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Professional Skills for Nurses

Free resources for International Nurses' Day 2025 #IND from nursing textbooks

Dedication, continued development, and hard work: choosing a career as a nurse is about more than just compassion. International Nurses' Day celebrates this commitment. However, nurses can't thrive in a fast-paced environment without the ability to manage their wellbeing or the professional skills needed to support effective, patient-centred care.

Supporting faculty in developing future nurses is at the heart of what we do. From building resilience and cultural awareness to health and safety and reflective practice, on this page, you will find free chapters from our market-leading textbooks to help you prepare student nurses for a fulfilling career in the chosen path.

 

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Promoting wellbeing and resilience


Book cover for Wellbeing and Resilience for Nursing, Health and Social Care Students

Read chapter: Emotional and mental balance

From Wellbeing and Resilience for Nursing, Health and Social Care Students, first edition, by Annette Chowthi-Williams

Responding to the crucial focus on wellbeing, resilience and personal development for those working in health and social care, this book equips students and practitioners with the necessary tools to support, improve and maintain their wellbeing throughout their studies and into their career.

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Book cover for Reflective Practice in Nursing

Read chapter: Creating space for reflection

From Reflective Practice in Nursing, fifth edition, by Philip Esterhuizen

Mapped to the 2018 NMC standards and using examples, scenarios and case studies, the fifth edition of this bestselling book shows students what reflection is, why it is so important and how they can use it to improve nursing practice.

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Book cover for Understanding Mental Health Practice for Adult Nursing Students

Read chapter: Managing stress

From Understanding Mental Health Practice for Adult Nursing Students, first edition, by Steve Trenoweth

Mapped to the 2018 NMC Standards, this book provides an overview of principles and practices of contemporary mental health nursing care.

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book cover for Team Working and Professional Practice for Nursing Associates

Read chapter: Identity and resilience

From Team Working and Professional Practice for Nursing Associates, first edition, by Safina Bibi, Enrika Comley & Joanne Forman

Written specifically for trainee nursing associates, this book helps them develop their professional identity and the necessary skills to be an effective member of a multi-disciplinary team.

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Leadership and professional development


Book cover for Leadership in Health Care

Read chapter: Managing conflict

From Leadership in Health Care, fifth edition, by Jill Barr & Lesley Dowding

This much-loved textbook responds to the ever-growing importance of leadership to a healthcare professional's role. It shows how the key theories, information and research in leadership apply to health care.

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Book cover for Leading and Managing Healthcare

Read chapter: Transition from newly qualified registrant to frontline manager

From Leading and Managing Healthcare, first edition, Neil Gopee

A complete introduction to leadership and management for newly emerging healthcare professionals embarking on the first steps of their career development journey.

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Book cover for Accountability and Professionalism in Nursing and Healthcare

Read chapter: Being a professional

From Accountability and Professionalism in Nursing and Healthcare, first edition, by Marc Cornock

Through a unique question-and-answer format, this book covers the what, why, where and how in legal and ethical issues related to nursing and healthcare.

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Quality improvement and nursing practice


Book cover for Improving Quality in Healthcare

Read chapter: Supporting the Human System of Work

From Improving Quality in Healthcare, first edition, by Murray Anderson-Wallace & Nick Downham

This book provides a critical analysis, shaping how readers apply quality insurance tools and encouraging deeper thinking about what's needed for effective change.

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Book cover for Quality Improvement in Nursing

Read chapter: What is quality improvement and why is it important?

From Quality Improvement in Nursing, first edition, by Gillian Janes & Catherine Delves-Yates

Mapped to the 2018 NMC standards, this book explores the principles and theory behind quality improvement, alongside the practical skills and tools students need to enable it in nursing practice.

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Decision-making and learning in practice


Book cover for Understanding Decision-Making in Nursing Practice

Read chapter: Principles of decision-making

From Understanding Decision-Making in Nursing Practice, first edition, by Karen Holland & Debbie Roberts

A clear introduction to effective decision-making in nursing, providing an overview of the theory, knowledge, models and frameworks that can help nurses make better decisions.

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book cover for Theorising in Everyday Nursing Practice

Read chapter: Theorising in practice through workplace recontextualisation

From Theorising in Everyday Nursing Practice, first edition, Helen Allan & Karen Evans

A critical analysis of nursing theory and learning, focusing on how theory manifests in day-to-day practice and contributes to continued professional development.

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Different aspects of health


Book cover for Health Promotion and Health Education in Nursing

Read chapter: The future of health promotion and health education

From Health Promotion and Health Education in Nursing, first edition, by Ruth Cross

This book takes a global approach to health education, with real-life examples across the lifespan and different settings.

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Book cover for Diversity and Cultural Awareness in Nursing Practice

Read chapter: Diversity and cultural concepts of health

From Diversity and Cultural Awareness in Nursing Practice, second edition, by Beverley Brathwaite

Mapped to the 2018 NMC Standards, this book explores core nursing knowledge, skills and attributes through the lens of diversity, from assessment and care planning to effective communication and person-centred care.

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Book cover for Law and Professional Issues in Nursing

Read chapter: Health and safety

From Law and Professional Issues in Nursing, sixth edition, by Richard Griffith & Cassam Tengnah

Mapped to the 2018 NMC Standards, this book provides a crash course in law and associated professional issues, using case studies and activities to demystify complex legal concepts and jargon.

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