There is no simple way to describe the versatility of a nurse’s job in the health industry. The word “nurse” has been tied with the multi-tasking care givers who are involved in many activities in health institutions, clinics, and other relevant places. So let’s take a look at what does a registered nurse do.
What does an RN actually do?
A registered nurse’s duties and job description is dynamic and will vary from one place to another. It will depend greatly on the health institution or situation they are involved with.
Besides the hospitals, they can also work in other places like clinics, schools, health facilities, homes, concentration camps, forests, and so on. They are also able to fit in roles specific niches like labor, emergency, pediatrics, cardiac care, family practice, and so on.
There are however some common duties in most of these places. Again, the tasks can be different depending on the healthcare settings. But here are the most common tasks they carry out frequently:
• Monitoring a patient’s conditions
• Administering the treatment or medications to patients
• Watching over the patients
• Monitoring the vital signs
• Recording and updating medical record of the patients
• Making reports of the patients
• Planning, executing and maintaining the care and treatment plans
It is imperative for the registered nurses to keep updated with the technologies, rules, tools, and other relevant information in order to provide the best care for the patients. They will also be able to support the healthcare providers.
Registered nurses need to have ample amounts of hard and soft skills to maintain the high quality of the treatments and patient care.
A registered nurse in hospitals
According to the statistics, around 60% of the registered nurses are dispatched to hospitals. Hospitals are indeed the most common workplaces for the registered nurses no matter how long the years of their experience.
In the hospital setting, one would not expect the normal rounds since there can be emergencies.
A registered nurse in clinics
For the RN who is working in a clinic, they arrive before the doctor arrives. They will prepare stationery and room for the doctor and patients. They will cross-check the appointments before the operational hours start. The clinic works on an appointment basis. The schedule can be different from day to day, depending on how many patients arrange the meeting with the doctors in the clinic.
A registered nurse in critical care
Critical care can also be called intensive care. It has things to do with taking care of patients who have life-threatening conditions. Patients in this sort of condition need constant care.
A registered nurse in ambulatory care
When it comes to the outside of hospital settings, the registered nurses will likely work in ambulatory care. The workplaces can revolve around same-day surgery centers, rehab centers, tele-healthcare, palliative care, and so on.