What do nurses do on a typical day?

A typical day for a nurse involves providing direct patient care, interpreting labs or other diagnostic tests, and providing patients with educational materials. Working as a nurse is a non-stop job. There is no typical day, and every single shift has the potential to be exhilarating, exhausting, and energizing.

On any given day, nurses can see people at their weakest, most vulnerable, or at their strongest and most resolute. They witness the results of injuries and illnesses with such regularity that they become par for the course. For hospital nurses, they start their shift by conferring with their colleagues coming off shift.

They are updated on any changes in patient status, admissions, or other matters that they need to be aware of. They fill out/review change of shift reports and review the quality of care for their patients. This step is incredibly important as it is necessary for patient safety and continuity of care.

At the start of their shift, they will also review assignments and physician notes before starting their rounds. Rounds are busy for nurses as they need to check in with each patient and assess/record their status. They check blood work, monitor the blood sugar of diabetic patients, and check in to see if anything requires immediate attention.

This is also the time when nurses will assist patients with their activities of daily living. This means assisting with eating (if the patient cannot do it themselves) or with basic mobility. This is also when they will do what is known as a "med pass" and administer any necessary medications to patients.

After lunch, they will perform a second set of rounds. During this time, nurses could be releasing patients or admitting new patients. They often find themselves managing patient records, administering new medications, and catching up on charting. This is also the time when nurses will have to be educated on their new patients.

This means getting educated about their diagnoses and treatment plans, answering patient questions, and ensuring that all parties (patients, family members, etc.) have adequately internalized what they need to know.

Before going home, a nurse will make sure that everything has been properly documented and made ready for their counterparts working the next shift. They will check (and double-check) patient charts and information that is needed for the next shift. They will provide a brief to their relief and then go home for some hard-earned rest.

A typical day for a private practice nurse is slightly different from that of a hospital nurse. These nurses work with a more structured team of doctors and a slower-paced environment. Their daily duties typically start with reviewing patient charts with the doctor based on the day's appointments.

Once the patients have arrived, the nurse will take the patient's vital signs, measurements, and medical histories. They will ask about symptoms and the reason for the patient's visit. They may also perform some basic physical examinations or diagnostic testing. They may also recommend care options to physicians.

Private practice nurses are usually tasked with educating patients on how to manage their conditions and providing emotional support to patients and their families. They help to set up treatment rooms, assemble medical equipment, and assess care plans.

Private practice nurses are able to develop more of a relationship with their patients as they are more likely to see them on a relatively routine basis. For this reason, they are often interacting with the patients and their family members and helping to ease tensions and stress.

There are also nurses who may choose to work in school settings. These nurses are focused on helping students with health care needs, teaching students how to manage their conditions and stay as healthy as possible. They often speak to groups of students to address health-related issues.

They work during school hours and may be involved in community liaison work which might take place after hours and require home visits or outreach work. These nurses focus on supporting individual students with their healthcare needs as well as educating their families on how to stay healthy.

It is important that they be able to deliver training, develop lesson plans, and complete program evaluations.