Typical day for a NURSE?

Question

typical day for a hospital nurse consistss of what? I know they get "report" ...then what do they do?
Check vitals? Deliver food trays? Bed Baths?

Answer 1

There is so much more to it than that... trust me... I just finished nursing school and my mom has been a nurse for over 20 years. It's a pretty hectic business... it all depends on what department you end up in... a typical day on the Med/Surg floor (where you go after surgery or when you're sick) consists of checking vital signs, report, passing medications, monitoring patients for cardiac issues if they are on a monitor... it goes on and on and on. The typical Emergency room shift can include everything from being invovled in a code (which may or may not save a life) to assisting with a delivery, to having a multiple victim MVA come in with one doctor and two nurses. It can get pretty crazy. It's a really rewarding job if you can deal with the downfall when someone doesn't make it...
You can always see if your school counselor can set up a job shadow with a nurse one day... it's an eye opening experience. Some days my mom says she didn't have time for a bathroom break in 12 hours... other days she is so bored she can't stand it... all depends on the department, the time of day and the size of the hospital!

Answer 2

Don't confuse Nurse with Nurses Aid or LVN

Nurses check vitals.

Record data on input and output.

Update medications only they and doctors can dispense Medications

In the case of surgical patients they sometimes have to stand there and be a rock for the patient who is trying to get out of bed and just needs an arm to hold on to.

They give enemas

Give injections

They generally don't do tests and stuff, that's a lab tech

They decide to call the doctor at 3 AM on Christmas Sunday because the patient is running 104 fever

Some (trained techs) take X-Rays

They keep the charts, enter data into the computer answer the call bell like an airplane flight attendant.

They also pass out the meal trays sometimes.

They may handle as many as 50-200 patients a shift, with no doctor on duty and there may only be 4 or 5 nurses on duty.

In a big city emergency room as few as 5 nurses might deal with a never ending sea of people who speak all different languages.



Oh, they also pass out the before bed ice cream cups.

Answer 3

Generally in an in-patient units, a day of a nurse would start with receiving outgoing shift reports or endorsements, followed by handover rounds. It will be followed by initial assessment of the patient as the commencement of care on that shift. Based on the assessment, the priority of care will be formulated. Rendering nursing care follows which would include checking of the vital signs, providing hygienic needs-bath as needed,changing the linens,etc. (Though there are other staff who would help in specific works, the nurse still has to be responsible in ensuring that the patients are possibly met). Administering the medication of course is a vital part. If the patient is due for any scheduled tests or procedures, preparations are thoroughly checked by nurses. If it is the morning shift (or maybe other shifts), the nurse prepares the patient for doctors rounds. Monitoring the patient throughout the shift is a routine in every shift. Looking into everything that makes the whole patient care is part of the daily activities. Documentation and reports of releavant aspects about the patient also takes a considerable time of the day. Everything are not expected to come easy. Encountering difficult patient plus meticulous supervisors "scrutiny" in what you are doing shouldn't be excluded as part of the day. A day may come easy or a bit busy running over, may be exciting or frustrating, but you will have to prepare things that you should do in preparing to hand over your patient to the incoming shift. Roughly, that makes a typical day of a nurse.

Answer 4

Things like bed baths and vitals are usually done by a nurse's aide. As a nurse, you would assess your patients several times each shift, administer all your patient's medication, start and maintain IVs. You are the link between your patient and their doctor, as doctors usually see most patients once per day during rounds. If you were to work in a department such as a PICU, ICU, or NICU, then your responsibilities would be much more involved than a floor nurse. At any time however, even on the regular floor you can have special needs patients needing a variety of things that you will need to be able to provide for them; tube feeding, blood draws, special mechanical equipment...the list is very long.

Answer 5

it depends on what unit they are on. my sister is a nurse and I shadowed her a few days a couple years ago...from what I remember, they get the "report" from the nurse who is leaving...that usually includes the name of the patient, what room they're in, if they've had any problems, if/when they need to be fed, etc. after that, they usually go and make sure they have all of the patients' information before going to see them. My sister works on the heart unit so she always put strips of paper that showed the heartbeat pattern in with the patient's charts. They can give meds too if needed, usually different patients have different times for things and the hospital my sister works at has the white dry erase boards that the nurses write (and cross off when done) what time(s) they patient needs certain things done. Obviously they check vitals...sometimes they listen the patient's breathing too..They sometimes change the dressings on wounds and change the stockings that patients wear so they don't get blood clots in their legs. Sometimes they have to take patients for walks or help them shower or bathe too...it really varies based on the unit and the types of patients that are there. A cardiac care nurse like my sister would have a different type of day than a pediatric nurse.

Answer 6

Completely depends where you work. As a long term care nurse yeah you do the daily things like report, meds, treatments, and meal trays. But you also get the opportunity to help a unique person each day and make new friends along the way, You at times get to experience the joy of helping that person and their family accept the end of life and be prepared and ready. And to let them know that you are going to be there and do what you can to help ease the pain.

Answer 7

It varies depending on the unit you work in - but typical day for a med/surg nurse...
Get assignment, get report, check med schedule for patients, give meds, do wound treatments, check vitals, give meds again, report patient issues to the docs, eat lunch in half hour, give meds, check patients, vitals and wound treatments again, deal with worried family members, empty drainage bags (urine, blood...), write notes in patient charts, report to next shift - and do all this while helping your fellow nurses with lifting heavy patients, answering call bells & doctor's phone calls, taking orders from docs and dealing with any emergency that might pop up during the day!

Answer 8

Check vitals, physical assessment, monitor their airway.....ventilators, oxygen, breathing, coughing, chest therapy. monitor all of their iv sites, iv medications, monitor their pulses and circulation. monitor their heart rhythm, rate, central lines. monitor GI status, tubes, tube feeding, regular diet if they eat, bowl movement, bowel sounds.....make sure all their lab results are OK, call the doctor with any abnormalities. monitor their pain, sedation levels. keep family members updated, deal with nasty people, deal with nice people. give their medications....make sure they don't interact with each other, make sure they are needed, make sure they are correct. give mouth care every couple of hours, give baths to those that cant themselves. wound care. trach care. Tip of the iceberg and multiply that by 2 patients......this is a typical day for an ICU nurse.......thats just the physical aspect. Try being in the room with someone when the doctor tells them their loved on has or is going to die. Holding the hand of a person who just found out they have cancer. It goes on and on, the most rewarding and stressful career imaginable.

Answer 9

AS A HOSPICE NURSE: Provide compassionate, caring treatment to terminally ill patients. Develop and manage nursing care plans; instruct patients and their families in disease process/progression; palliative care; administer medications; assess & provide interventions for physical, spiritual and social needs; provide direct patient care; assess and record symptoms, interface with family and multi-disciplinary team.

AS A HOSPITAL NURSE: Provide direct patient care, observe, assess, and record symptoms, reactions, & progress; assist physicians during treatments and examinations; administer medications; and assist in convalescence and rehabilitation. Develop and manage nursing care plans; instruct patients and their families in proper care; and help individuals take steps to improve or maintain their health or provide end of life palliative care. Telemetry, dysrhythmias and ACLS qualified.

I am currently working in a satellite Family Practice Clinic. We see an average of 60 patients daily from Diabetes Management to pediatric well child checks and geriatric chronic health management. I also have clinical hours at the County school based clinic and the State College Family Planning Clinic and Wellness Center.

Answer 10

Cna's usualy do that stuff. There is no "typical day" its a very hard job and you cant just sum it up in a few scentances.