What does a nurse's job involve?

I'm considering nursing as a career path and want to know more about what nurses do day-to-day. How intense is the workload, and what are the most common duties they perform?

Nursing is a multifaceted profession and the exact nature of a nurse's work can vary greatly depending on the specific role and setting. However, there are some duties that are pretty common in most nursing positions.

Patient Care: A large amount of a nurse's time is spent providing direct care to patients. This often includes administering medication, giving injections, taking vitals, dressing wounds, and assisting with basic needs such as bathing, eating, and walking.

Patient Assessment: Nurses regularly monitor their patients' condition, both through observation and by running various tests. They are usually the first ones to notice any changes or complications and can take immediate action or inform a doctor.

Patient Education: Nurses explain treatments to patients, instruct them on how to take care of themselves (e.g., how to do wound care at home), and provide health education to prevent disease and lead a healthy lifestyle.

Communication & Teamwork: Nurses communicate among a team of healthcare professionals and coordinate care for their patients. This includes reporting back to doctors, briefing nursing assistants, and collaborating with specialists.

Record Keeping: Accurate record-keeping is crucial in nursing. This includes updating patient charts, maintaining treatment plans, keeping track of administered medication, and documenting progress.

Now, about the intensity of the workload, it can definitely be demanding. Nurses often work long hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays. There often aren't breaks in the workload when on duty since patient needs are continuous. Of course, the intensity can fluctuate greatly depending on specific roles (like emergency room nurse vs. school nurse) and the place of work (like large urban hospital vs. small town clinic).

It's also key to remember that while demanding, many find nursing to be an incredibly rewarding profession. Apart from the technical aspects, the ability to directly help people and make a difference in their lives is often seen as a major perk of the job.