The nursing profession is highly revered. These professionals help to save lives and work tirelessly to protect and cure patients. So, nurses are probably the closest thing to an actual superhero.
However, they are not fictional characters but regular human beings with seasoned training and education in the healthcare field. Like most individuals, their activities at the hospital or care center are based on a routine. This article will look at the typical daily schedule of a working nurse and the different settings that can influence a nurse’s daily routine.
Breaking down the daily routine of nurses
Here’s a five-step breakdown of the day-to-day activities of a nurse:
- Checking in: Nursing is a round-the-clock profession, so these healthcare workers usually work in shifts. The daily schedule begins very early for those on morning shifts who have to prepare the facilities before the emergencies and morning rounds begin. Morning and night shift nurses must be in sync so that the nurses starting their shifts and checking in are properly updated on all that happened while they were clocked out.
Checking in could involve reading physician notes, studying patient charts and reviewing treatment plans. Staying updated with regard to the patients already staying at the facility is essential in maintaining existing treatment plans.
- Preparing for shifts: After getting up to speed with all the news during the previous shift, nurses have to begin preparations. This includes inspecting and taking inventory to make sure there are enough supplies. Taking stock of medical supplies is crucial in ensuring that, in emergencies, nurses and doctors can adequately stay on top of the situation. Lives are at stake in the hands of nurses, and the lack of a necessary drug or apparatus could be fatal.
The preparation process for nurses often involves setting up pieces of equipment, sanitizing them and reviewing treatment plans. Clerical aspects of the routine include checking emails, arranging doctors’ appointments and scheduling tests.
- Starting the shift: Working their shifts requires nurses to be an effective cog in the medical wheel. There are plenty of activities to carry out, such as:
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- Taking patients’ vitals, and measurements
- Updating patients’ medical histories
- Examining patients physically
- Drawing blood samples for tests
- Conducting and requesting test results
- Recommending treatment plans and care options
- Administering medications
- Keeping accurate records
- Changing patients’ dressings
- Handling emergencies: The fast-paced nature of emergencies makes it a different ballgame from other nursing activities. Rather than performing a mechanical routine, nurses have to think on their feet and make important decisions instantly.
When an ambulance rushes in and the stretcher wheels in, the nurse is often the first to assess the patient. Sometimes, a nurse’s first few decisions are critical to whether the patient stays alive.
While directing the stretcher to the ER, the nurse is actively trying to reduce bleeding or to keep patients breathing. All this happens before a doctor arrives to stabilize the patient. Even then, it’s the job of a nurse to monitor vitals.
- Discharging patients: This is perhaps one of the most fulfilling parts of a nurse’s job. When a patient is well enough to go home, nurses have to prepare paperwork for discharge. Furthermore, nurses can proffer advice and recommendations to patients or their family members in order to avoid relapse. This also serves as the best time to answer any questions that patients (and their families) might have.
The impact of settings on a nurse’s daily routine
Not every nurse has the same job description. Even for nurses with the same level of education and training, daily routines tend to differ. One of the factors responsible for these differences is the work setting. While nurses are mostly found in a hospital, they may also provide care in different environments.
Hospital
This is where most nurses work and usually requires morning and night shifts for round-the-clock patient care. When one shift ends, the resuming nurse has to carry on seamlessly from their colleague. A hospital is the perfect setting for nurses to carry out their duties because of the proximity to medical equipment, supplies, etc. Several other medical professionals in the vicinity, such as doctors, lab technicians and pharmacists, make the care process much easier.
Emergency transport
Nurses also work in emergency transport vehicles to provide first aid treatment before they get to a hospital. Here, they work in tandem with Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). For the most part, nurses in this position find themselves driving around the cities and suburbs to attend to emergencies. Without the presence of a doctor, nurses have to keep patients alive any way they know how.
In the event of traffic accidents, these emergency transport nurses have to stabilize the victims, administer treatment and sometimes play the doctor in order to keep victims alive and stable. This is quite a demanding setting to work as a nurse. Depending on the severity of the accident and the distance to the nearest medical facility, nurses might have to keep at it for additional work hours.
Military
Some nurses are specially trained to serve in branches of the military and provide healthcare for patients in military clinics. And these medical facilities are often makeshift structures close to combat zones.
Military nurses are responsible for caring for soldiers, other military personnel and their family members. While this is not the most popular type of nursing, especially when it involves going to combat zones, these professionals can still enjoy a good work-life balance with several holidays and days off.
It’s worth noting that military nurses are essentially military personnel. So, their daily routine is different from that of a regular nurse. They may start their day with some form of training, like every other officer. The most skilled nurses can set up a military triage in combat zones. It goes without saying that these nurses are capable of working in tense and high-paced environments, an attribute that comes in handy for career advancement.
Home healthcare
This medical practice has become one of the most popular nursing trends. It optimizes healthcare resources by keeping individuals, especially the elderly, out of the hospital when it’s possible to achieve the best medical outcomes at home.
This is common as a treatment after hospital discharge. In this setting, the nurses operate on their own, so they have to direct treatment by themselves. As the population of older Americans increases, so has the demand for at-home nurses. Many of these aged patients need help moving around the house. So, the position can be very physically demanding. This type of nursing also calls for a lot of other non-medical skills.
For instance, good communication is vital as these nurses administer care not only physically but also emotionally. Hence, there is the need to talk with patients. Effective communicating while in tune with patients’ cultures and lifestyles can aid the healing process.
Education/training
This is one of the friendliest work settings for nurses globally. Registered nurses can work in schools and training facilities as nurse educators. Apart from educating college students, they also deliver training to medical teams, support staff, etc.
These nurses in schools spend most of their daily schedule with students, and, similar to other teaching jobs, there are other activities to carry out, such as:
- Developing lesson plans
- Completing program evaluations
- Studying lesson topics
- Designing and implementing curriculum
Unlike other types of nurses, nurse educators do not have to be in the field treating patients. They work only through the academic year or the duration of the training and can enjoy several months of school vacation. Nurses in the educational field also combine teaching jobs with clinical practice. Advanced nursing degrees are necessary to be a nurse educator. So, these professionals often attain high career levels when working in hospitals.
Court system
This is another work setting with a daily routine different from that of a typical nurse. Here, nurses liaise with the court system to help complete forensic investigations. In this line of nursing, these professionals spend most of their time in the lab examining evidence, testing samples and analyzing results.
As a result, these professionals spend regular hours conducting analysis to give the court more insights and information regarding investigations. Their activities are not limited to the laboratory. These nurses might also have to collect evidence and take blood samples from crime scenes.
Conclusion
The daily life of a nurse can be as mechanical as carrying out rounds at a hospital ward or as dynamic as handling emergencies after a near-fatal accident. Routines differ based on the site of the job. The hospital setting is optimal since caring for patients here involves teamwork among the nurses and doctors or other healthcare professionals. At the same time, they take up equally essential roles in non-medical institutions, like the courts and training establishments.
Nurses are an essential part of the medical sector, and they are also just people, with families and personal interests. Fortunately, their job often offers flexibility with shifts and days off.
