Nurse RN & LPN Job Description
The Registered Nurse, here after referred to as RN comprises the largest group of healthcare workers. The RN normally works directly with the patients and their family on a day to day basis.
Primary Responsibilities:
- The RN works directly with the patient providing personal care that helps the patient with his medical needs.
- The RN is the one who is the contact between the patient and the world of healthcare. Many times the RN is the one who informs the physician of any changes or needs that the patient may require.
- The RN is the one who does patient evaluations by monitoring and tracking vital signs and charting the patient’s symptoms.
The RN is vital to all patients helping to administer medications, speaking to their physician and seeing that the patient is being properly cared for both medically and physically. The Nurse is the first to notice problems or raise concerns about patient progress. The RN will develop the day-to-day nursing care plans while a patient is in the hospital along with a plan for the patient after they have been discharged from the hospital. The Nurse finds that there are categories that he/she may decide to do utilizing their skills and training. The RN a registered nurse is often found working in hospitals, nursing care facilities and doctor offices.
Nurse Practitioners
Many Nurses decide to become Nurse Practitioners which constitutes being primary care givers.
The Nurse Practitioners takes on more responsibilities and is in charge of treatment and must be certified in the field that they are practicing. The Nurse Practitioner often becomes certified as registered nurse anesthetists, certified as nurse-midwife and certain other clinical responsibilities. The positions that they hold are very important and it has been declared by the medical board that we need more Nurse Practitioners.
Head Nurses and Nurse Supervisors
Head Nurses or Nurse Supervisors are needed in almost every aspect of the medical field.
The Head Nurse supervises nursing activities in a variety of different office settings including the physician, hospitals, nursing care facilities along with specialized offices. The Head Nurse must work with the staff providing instructions, seeing that the physician’s orders are carried out, and that patient care is done in a responsible manner. The Head Nurse must set up the work schedules, assigning duties to the nursing staff, and making sure that each member of the nursing staff is properly trained. The Head Nurse is held responsible for the performance of the nurses who are on the team. The Head Nurse must make sure that all records are properly kept. The Head Nurse must give a report at the end of each shift and that supplies are stocked.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)
The Licensed Practical Nurse provides the patient with a very personal level of care.
The LPN has direct and frequent contact with the patient providing them with the personal needs that they require. The LPN must report to the Head Nurse and Physicians any problems that a patient may have or treatment needed. The LPN is the one who helps in the treatment of bedsores, giving patient baths, dressing wounds, giving enemas and other personal needs. The LPN is working frequently with the patient so it is their responsibility to help the patient deal with the illness and accept the things that they must do in order to get better. Some LPN’s will administer medicine or IV’s when it is necessary. This type of treatment is only done if it is a state approved procedure and the attending physician’s requests the LPN to carry-out the function.
Nursing Home Nurses
Nursing Home Nurses are responsible to care for residents on a daily basis providing all their needs.
Many patients in nursing homes may suffer from anything from a fracture to Alzheimer’s. RN’s spend much of their time on administrative and supervisory tasks but are required to assess patients and their conditions on a daily need. The RN must develop treatment plans and supervise the LPN who takes care of the patients needs. The LPN is usually the one who provides the hands-on care for the patient taking care of bed sores, dressings, bathing and other essential treatments required. The LPN must chart each patient and what procedures that they have performed. The LPN must report to the RN immediately any changes in the patient’s condition. It is the combination of the RN and LPN in a nursing care facility that makes life for a patient better.
