When you talk to most people about what nurses do, the response that you get will usually indicate that they have a good grasp of the responsibilities of the job. Chances are that in your lifetime you have interacted with a nurse, whether you required medical care or not.
Nonetheless, regardless of the general population having a good idea of what a nurse’s job entails, many people get it wrong or have misconceptions about what nurses are responsible for.
It is important to note that there is much required of nurses apart from holding all the mandated certifications, accreditations, and licenses. Qualifications and training make up a small percentage of nursing duties.
Nurses need to apply critical thinking skills in order to understand their patients’ conditions, while at the same time upholding the ability to multi-task and fulfill other duties as allocated by their nursing supervisors.
You may have been interested in becoming a nurse because of your innate desire to help people, or perhaps you have heard that pursuing a career in nursing can be rewarding in terms of job security and other work-related perks. If that is the case, you should click for more information.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (also known as BLS), the nursing industry is expected to grow exponentially over the next few years, as the population of people aged over 65 increases. This means that the demand for personalized healthcare services will also increase.
Despite the older generation’s desire to take care of themselves, age can force them to give in and seek the care of loved ones or nursing homes. If you have a passion for helping people, what better time to transition into the nursing profession?
Nursing Responsibilities
Apart from the duties of checking patients’ vital signs and administering medical prescriptions to the sick, nurses fulfill a wide array of other responsibilities as indicated below.
Taking Note of Patient Problems and Irregularities
Before a doctor decides to offer medication, they liaise with nurses to seek further clarification on the patient’s symptoms. This puts nurses at the forefront of their assigned patients’ care, monitoring any symptoms and syndromes.
By nature of the profession, nurses are expected to predict common physical changes patients may experience through the course of treatment or recovery, while also maintaining a thorough understanding of any symptoms that may lead to deeper medical problems.
In summary, nurses are to pay close attention to their patients’ behavior so that they may act as a guide to the doctors responsible for making an accurate medical diagnosis.
This means that nurses need to be careful when collecting patient data and sharing the information with doctors, as an incorrect medical diagnosis could be life-threatening.
Teaching
I know you may wonder how a nurse can be a teacher. Apart from taking care of patients and attending to medical requirements, nurses also provide knowledge and guidance to the patient’s loved ones on how to care for the patient once they depart the medical facility.
They do this by shedding more light on the patient’s ailment, and the methods their family should adopt to ensure that their loved one experiences a swift and speedy recovery.
Some patients may have complicated medical needs, and it’s only through educating the patient’s family that they stand a chance at making a full recovery.
Advocating for Patients Beyond the Hospital Environment
This may not be a daily routine but more often than not, nurses will take time off from their busy schedule to inquire about the well-being of patients that pass through their hands.
For this specific role, time is a limiting factor as in situations such as this, where we are facing a worldwide pandemic and nurses are swamped with the responsibility of providing medical care to dozens of patients.
Nonetheless, under normal circumstances, reaching out to patients is how nurses build rapport, trust, and a strong bond.
This makes it easier for past patients to seek help should they encounter medical complications in the future.
Nurses Also Care for the Patient’s Loved Ones
Apart from taking care of patients, nurses often wind up supporting the patient’s friends and family, who may be distraught and devasted by the medical condition that has adversely affected their loved one’s life.
Medical procedures are not always successful and unfortunately, as a nurse, you are mandated to be the bearer of bad news to the patient’s family.
This results in you trying to comfort the loved ones in an attempt to grant them some hope so they can live to fight another day. It may seem like a walk in the park, but it’s not, as some grieving loved ones may pose questions that you can’t answer.
This goes to show that though the patient is a nurse’s primary focus, they are also mindful of the welfare of the patient’s relatives.
Final Remarks
The nursing duties above are just a drop in the ocean compared to what nurses are expected to do in their daily routine.
It’s clear as day that nursing is indeed a diverse path, and those who pursue it as their chosen career can bring their own unique traits and talents to the table.
