Since the early twentieth century, persons working as nursing professionals could obtain registration by the various nursing councils. This provided a proper guideline for the roles and duties, which a Registered Nurse (RN) must follow. Unlike Licenced Practical Nurses (LPN) or trainee staff, it is mandatory for Registered Nurses to complete a minimum number of practice hours as a part of their education to maintain their status as registered nurses. This means that the number of duties and responsibilities of RNs are much more than the nursing trainees or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Listed below are some of the most important responsibilities of a Registered Nurse.
1. Administering Medicine
One of the major responsibilities in a hospital or a nursing home of administering medicines to the patients is one of the core duties of a registered nurse. A registered nurse must make sure that patients are given their medicines on time. Additionally, a RN may be required to make a proper medicine therapy plan and explain it to the patients, thereby helping them understand the different medicinal procedures. Making the patients understand the medicinal procedures is also essential to ease their worries and help shorten recovery time.
2. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostics
Apart from regular care giving, the RNs are also tasked with laboratory tests, obtaining blood samples and running various types of diagnostics to detect the patient’s ailments. They are also tasked with maintaining the data of the patient’s condition and any significant changes in vital signs. Hence, it is essential that a registered nurse is well versed with the patient’s file and ensure that a proper care plan is devised based on the reports.
3. Administration Services
Taking care of the medicinal stock, hospital inventory and upkeep of hospital equipment such as X-Ray, CT and MRI machines is also a part of RNs responsibilities. Registered nurses must also ensure that a proper level of care is provided to the patients by the staff. The upkeep of the hospital premises, proper hygiene and keeping things organised, as well as keeping hospital premises ready for any emergency situation is another core duty of a Registered Nurse.
4. Implementation of Policies
Apart from the administration and upkeep of the hospital premises, Registered Nurses’ duties also involve a considerable amount of office work. Maintaining and organising patient’s report and keeping a check on their medicinal needs is a major duty of a registered nurse. In more advanced, bigger medical facilities, RNs might also be tasked with the planning and implementation of various hospital policies. This means that a registered nurse should also make several managerial decisions.
5. Private or Personalised Care
One of the major duties of a nurse is to provide high quality care to patients. This also stays true for a registered nurse who is responsible for the upkeep of the patient’s health in the presence or absence of a Doctor or Physician. A registered nurse must also take care of the patient’s needs, such as food, clean clothing, and bathing. Motivating the patients to calm their worries and help them understand the medical programme is another major duty of a registered nurse.
In short, registered nurses have an extensive list of tasks and duties making their job extremely challenging. Hence, for those who want to become a registered nurse they must be well versed with the roles and responsibilities before making a final decision. Nevertheless, a job as a registered rurse is equally rewarding and satisfying making it a preferred career option for many. Aspiring trainees can also find various LPN to BSN online programs to eventually become registered nurses for a fulfilling career in nursing.
Sources:
http://www.topregisterednurse.com/registered-nurse-job-description-and-duties/
http://study.com/information_about_registered_nurse.html
http://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Health-Care-sTeam/Registered-Nurse
