Registered Nurse

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A registered nurse could...

Overview Listen to this section

Registered nurses have been called the backbone of our health-care system. Working on the front lines of medical care, they treat patients, monitor and record their condition, help establish a plan of care, educate patients or the public about a medical condition, and provide advice and emotional support to patients' family members. Registered nurses are highly observant and detail-oriented, and are often the first to catch important and changing signs and symptoms. Many nurses specialize in one or more types of medicine, such as emergency care, hospice, labor and delivery, psychiatry, surgery, or wound care.

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Registered Nurse?

1. Social Perceptiveness: ? Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
2. Active Listening: ? Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
3. Service Orientation: ? Actively looking for ways to help people.
4. Speaking: ? Talking to others to convey information effectively.
5. Coordination: ? Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

6. Reading Comprehension: ? Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
7. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
8. Judgment and Decision Making: ? Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
9. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
10. Writing: ? Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Registered Nurse might do:

• Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
• Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
• Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
• Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
• Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
• Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.
• Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
• Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
• Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.
• Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
• Assess the needs of individuals, families, or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments, to identify potential health or safety problems.
• Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained.
• Refer students or patients to specialized health resources or community agencies furnishing assistance.
• Consult with institutions or associations regarding issues or concerns relevant to the practice and profession of nursing.