A Career in Nursing

Madison Eley

22 February 2018

English III

Mr. Alburger
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Madison Eley

22 February 2018

English III

Mr. Alburger

A Career in Nursing

Nurses can become involved in many different jobs while working in a hospital. Nurses

help make sure that patients get the care they need during their stay at the hospital. A nurse's job

consists of a variety of duties that they complete, the demand for nurses has grown larger than

ever due to a large shortage, and why having nurses remains important in the medical world.

Nurses' everyday jobs consist of a variety of tasks. Nurses must possess certain skills to

succeed. They need to have good communication skills, have good decision-making skills,

problem-solving, critical thinking and most importantly, teamwork. Nurses that specialize in

certain areas have different jobs accordingly. Different departments include Neonatal, ER nurse,

Oncology, Neurology, Midwife nurse, ICU nurse, NICU nurse and many others. Nurses work in

many different workplaces, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, community health centers,

prisons, homeless centers, sports events and camps.

The responsibilities differ depending on the type of nursing and the location that the

nurse works at. Some of the general everyday jobs nurses complete include performing physical

exams, writing up medical histories, provide health counseling, administer medications, care for

injuries and wounds, make decisions about actions that they need to take, supervise other staff,

and of course, care for your patient and make them feel like they dwell in good hands. According

to Randi, RN, sometimes her job includes acting like a support person, friend, psychologist and

waitress (Eley, Madison. Personal Interview. 25 January 2018).

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Each of the different departments brings new jobs. A critical care nurse, for example,

cares for dying patients. They may care for patients who have suffered severe accidents, need

oxygen, had strokes or heart attacks and even medicine management. Nurses that work in the

critical care unit may go by the title of a trauma nurse, an ICU nurse or even a NICU nurse.

Patients in this unit need constant care from nurses.

Nurses that work in a clinic setting have somewhat different duties to fulfill. At the clinic,

nurses arrive before the doctor to set up the clinic for the day. They have to get exam tables

ready and check the otoscope and ophthalmoscope for the ear and eye tests. The nurses in clinics

check the patient's weight, height and ask about any illnesses or injuries that they have. They

check the patient's temperature, blood pressure and often administer tests (flu test, strep throat

test, etc.) or administer any required vaccinations the patient might need to receive. They also

administer tests and scans like x-rays, MRIs and CAT scans. The nurse will then pass all of the

information that they collected on to the doctor for them to evaluate. After the doctor visits with

the patient, the nurse will administer any additional tests needed to help further assess the issue.

The nurses then check the patients out of the clinic/office.

In a hospital setting, nurses do things like administer medications, document given care,

and change bedding. Over 61% of all nurses work in a hospital setting. A hospital does not have

specific hours, a hospital keeps patients 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, it never closes.

Many nurses who work in a hospital setting have random work days, with very long shifts. Many

nurses work overnight and on holidays and weekends.

Specialized nurses work in different departments and have different duties to fulfill based

on their area of work. Neonatal nurses work with newborns. They work with babies from birth to

around two years of age. Many of these nurses work in the NICU, which stands for Newborn
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Intensive Care Unit. Neonatal nurses focus on babies born with birth defects, infections,

malfunctions and surgical problems. They care for premature newborns and newborns who will

likely have an extended stay at the hospital. Survival rates of premature babies have risen ten

times higher from a decade ago thanks to technology and the education that neonatal nurses

receive. These nurses remain highly regarded in the medical world. Parents see these nurses as

the people who saved their baby and will always remember them and how they helped their

child. Neonatal nurses make a big difference in their patient's and their patient's family's lives.

Neuroscience nurses help treat patients with neurological problems. Neurology remains a

very precise field, a tiny injury can cause extreme pain, paralysis or even death, making it one of

the most difficult specialties to master. Many of the patients that neuroscience nurses deal with

act strange or irrationally due to the effects of their neurological problem. Nurses in this specialty

unit require strong communication skills and have lots of patience. Neuroscience nurses treat,

diagnose and assess the patients that suffer. The nurses help the patients live with their

neurological disability. Most of neuroscience nurses work in hospitals or neuroscience specialty

offices.

