A Day in the Life of a Nurse

So often we hear the nursing profession described in terms of how we are perceived. Naturally, most nurses hope to be seen as caring, professional, honest and knowledgeable.? But, does the general public really know about what nurses do?
?
What about aspiring professionals, who are considering a career in nursing? How can they know what to expect when they finally obtain their nursing license? I started putting together a list of activities that nurses perform on a regular basis, and realized that the list is almost endless. I am amazed at the amount of activity that nurses engage in every day!
?
Here are the activities I came up with. Please feel free to add your own!
?
The typical nurse is in perpetual motion. We walk, run, tiptoe, stretch and bend. We also push, pull, lift, tug, tear, crank and tap. Whether we are pushing small buttons or heavy beds, we are probably simultaneously talking or listening to someone â?? a patient, a family member, a peer or a supervisor. As we tug on draw sheets, tear open supplies, crank beds and tend to patients, our minds stay busy prioritizing and analyzing. Meanwhile, we must continually strive to focus, multitask, and reassure.
?
Even â??spare momentsâ? are spent tidying and organizing. In fact, a great deal of a nurseâ??s time is spent cleaning patients, equipment and work surfaces. To the bedside nurse, cleaning is both science and art, whether we are wiping blood, sweat, tears, or other secretions.
?
Nurses can initial almost any surface, sign our names in split seconds, and complete detailed documentation at the drop of a hat. We spend our days verifying and clarifying, calculating and rechecking our calculations.
?
Letâ??s not forget our patient care! Most nurses administer medications and apply bandages throughout our shifts. We must also be mechanically adept â?? prepared to set up and take down complex equipment with little notice, meanwhile administering to our patientsâ?? needs while implementing fluctuating orders from providers. We must stay abreast of our facilityâ??s latest protocol as well as our professionâ??s latest â??evidence-based-practices.â?
?
As always, all of our activities are expected to be safe, timely and effective. It certainly helps to be organized and efficient.
?
So when do we have time to laugh, cry, breathe or sigh? Somehow, we manage to find those moments in the middle of our other activities. Some nurses sing, others whistle, and many of us hum.
?
Then there are those human activities that tend to occur more rarely during our shifts. We must carefully schedule time for ourselves: eating and drinking, resting and using the bathroom, for instance.
?
How would you describe â??a day in the life of a nurse?â? What verbs best describe your nursing activities?

A Day in the Life of a NurseOriginally from: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NursingAndCareer/~3/_GYzhTF9K2A/BlogPostDetail.aspx

View this post on my blog: http://travelnursesuccess.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-nurse