The Human Anatomy of a Nurse

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Is there a way to tell a nurse from everyone else when he or she is off duty? The truth is it is entirely possible to know if a person is a nurse just by noticing a few physical or behavioral differences. Few other professions offer the same complicated mixture of stress, compassion, intelligence, fortitude, and commitment as that of a nurse. The same traits that make a nurse successful in his or her profession are the same characteristics that eventually leave such a mark that it can be easy to pick a nurse out of a crowd of strangers.

The human anatomy of a nurse refers to the visible and internal differences that make up the overall appearance of a nursing professional. With a little tongue-in-cheek humor and a few serious observations, it becomes quite obvious that nurses are made up of a little bit different stuff than the rest of the population. Take a look at the following human anatomy differences noted in nurses and think it over. Bet there’s a chance it will seem obvious to those who never really thought about it before.

The Eyes Have It

Ever noticed a nurse’s eyes? She’ll be the one with the red, tired eyes and dark circles beneath them from lack of sleep. This comes from those long hours on the floor, caring for patients when everyone else was at home catching Z’s. Of course, those long hours come at a price and red, tired eyes are a big portion of that cost.

Check Out that Hair

Want to know if that man or woman across the way is a nurse? Check out their hair. Is it messy or thrown up in a ponytail? If so, there is a good chance that person is a nurse. Because of the nature of the job, nurses are less likely to worry about perfect hair than most and with good reason. They have far more important things to consider.

Soiled Clothes are a Dead Giveaway

Nothing about a nurse’s job indicates he or she will go home with the same clean scrubs they wore to work. There are too many things waiting to soil a pair of scrubs from the moment a nurse arrives for his or her shift. For that reason, soiled scrubs are a great indicator that a nurse is present.

Internal Characteristics

Of course, there are a few internal characteristics most nurses possess as well. Not everyone can handle the stress involved with being a nurse. It takes a special kind of person and one who possesses a few specific character traits. The following list is made up of just a few of those:

•Super Clean Hands
•Enlarged Prefrontal Cortex (meaning…nurses are extremely intelligent)
•Compassion and a Heart of Gold
•Superman Nerves of Steel & A Stomach to Match

While not anyone can be successful as a nurse, those who possess the right human anatomy for the job can expect to enjoy a long, lucrative career and have the opportunity to help a large number of people along the way.