Oncologist nurses care for patients that have cancer. They help cancer patients who have

just recently learned about the diagnosis, patients who get treatment, and patients who have

received a terminal diagnosis. Nurses can administer medications and chemotherapy radiation.

Oncology nurses often work in hospitals, care centers and sometimes visit the patient's home.

Oncology nurses in this field become especially important to younger children that have cancer.

Having cancer abides as a scary thought to most adults, but many children go through it as well.

Nurses play a big role in their life in the hospital. They can explain what happens to them in a

kid-friendly way. Many patients' families cannot stay at the hospital all day, everyday leaving
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their child alone. Randi, RN, states that she prefers “working at nights; not as busy, fewer tests

and at night patients may feel lonely and afraid because their family leaves because they may

have kids or a job” (Jhingoor, Randy. Personal Interview. 25 January 2018). Nurses can help

occupy the child by playing games with them or reading them books. Nurses like Randi work for

more than cleaning the sheets and administering medications; Randi cares about the patients.

Oncology nurses will become friends with their patients to help them get through their illness

with as little stress as possible. Nurses in this field should have a strong heart and a loving

personality.

Radiology nurses administer things such as x-rays, MRI scans, ultrasounds,

mammography and PET scans either in a hospital setting or doctor's office. Radiology nurses

that work in a hospital environment will specialize in diagnostic radiology. Here the nurses will

perform things such as simple x-rays all the way to complex MRIs. Some of the patients they

will see might have internal bleeding, broken or fractured bones, heart issues, or any problem not

seen outside of the body without special technology. Some radiology nurses work in a doctor’s

office, urgent care, or medical diagnostic imaging centers. Radiology nurses, also called

ultrasound technicians, show expecting parents their child inside the womb. These specially

trained nurses notice normal and strange behaviors in the fetus and identify all the parts of the

body so they can give their patient the best care possible.

Levels of nursing include LPNs, RNs and Nurse Practitioners. RNs require at least an

associates degree. They have the most flexible job in all career opportunities. RNs typically

specialize in a department, such as the ones mentioned above. Most RNs work in a hospital

setting. LPN nurses require only a year of schooling. This makes them limited to what they can

and cannot do in a medical setting. They supply necessary patient support and do the simple jobs
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that do not necessarily need medical knowledge. Nurse Practitioners rank highest level in

nursing. People often confuse Nurse Practitioners for doctors. The main differences between

doctors and Nurse Practitioners includes the level of education achieved, a mix of nursing and

higher medical care. A Nurse Practitioner cares for the patient as a whole, rather than just

treating them for a disease or injury. Nurse Practitioners need to have either a masters or

doctorate degree.

The demand for nurses has grown more than ever due to a shortage of nurses across the

nation. “A predicted 36% of nursing positions left vacant by 2020 in the United States of

America alone, the next few decades will become crucial in escaping the collapse of the nursing

faculty in health care” (Wright and Bretthauer 2010; Wickett et al 2003) (Goodare 2). Due to the

severe shortage in nurses, medical professionals encourage students to look into careers in

nursing. Health and Human Resources Secretary, Tommy G. Thompson, and Education

Secretary, Rod Paige, launched a campaign promoting nursing careers for young students.

Numerous efforts have gone into the recruitment of nurses, resulting in an annual

increase rate of 9.8%, higher than the projected demand growth rate of 2.12% (Buchan et al

2015; Bureau of Labor Statistics 2011 cited in Chan et al 2013; National Council of State Boards

of Nursing 2010). (Goodare 3)

The suggested ratio of patients to nurses, one to four. This will ensure that higher patient

satisfaction will continue, nurses will deliver better care, and result in higher retention rates of

nurses. When nurses become stressed, they become less likely to keep the job for over a year.

