Routine tasks of a Registered Nurse?

Answer 1

What do RNs do? Registered nurses lead the patient's care team. RNs perform in-depth physical assessments, gather data on the patient's history, and collect information on all facets of the patient's life. This is not to be confused with the H&P the physician gathers: the RN version is far more in-depth and covers how the patient performs ADLs [activities of daily living], past types of employment, living arrangements, and numerous other points of information, but is not geared towards diagnosing disease. Nurses deal with nursing diagnoses, not medical per se.

RNs supervise all other members of the health care team: LPNs, nursing assistants, nurse technologists etc. They are required to monitor the outcomes of work done by other therapists [speech, physical, occupational, etc] and to determine if the patient is making progress. RNs often are the first to request other therapists be called in to work with patients, or to request the cessation of therapies because the patient is not benefiting or is too sick to continue with those therapies.

RNs are the only members of the team who administer IV medications. LPNs may, in some states, be permitted to hang plain IV fluids after the RN has hung the first bag, but if there are any additives, the RN must take care of the fluids. LPNs may flush IV hep locs with plain saline to maintain patentcy, but if there is any trouble with the line, the RN must take care of it.

How do RNs differ from doctors? RNs work from nursing diagnoses: these differ from medical diagnoses in that doctors seek to cure disease, RNs seek to cure the problems diseases cause. This is a subtle difference. Example: the patient has undergone an amputation. The RN might select as the nursing diagnoses 'grief from loss of limb', 'alteration in ability to perform ADLs' 'alteration in ambulation' amongst others. Or, perhaps the patient is elderly and has dementia, the nursing diagnosis might read 'safety issues due to memory impairment' or 'tendency to violent outbursts due to confusion'. As you can see, there is a problem linked to physical or mental impairment. Nursing diagnoses are not easy unless one has the training, education and experience to be able to formulate the nursing process involved.

When a death is imminent, many facilities- such as long term care, assisted living and others - permit the RN to pronounce the patient. RNs comfort the grieving families, and, to help them deal with the emotional strain both sides face, take many courses on helping those facing death.

How much education do RNs need? There are 3 paths to being an RN. One is the diploma route- but this 3 year skill based path has almost vanished from American nursing. Diploma RNs do get a lot of educational credits, but they also received possibly the finest skill base training ever offered. The second is the Associate Degreed RN. This is suitable for those who wish to start off working as an RN, but not in management or in any area of high expertise. The Associate RN usually goes on to her BSN after she's on the job and the employer picks up the cost of going on for the BSN. The third path is the BSN. This is a 4-year degree in nursing science. Within 10 years it is hoped to be the entry level for the RN (the Associate Degree may become the path to an LPN if things go as planned). After passing state boards (a requirement that varies from long arduous tests to computer driven ones that, in the case of a well-versed candidate may last as little as an hour and a half) RNs must take continual education courses as long as they wish to keep their licenses. Their 2-year license requires anywhere from 15-75 CEUs (dependent on their state of practice) to obtain renewal. Failure to obtain continuing education is automatic lapse of license.

After obtaining their RN, many RNs go on within their specialty to obtain certification. Certification tests are grueling, but they indicate those nurses who have chosen to become especially proficient in their field of nursing. Example: Oncology nurses take extra courses in cancer treatments and working with cancer victims. Emergency nurses study the treatment of trauma of all types: poisonings, vehicular accidents, gunshots, knifings, near drownings etc. They and nurses who work in ICU/CCU must be also be certified in ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)- which is how codes are managed when a patient's heart or respirations stop. Nurses who work in neonatal units have their own certifications, and so on. The ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Committee) handles the majority of certifications in the US.

Are there any downsides to being an RN? Like any field there are problems to be faced. RNs are (unfortunately) often punished for the actions of those they supervise. This has proven to be a major reason why some nurses have left their practice: they are tired of worrying when some employee will make an error for which they will be cited. It is worse now that unlicensed personnel are being permitted to perform what was once strictly nursing duties (such as inserting sterile catheters, doing sterile dressings, giving medications), and most feel it isn't worth the grief.

Other problems for nurses in modern times are the hospitals and facilities seek to maximize profits by cutting staff. Nurse are given double the patient assignment on patients twice as sick as before. Whereas in ICUs it was unheard of to assign more than two patients per nurse, far too many hospitals are dumping 4 patients per nurse. This practically guarantees an adverse outcome for at least one patient, and an exhausted nurse at the end of that 12-hour shift. Nurses rarely get to leave the floor for lunch, especially if they work the off-shift. Coffee breaks are generally a quick sip and a nibble and then back to the floor, because of the fact hospitals won't staff appropriately. These actions on the part of hospitals are almost universally recognized as the #1 reason nurses have left nursing: they burn out and too tired to continue after less than 5 years on the job.

The average age of nurses in the US is 57. This is because the older nurses have continued to hang on, while younger nurses won't take the continual barrage and take their advanced degrees to other fields. It is sad the US has to go to other countries and siphon off their RNs to bring here to supplement the US nurses. Regarding salaries, this is another sticking point. Nurses have failed to keep up with inflation or the times, and most still make the same wages they did back in 1989. It is another way for hospitals to keep their costs down: in each area the hospital and nursing home management collude to set the salaries, and nurses have watched their salary advantage fade away until now they make the equivalent of 14.00 in 1989 dollars.

What types of jobs do RNs have? Plenty. Nursing offers probably the widest range of jobs of any field. RNs can choose to work in an almost limitless range of areas. RNs manage facilities as Directors of Nursing, Assistant Directors of Nursing and supervisors. They also do research, work in operating rooms as scrub and circulating nurses, function as nurse-practioners (who have the right to diagnose and prescribe in all states, though each state has drawn their own parameters as to how independently the nurse-practitioner may function. RNs also work as nurse-anesthetists & nurse-midwifes. Jobs are never a problem for RNs. There are almost 300,000 positions available, and the nurse shortage is growing.

Anything else? There are many documents which must be signed by an RN exclusively. Paperwork is endless, and must be done before the RN goes home each shift. If there is disciplinary action to be taken, it is the RN who must handle it.

Being a nurse is exhausting, but it has its rewards. RNs know at the end of the day their actions may have saved lives and at least made them better.

Nursing is not for those who take offense easily, as many patients, staff and doctors take out their angst against nurses. Nurses do understand that disease can bring out the worst in some people and try to let the comments slide off their back. However, that does not mean taking abuse. Nurses are allowed to stand up for themselves and others.

If you think you have the physical and mental strength to be an RN, there are plenty of schools available. It is never recommended to try online courses as you will need to perform clinicals or actual patient care tests for which no online school can prepare you. However, you can take your prerequisites such as English, Mathematical Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, History, and such from any accredited school and then transfer these credits to a nursing school where you will begin your nursing studies.

Good Luck!

Ohio RN-BC for 27 years

Answer 2

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Answer 3

they observe each patient,record conditions on medical charts,give medicines on time and maintain an atmosphere that helps promote healing.