What Does a Nurse Do?
Nurses can be found in hospitals and clinics. Other healthcare settings where you can find nurses include nursing homes, medical offices, community health centers, schools, retail clinics, and more.
Nurses might work in home health care or in hospice centers. Nurses can also specialize in maternity care, emergency care, geriatric care, and surgical nursing. Every day for a nurse will be different but some things might be the same.
On the job
So, what exactly do nurses do? All nurses are knowledgeable about human anatomy and physiology. Nurses perform physical exams and record health histories. If a wound or injury needs treatment, a nurse can handle the cleaning and bandaging of the wound. Nurses can draw blood and set up intravenous fluids for patients.
Nurses can administer medication to patients. They will check in on their patients and help them to be more comfortable. Another thing that a nurse might do is discuss what everything means to a patient. Patients can ask nurses questions to learn more about their conditions and their treatment options. Being a nurse often goes beyond the technical aspects of nursing. Often times, it requires soft skills like communication and decision-making to ensure that a patient receives the best care possible.
Nurses will work with several patients every day. They will make sure that the patients condition is improving and be ready to take action if their condition takes a turn for the worse. Nurses must be able to think on their feet. Relying on their knowledge and technical training in an emergency is a vital skill for nurses to have while on the job.
Every day is different
Nurses might work long hours. Depending on where they work, they might do three 12-hour shifts a week or only work on the weekends. They might have five 8-hour shifts or work four 10-hour shifts. It depends on whether they work for a hospital or for another medical facility. Some nurses even do 24-hour shifts and will be called upon for disaster relief and during an increased influx of emergencies.
Nurses may work with doctors and surgeons during surgeries, or help with delivery during childbirth. If a nurse has a specialty, the nurse will work in designated areas within the hospital or clinic. They might cover the maternity floor or the emergency room. This is just an introduction to all the things nurses may do. Contact us to learn more!
