What do nurses do (either male or female)?

Question

What do nurses do (either male or female)?

Answer 1

Nurses do all sots of things. I have been a nurse for20 years. It depends on how much schooling you have,but a few examples of work is: Direct patient care(bath,vital signs,medications and treatment such as wound care). Take off orders written by the doctor,supervise the cna's (oversee that they are doing their job correctly),make appointments,a lot of time is spent on documentation,some draw blood,initiate IV lines and administer IV medications such as antibiotics,chemotherapy,Blood etc. some nurses perform dialysis for people. You can work in the operating room as an OR nurse.Maternity nurse,oncology (cancer) nurse, orthopedic nurse (bones).They can work in the ER,you can work in hospice (dying patients), Perform EKG's and stress tests. There are endless things nurses do. I input information into the computer to get medicaid and medicare reimbursement. Nursing is a very rewarding occupation. There is always a job in the medical field and always a shortage.

Answer 2

Gender does not affect the duties of a nurse.  In a hospital setting, nurses are responsible for patients assigned to their care.  This means that they follow-up the all aspects of a patients care that is ordered by the physician. Things like checking and clarifying medications they give patients as ordered by physicians,  making sure others disciplines of the health care team (Respiratory Therapists,Physical Therapists,Social Services, Radiology, Laboratory).  Nurses also oversee the care provided by Nursing Assistants that help patients with typical daily activities, such as, bathing, moving about room, and eating when the nurse is not available.  This is only a small portions of all the jobs a nurse can have ...just like doctors, they can get Certified in specific fields of medicine like, Pediatrics (Infant & Children's health), Geriatrics (Elderly); Lactation (Helping new Moms learn the art of breastfeeding); Maternal/Infant (teaching caring for yourself during pregnancy and infant care); Surgery and even something really new, Forensic Nursing (the care of surviviors/evidence of domestic violence or like the Virginia Tech campus shootings); Home Health (follow-up care as patients recover & helping them continue care at home for longer term illnesses). Nursing has a wider variety of career options that most people just don't realize are there until they NEED them!

Answer 3

Lift patients, or assist them in moving them. Roll them to change their sheets. Assist with bodily functions. Wash them with clothes. Change their clothes. Bring them food, pillows, blankets, or do other small things to make patients comfortable. Assess a patient before the doctor looks at them, take vital signs, attach monitor leads, take 12 lead ECGs(look at the heart for evidence of a heart attack). Start IVs, draw blood, insert nasogastric tubes(into the nose and down to the stomach, to "pump" the stomach", foley catheters(tubes into a person's bladder to collect urine), draw blood for lab tests. Administer a range of drugs, possibly having to mix the medications into an IV bag to regulate its flow. Other meds will be given by mouth, by shots, or by suppositories(a pill up the butt, so to speak). they will take doctor's orders down and do paperwork to transfer a patient or document their hourly/daily progress. they put up with the tantrums, whining, and complaining of patients, patient family members, physicians, and others who think they have it easy. they have to maintain continuing education credits to keep their skills up. And a few dozen things I've not listed.

   How much of this they actually do will also depend on their level, LPN vs RN, Nurse Practioner, or a specialist(ICU nurse, flight medic nurse, etc). Certain areas, such as neuro ICU, pediatric ICU tend to have higher turnover because of the "burnout" rate. So it depends on how much excitement and stress you can handle on what areas you might be most suitable or comfortable in as a nurse.

Answer 4

lift patients and do what is necessary for them to feel comfortable and also to assist them in anyway.