). The program lasts three years and alternates coursework and clinical placements, following a structured progression: you learn the fundamentals, then gradually gain autonomy and responsibility through hands-on experience.
This pathway develops technical skills (procedures, protocols, clinical monitoring) as well as cross-functional skills: communication, the nursing care approach, documentation, organization, teamwork, and professional posture. It’s a demanding program because it prepares you for a field reality that is just as demanding.
Depending on their plans, a nurse can then specialize or move into other roles (operating room, anesthesia, pediatrics, advanced practice, management), often through additional training and specific entry requirements.
Nurse salary
Salary depends heavily on the setting and work schedule. Between public and private sectors, and between day shifts and roles involving nights, Sundays, or public holidays, differences can be significant, especially due to bonuses and shift premiums.
In the public sector, pay increases with seniority according to a pay scale. In the private sector, it varies depending on the organization and the applicable collective agreement. In private practice, income depends on workload, location, how the practice is organized, and operating costs: it’s a different, more variable model that requires careful thought beforehand.
Work environment
The job is carried out in very different environments. In hospitals or clinics, you work within larger teams, with regular handovers and a structured organization. In nursing homes (EHPAD) or the medico-social sector, the relationship and continuity of care are central. In home care, autonomy is higher and the relationship with the patient is often more direct.
Hours can be standard in some roles, but many positions involve on-call duty, rotating schedules, nights, and weekends. The pace can be intense, with a real emotional load. It’s a job where you give a lot, and balance often depends on mutual support, team quality, and good self-care habits.
Career development: nurse
With experience, many doors open. Some choose to specialize, for example in the operating room, anesthesia, pediatrics, advanced practice, or other fields depending on their interests and background. Others move toward coordination, quality, or management roles, with a more organizational and leadership-focused dimension.
It’s also possible to diversify your practice: occupational health, school health, prevention, care coordination, or private practice. The profession offers real mobility, provided you clarify what you’re looking for: more technical work, more autonomy, more patient interaction, or a different work rhythm.
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