This leads to an even larger shortage of nurses in the hospital. When nurses get exposed to low

staff levels, they become more likely to quit their job because they become overworked and

stressed. Many nurses do not even get a break during their shift because they get so busy. “Once
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job satisfaction components get identified and relationships become established, efforts to

enhance CNM job satisfaction can become implemented through human resource management

practices. The results may improve recruitment, higher retention rates, delivery of better

healthcare, and increased patient satisfaction” (Shipman, 2006) (Hampton 1).

With more nurses patient satisfaction will increase. When a nurse constantly runs around,

they do not have time to really connect with their patients and make them feel like they will get

cared for properly. Rushed nurses do not have time to bond with the patient, and therefore the

patient becomes less likely to trust their judgement. Having a nurse that the patient can talk to

and ask questions becomes important in making them feel safe and understand the state of their

condition and explain what has happened to them. Families of people in a medical facility will

experience less stress and happiness if nurses take the time to explain the situation.

The patient's health will improve more if the nurses spend more time with each patient.

The nurses will have time to assess their patient's health and find a solution quickly. When

nurses rush, they tend to miss things that they would have noticed if they had spent more time

with the patient. When a nurse works for a long time they become hungry, tired and want to go

home. They become more likely to miss things about their patients because their mind gets

focused on other things. The shortage of nurses has become an ongoing crisis for the past decade.

Nurses remain needed in the medical world today for many reasons. Nurses have to work

hard and act as caregivers at a hospital. They can perform diagnostic tests on the patients and

build a relationship with them. “Today, a nurse should strategically plan, a human resources

expert, a risk manager, a high quality expert and able to understand the complexities of clinical

areas” (Sepasi 1) Nurses help care for the patients and nurse them back to health. The main goals

in nursing ultimately lead to improve the quality of care delivered to the patients. “The nurse
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becomes a caregiver, providing care to patients based on knowledge and skill. The role of the

nurse-caregiver becomes holistic and integrated into all other roles that the nurse fulfills, thus

maintaining and promoting health.” (Mattern 1)

Nurses have proven just as important as doctors. Nurses provide round the clock care to

patients. Nurses become involved in many different areas of healthcare, run diagnostic tests,

some physical examinations and assistance during surgeries. Some nurses specialize in a certain

section of healthcare, such as neonatal care, oncology and neurology. Special training given to

these nurses ensures better performance by them in their section.

Nurses improve patient health and the outcomes of the patients. A nurse becomes a

caregiver, as he or she provides patients with care based on their skills and knowledge. "This

ward remains unique in every way - we touch families' lives and I have had the privilege to work

here," says Madge Williams, a retired Neonatal nurse at the age of sixty-six. She worked in the

neonatal care section for over 45 years and loved every minute of it. By staying there and helping

families they will forever remember you and the care that you gave them for the duration of their

stay.

Nursing remains one of the most important professions in the medical world

because they can help care for patients, perform diagnostic and physical tests and build

relationships with their patients. So many types of nursing remain present today and the medical

world would struggle without them. Nurses remain the caregivers of the medical world. They

become the ones who bring news to patients, administer their medications and get them anything

they need. This tough, but rewarding job requires many skills. Doctors spend their time

diagnosing patients and performing surgeries, while the nurses run around doing everything that
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they can for their patients. “The role of the nurse has certainly expanded from that of the mother

in the home, nourishing infants and caring for young children” (Mattern 1).

Nurses will always need to exist for the medical community to thrive. They have

challenge after challenge thrown at them day after day to keep their patients safe and healthy.

Without nurses, accomplishments in hospitals would not get done. Without nurses doctors would

have a lot more responsibilities and would need to grow in number. Without nurses lots of things

would remain undone. The true goal in nursing expands to improve the quality of care delivered

to patients.

Works Cited

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