Head nurse vs staff nurse

Differences between head nurse and staff nurse duties and responsibilities

Head nurse example responsibilities.

• Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
• Receive intensive training for critical care skill development upon transferring to the medical ICU.
• Perform advanced nursing care to acute/chronic medical/surgical, cardiac, thoracic surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic and oncology/ hematology patients.
• Certify staff in CPR and blood glucose monitoring.
• Develop and implement an intensive care class for the staff; implement ACLS class for all staff.
• Develop process improvement plan with bundles for sedation and ventilation.
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Staff nurse example responsibilities.

• Manage and further help stabilize elective and urgent care surgical patients in their post-operative/post PACU admission to the floor.
• Accomplish extensive critical care course with EKG interpretation and yearly critical care medication exam.
• Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
• Participate in discharge planning including teaching family members and patients wind care and medication administration process after discharge.
• Provide direct nursing care to patients in a variety of settings with an emphasis in critical care and PACU settings.
• Prepare patients for surgery and endoscopy procedures including initiating intravenous lines, physical assessments and administering medications.
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