what nursing do
what nursing do
When it comes to safeguarding public health and providing medical attention to the injured or ill, nurses are absolutely necessary.
From working in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with the smallest newborn patients to geriatrics and palliative nursing for people who are nearing the end of their lives, there are many different specialties in nursing. Nurses strive to treat their patients with dignity, respect, and compassion, regardless of their field.
- What is a nurse’s role? A nurse has a wide range of responsibilities when it comes to taking care of a patient. A registered nurse is a multifaceted professional who can be differentiated by licensure in a number of subspecialties. A geriatric nurse works with the elderly, whereas a pediatric nurse chooses to work with children. Public health nurses collaborate with community populations to maximize outcomes for the greatest number of people. While a diabetic nurse educator focuses on client education, oncology nurses are trained to administer chemotherapeutics via IV.
- There is no one-size-fits-all nursing position because of the wide range of subspecialty-specific roles in the field.
- Regardless of specialty or setting, a nurse might have some responsibilities that are similar to one another. Any and all documentation of care, interventions, and medication administration, if any, will always be the responsibility of a nurse.
- The nurse may manage the patient’s care as a primary caregiver. It is the nurse’s responsibility to comprehend the patient’s intricate treatment regimen. They can also assist patients in making decisions regarding their care and act as advocates for their medical requirements. Nurses are tasked with encouraging patient and multidisciplinary team communication as care managers. Additionally, the nurse educates the patient. They assist the client in making informed decisions regarding healthcare.
- Regardless of their subspecialty, registered nurse has a lot to do for their patients. They are in charge of most aspects of a client’s education and are the primary organizers of the patient’s care. They facilitate a cohesive medical treatment plan by connecting the patient and the multidisciplinary team. On the medical team, nurses play a significant role.
Role of Nurses in Healthcare: Basic Duties
While there are numerous subspecialties of nursing, certain expectations regarding nurses’ roles in the healthcare sector are widely accepted. These essential responsibilities, which revolve around the nurse’s various roles, include the following:
- Medication and treatment administration
- Client education
- Case management
- Recording medical information
- Developing care plans that are tailored to each patient’s specific needs
- Infection control
- Analysis of data and metrics to form sound decisions
It is essential to keep in mind that not all of these roles might be suitable for everyone. A lot of nurses don’t work at the bedside. Policy development, management, legislation, and epidemiology are all fields in which many registered nurses work. Those who are not at the bedside might not be able to fulfill some of the previous roles.
Different Nursing Roles
The professional nursing roles of these licensed healthcare professionals will be discussed in greater detail in the following subsections. In order to make it easier to comprehend how these various nursing roles relate to the healthcare sector, specific examples will be provided throughout the in-depth discussion.
The various roles of a nurse will include:
- Caregiver
- Decision maker
- Communicator
- Manager of Care
- Patient Advocate
- Educator
The registered nurse is a multifaceted healthcare professional who is educated to cater to their patients’ ever-changing requirements.
Click here for South African Nursing Colleges and Schools Application 2023-2024
RELATED LINKS
Nursing Online Application links