REMINDERS!!!

• Staff Nurse:
○ demonstrates a high degree of competence in the
practice of nursing skills peculiar to a clinical
department
○ identifies nursing care needs of a patient group,
correlates related principles of care, and establishes
care priorities
○ interviews patients and develops nursing care plans
based on conclusions drawn from data
○ evaluates the effectiveness of policies and
procedures as they relate to area of assignment
○ prepares for therapeutic procedures in a specialized
segment of patient care
○ renders expert nursing care that focuses upon a
highly specialized segment of the patient’s total
therapeutic program

• DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

○ Preparation of Nursing Care Plans. Typical tasks:
examines patient's psychological, emotional, and
○ physical condition, together with other health care
professionals; assesses treatment needs and
develops
○ nursing care plan including such things as patient
comfort, coping ability, daily living requirements;
○ developing measurable goals, discharge planning
performs other related duties as assigned
○ Direct Patient Care. Typical tasks: prepares for
patient arrival by setting up bed with specific patient
○ requirements such as ventilators, IV's, monitors,
alarms, pumps, oxygen, mist tent; assesses patient's
○ physical and emotional condition by such things as
looking at pupils, coloring, alertness; watching for
○ hemorrhaging, reactions; observing willingness to
communicate, cooperativeness, combativeness,
○ confusion; taking vital signs, conducting assessments
of memory; asking about allergies, medication,
○ drinking habits; checks tolerance to medications or
treatment; administers medical and nursing
regimens
○ including medications, treatments; irrigates and
cleans wounds, changes dressings, inserts and
monitors
○ IV's, draws blood, sets up traction, monitors vital
signs, suctions and maintains tracheotomies, inserts
or
○ changes catheters, monitors fluid input and output;
assists with surgery; operates and monitors
○ sophisticated medical equipment that keeps track of
major bodily functions; assists the patient in
○ activities of daily living such as bathing, oral care,
and feedings; evaluates effectiveness of care and
○ adjusts accordingly; takes specimens and samples
for testing; initiates cardiopulmonary resuscitation or
○ other emergency response activities and codes when
breathing or heart stops or seizures occur;
○ evaluates and carries out physician's orders ensuring
that they are appropriate such as not causing
○ allergic reactions and given in proper dosages;
coordinates all patient health services by
communicating
○ with nurses, doctors, pharmacy, laboratories,
physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory
therapy,
○ dietary and social services; may have some security
responsibility over medically ill/disabled patients.
○ Documentation. Typical tasks: keeps accurate legal
written records through charting, nursing care
 ○ plans, and case records of such things as: patient's
health status and any changes; treatments;
○ medications administered; unusual incidents
involving patients and patient education; all data
pertaining
○ to surgery such as time patient entered operating
room, time operation began, position of patient
during
○ surgery, diagnosis, supply counts for billing
purposes; objective data such as patient requests or
○ instructions to nursing staff on following shift;
laboratory data; known allergies; height; weight; vital
○ signs; documentation of preoperative care and
procedures and postoperative care; may participate
in
○ collecting data for research purposes.
• Client and Staff Education. Typical tasks: educates
patients and their families about the illness or
○ disease process, pre- and post-operation processes
and orientation to the hospital ward, operating room,
○ birthing room, to provide relief from fear, anger,
confusion, grief or anxiety; trains patients or their
○ families in post hospital care such as how to bathe,
clean wounds and change dressings, feedings,
○ suction and care for tracheotomies, care for sutures
and catheters, taking vital signs and glucose levels,
○ mobility such as how to get from bed to toilet, skin
care, -pain control, how to take medications such as
○ insulin or antibiotics, operation of home monitors