9781422279885

Nurses

Careers in Healthcare

Athletic Trainers Clinical & Medical Laboratory Scientists Dental Hygienists Dietitian Nutritionists EMTs & Paramedics Nurses Physical Therapists Physician Assistants Respiratory Therapists Speech Pathologists & Audiologists Ultrasound Technicians Occupational Therapists Orthotists & Prosthetists

Nurses

Samantha Simon

Mason Crest Philadelphia

Mason Crest 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D

Broomall, PA 19008 www.masoncrest.com ©2018 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in the United States of America. CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #CHC2017. For further information, contact Mason Crest at 1-866-MCP-Book. First printing 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

on file at the Library of Congress ISBN: 978-1-4222-3800-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4222-7988-5 (ebook) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-4222-3337-5 (hc) ISBN 978-1-4222-8622-7 (ebook)

1. Southwestern States—Juvenile literature. 2. Arizona—Juvenile literature. 3. California—Juvenile literature. 4. Nevada—Juvenile literature. I. Title. F785.7.L37 2015 979—dc23 2014050200

Careers in Healthcare series ISBN: 978-1-4222-3794-6

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Table of Contents 1: What Does a Nurse Do? ..........................................7 2: A Look at the Opportunities ................................17 3: Education and Training ........................................27 4: Nursing Through Today ........................................37 5: Overview and Interview ......................................47 Series Glossary of Key Terms....................................58 Further Reading ........................................................60 Internet Resources ....................................................61 Index ..........................................................................62 Photo Credits/About the Author..............................64

Words to understand: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills.

Sidebars: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowl- edge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments and much more!

Text-dependent questions: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

Research projects: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Series glossary of key terms: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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As patients come in with countless ailments and diseases, nurses are usually the first to lay hands on a patient and are usually by their side the whole medical process.

Words to Understand in This Chapter

blood glucose level— the level of glucose that is circulating in a patient’s blood. Glucose is a type of sugar that is in the food we eat. medical facility— any place or institution that provides medical care to prevent, diagnose, and treat human disease, pain, or another physical condition. nursing process— the process nurses follow from conducting their initial assess- ment of a patient to the patient’s final discharge. vitals— a patient’s blood pressure, temperature, pulse rate, and respiratory rate at a certain time.

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What Does a Nurse Do? W hether in a hospital, a clinic, a doctor’s office, or a rehabilitation center, you’ll always find a nurse—a key medical professional—on staff. A nurse is usually the first person dealing with every medical encounter. Nurses handle a range of tasks, from treating and monitoring patients to educating, and supporting patients and their families throughout the patients’ time at a medical facility . There are several different types of nurses, including registered nurses (RNs) and licensed, practical nurses (LPNs)—all referred to as “nurses.” The Roles of a Registered Nurse In caring for their patients, registered nurses keep records, administer medication, consult with other health care profes-

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sionals, monitor patient responses, and educate patients and their families about their medical care. RNs also serve as the point of con- nection between the patient and other health care professionals. In addition, they offer support to doctors and other professionals by con- stantly contacting and informing them of any information on the changing status of each patient in their care. RNs know everything involved in the care of their patients. Some of the daily responsibili- ties of RNs may include: • Taking and recording vitals • Performing physical exams and taking health histories • Providing information to patients and their families on stay- ing well • Offering counseling and education • Monitoring the patient’s health status • Administering medications and handling wound care • Interpreting medical orders and making critical decisions concerning medical treatment • Coordinating care, in conjunction with other health care pro- fessionals working with the patient • Supervising care delivered by other health care personnel, like licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nurse’s aides, and cer- tified nursing assistants • Keeping abreast of the newest medical technology and get- ting trained in the use of new medical equipment

The Nursing Process Nurses may specialize in different areas, and they may work in vari- ous kinds of facilities, but one thing that unites all registered nurses is

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Nurses

Nurses are constantly checking a patient’s “vital signs,” which can include: blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and pulse.

What Does a Nurse Do?

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Crisis in the Emergency Room A nurse at a major hospital was asked to relate a real-life story about an experience she had with a patient that was very mem- orable. She responded: “One day I was working in the emergency room and it was a normal, slow night. This emergency room is not located in a trauma hospital, so we do not handle that many crazy inci- dents; as a result, this patient stands out in my mind. He came in drenched in blood and he was having seizures. We got his heart rate and it was 296 beats per minute. [A normal rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute.] This was the highest heart rate I have ever seen. So, literally, eight nurses and two doctors were all working together, administering cardiac pain medicine and trying to stabilize the patient. Once we got him to stop seizing and his heart rate down, I started asking him for his informa- tion. When I asked him his age, he said seventeen. But by the looks of this patient, he was much older than seventeen, so I asked him again and, sure enough, the answer was still seven- teen. I then asked if he had taken any medication. The first answer he gave was none. But when I asked again, he said he’d taken an Ativan. Then I asked again and he said he had taken an illicit drug. Every time we asked him the question his story changed. Turns out he was almost thirty years old and had used a lot of illicit drugs before he got to the hospital.”

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Nurses

the nursing process . The nursing process is a set routine that all nurses follow to provide the best care for their patients. This process is divided into five key tasks—assessment, diagnosis, goal setting/care planning, implementation, and evaluation. The nursing process ensures that RNs give patients the best and most efficient health care. 1. Assessment When a patient walks into any medical facility, the first thing the nurse does is assess the patient. The nurse not only collects

Nurses ask many questions in order to develop an extensive medical history of the patient. This helps the medical team to assess the patient’s condition correctly and efficiently.

What Does a Nurse Do?

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information on the patient’s current health status but also his past medical history. Depending on the patient, other aspects of his life— including his psychological state, his religious affiliation, and his socioeconomic back- ground—may also be noted in the initial assessment. All this information is collected to help come up with a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan, which is the second aspect of the nursing process. 2. Diagnosis Following the assessment, a diagnosis is made. The patient’s health is fully reviewed by the nurse and the doctor, and together they come up with a diagnosis. The patient’s diagno- sis takes into account the amount of pain the patient is in, her background, her psychological status, and her current medica- tions. This diagnosis is the basis for the nurse’s care plan, which is the third step in the nursing process. 3. Goal Setting/Care Planning Based on the assessment and the diagnosis, the nurse sets measurable short- and long-term goals for the patient’s recov- ery and return to health. These goals may range from getting out of bed and walking down the hall, to passing a bowel move- ment post-surgery. Other common goals include managing Educational Video

For a brief overview of the nursing process, scan here.

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Nurses

As part of the nursing process, nurses are required to draw blood for different blood tests and laboratories to help diagnose the patient.

pain, making dietary changes, and controlling blood glucose levels . The nurse records these goals in the patient’s care plan and medical chart, so the other health care professionals on the team are all aware of them. This allows for ongoing communi- cation about the patient among all members of the health care team throughout the time the patient is under their care. With these goals in mind, all the medical professionals caring for a patient are fully informed of the steps and progress of the patient throughout his stay. After this, the fourth step in the nursing process is implementation.

What Does a Nurse Do? 13

Nurses and physicians alike work together to set up a plan to help their patients health improve.

4. Implementation When nurses and other medical professionals implement the treatment plan, they are working to achieve the goals specified in the nursing care plan. This includes administering medica- tion, overseeing rehabilitation, and ultimately getting the patient ready for discharge. Once the treatment plan is fully implemented, the last step in the nursing process—evalua- tion—is undertaken. 5. Evaluation Evaluations are done throughout the time the patient is under the nurse’s care. The nurse evaluates the patient constantly to

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Nurses