What are the Job Duties of an RN?
A registered nurse has a variety of duties, but overall patient care is the first priority. Nursing is one of the largest jobs in the medical profession, and RNs are a integral part of hospitals, clinics and other care centers.
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Professional Training
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Registered nurses are regarded as professional nurses, as opposed to technical nurses, and nursing organizations are working to push requirements that an RN possess a four-year degree. Registered nurses are required to have a four-year degree in most states, and LPNs (licensed practical nurses) must have a two-year degree.
General Guidelines of Duties
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Registered nurses serve patients by educating them in illness prevention, treating them, providing documentation of illnesses, being a support source to families and aiding in physician care.
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Daily Duties
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An RN's daily duties might include providing medication (orally or through an IV), checking readings and documenting them, assisting in physician care, drawing blood and other specialized tasks.
Disease or Department Specialization
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RNs have the option of choosing specialized departments, including mental health, pediatrics, obstetrics, family medicine, critical care and more.
Patient Demographic Specialization
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Tasks can be limited to specific age groups. Infant care requires assisting in birth, after-delivery child care and administering shots; caring for older patients might include increased monitoring of fluid levels and urgent care.
Body Part or Disease Focus
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With a body part or disease focus, the RN concentrates on one area of the body or a specific disease. This type of position might require more taking of tissue samples, blood draws and patient support.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of AR Al Hashemi
