A day in the life of an nurse in a Doctor office

Turtle in scrubs · Jul 25, 2008

Good question. I only see the receptionists, the NP/MD, and MA's. When I called the office recently they put me through to a nurse and I thought 'ah, they do have them', and pictured her chained to a desk in the back. :rolleyes:

LaeDeesNP · Jul 25, 2008

I work for the Army in a "doctor's office" (we call it an ambulatory clinic, anywho...) as an RN and I can tell you that this role is multifaceted. Here, I triage (in person or on the phone) patients who are unable to get appts with our MDs/PA and offer self-care advice, assist with procedures, prepare and administer meds/vaccines, conduct ob classes, maintain patient care "flow" throughout the office... and much, much, more...

I can say on the "outside" in the civilian world, I've seen RNs work in offices who take calls through their nurse advice line; do an initial assessment of the patient (vitals, chief complaint for visit, etc) similiar to what you've seen MAs do, I'm sure; case management for things like repeat labwork to monitor diabetes, cholesterol, etc. (of course under the doctor, working with standing orders or protocol).

I'm going to venture a guess that the role of an RN in a doctor's office is largely based on the type of care provided at that office. In my case, we touch on almost everything (ortho, gyn, internal med, peds, geriatrics, on and on) but I also realize that's not a very accurate picture of the civilian world. If you're truly interested, apply. Worst case, you get an interview and decide..."you know what, this isn't for me." And at least you'll know. At the interview, you may have an opportunity to shadow for the day and see what kind of care is provided. Just a thought. I hope this helped!

s8ntollie · Jul 25, 2008

I have worked as an LPN in a family practice physician's office for two years. There are three family practice Drs and six nurses. In the clinic I am affiliated with MA's, CMA's, LPN's and RN's are all paid the same wage and have the same duties.

I am responsible for taking the patient to the exam room, vitals, history, and a brief "assessment". If I am working with one of the male physicians I go into the exam room when he does the breast exam and pap/pelvic exam. I administer vaccinations, therapeutic and prophylactic injections (allergy shots, B12, neupogen, neulasta.....).

I regularly perform phlebotomy, ECG's, peak flows, nebulizer treatments, set up sterile fields, assist in office surgeries - colposcopies, vasectomies, lesion removals, flex sigs, etc.

In between the "patient" work, I code for procedures, notify patients of labwork, test results, etc. I also answer patient calls for triage, prescription refills, complaints, etc. Then there is the phone calls for prior authorizations for testing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medications to handle. I can sit on hold to medicare for an hour before getting a person; private insurances are a little speedier.

I call prescription orders to the pharmacies and of course lots of charting!

I also have 5 other nurses in a small work area. We are all female....need I say more? :argue: There is also the physician's themselves - you see them at their best and at their worst.... :banghead:

Hopefully this will give you an overall idea of the duties of the office nurse. :yeah:

pattycakeRN · Jul 25, 2008

I have worked as an LPN in a family practice physician's office for two years. There are three family practice Drs and six nurses. In the clinic I am affiliated with MA's, CMA's, LPN's and RN's are all paid the same wage and have the same duties.

Everyone is paid the same wage? Wow. :confused:

mcknis · Jul 25, 2008

Thats what I was thinking. No offense, but an RN and an MA make the same? An RN and an LPN make the same? Holy cow!!!

ncnurse99 · Jul 25, 2008

Either those are some very low paid RN's or some really high paid MA's lol...I think if the later is the case, I'd sure like to be that MA!

D&Ggirl · Jul 25, 2008

thanks everyone!

ERGirl83 · Jul 25, 2008

In my pediatrician's office, the only RN's on staff work telephone triage. They have an office of their own, and spend all day doing telephone triage, answering questions about general pediatric issues, and advising patients when to be seen, what kind of home remedies to try, etc. Those who see patients, and give immunizations, etc, are either MA's or CNA's.

Personally, it would drive me crazy to have gotten all of that training and not use my clinical skills, but the women who work in my office absoutely LOVE their job and really enjoy it, so it must just depend on personality type.

MzMouse · Jul 25, 2008

I am an LPN and I work as primary nurse for a general surgeon. My day consists of:

1. Rooming patients-VS, meds, allergies

2. Paperwork for surgeries, procedures, and tests and providing instruction and patient teaching for same.

3. Set up sterile trays and glove and assist the surgeon with small procedures in the office.

4. Set up charts for the following day, obtaining path, x-ray and lab results for upcoming consults.

5. phone calls

6. Try and find time for the projects Manager likes to give us.

7. clean and stock rooms and lots of other little odds and ends.

Very little Rx refills and prior authorizations in my particular department.

mel1213 · Aug 15, 2008

I just recently left a doctors office. I am an LPN and worked with a nurse practioner and a Dr. They were husband and wife! I did like it, but I can tell you that for me it was very stressful. I was the only LPN and there was a MA that worked with me also. I was in charge of triage, rooming patients, calling in rx, writing rx, updating meds, going through reports to pick out the most important ones, preparing the charts to make sure everything was there for the next day, do testing in the office. I did live almost an hour and a half away from my job so i would work from 8-5:30 depending on patient load, sometime later. My life revolved around thier scheduele. If they had a full sched. could not be off. Worked with strep throat and only took three hours of sick time!!!! I went back to Long Term Care and am doing Restorative nursing. I think long term care is less stressful. But again it depends on who you work for!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Aug 15, 2008

Everyone is paid the same wage? Wow.

Thats what I was thinking. No offense, but an RN and an MA make the same? An RN and an LPN make the same? Holy cow!!!

Hey, I was thinking the same thing...I hope that the job is a plush, pleasent place to work, because the money doesn't sound like an incentive to me. :confused: