A nurse's job description involves promoting, maintaining, and restoring health by assessing patient conditions, administering medications and treatments, monitoring vital signs, educating patients and families, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals to develop and implement care plans. Key duties include taking medical histories, recording observations, managing patient records, supervising junior staff, and providing emotional support within various healthcare settings.
Core Responsibilities
- Patient Assessment and Care:Conduct physical examinations, collect patient health histories, and assess conditions to develop care plans.
- Medication Administration and Treatment:Administer medications, perform treatments, change wound dressings, and monitor patient responses.
- Monitoring and Data Recording:Observe and record patient symptoms, reactions, and progress take vital signs, such as temperature and blood pressure.
- Patient and Family Education:Counsel patients and their families on disease prevention, health maintenance, and treatment plans.
- Collaboration and Coordination:Work with doctors, other nurses, and healthcare teams to coordinate care and make treatment decisions.
- Documentation:Accurately document all actions, findings, and irregularities in patient health records for other team members.
Additional Duties
- Technical Skills:Operate medical equipment, take blood samples, and perform other nursing procedures.
- Supervision:Instruct, motivate, and supervise junior nurses, nursing assistants, and aides.
- Advocacy:Act as a patient advocate, ensuring their needs, rights, and preferences are met.
- Emotional Support:Provide emotional and psychological support to patients and their families.
- Environment Management:Maintain a safe, hygienic, and organized working environment and ensure medical equipment is in proper working order.
