A day in the life as a nurse.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 26, 2009

This depends on where you're employed and what type of nursing you do.

As for me, I work in a nursing home and have 35 long-term care residents. My day is usually routinized unless one of the residents is experiencing a change in condition.

The CNAs usually do the most basic nursing tasks, such as bathing, toileting, feeding, grooming, making beds, and other activities of daily living. The medication aides usually pass the oral and topical medications, such as pills and patches.

I usually obtain fingerstick blood sugars, give injections, change dressings, give simple IV meds, administer enteral medications through feeding tubes, perform skin assessments, give respiratory treatments, and get buried in plenty of paperwork.

SunnyAndrsn · Sep 26, 2009

Not a nursing student yet until fall of next year but I was just wondering what your day is like, as a nurse!? Is there more paper work, STNA work, etc. I just read a yucky post from a current nursing student who works as an STNA and it made my stomach curl!! I think she wrote all the gross things that she does daily instead of good and bad!

Any time you're dealing with sick people, there are going to be aspects that are hard to handle (physically).

In my med/surg job, I get to the report room and get report on between 3-6 patients, depending on census.

I look through their basic information to find out where they have IVs, what their code status is, and why they are in the hospital. I find out when they have medications and write it down on my report sheet.

Then I assess each pt, get a set of vitals, and start getting their medications. If they are diabetic, then they get insulin. I check out their wounds and do wound care. When meals come, I make sure they eat, I help them to and from the bathroom, and help them get ready for the day (AM--washed up, oral cares), or for bed (PM cares)

I chart when I can on each of the cares I've done. I run my tail off for 8 hours :-)

LTC is a lot more routine. I get report, get organized for the day finding out who needs vitals and treatments. Then I get to see each of my 24 pts. for a total of about 10 minutes 1:1. I manage the the CNAs, and help the nurses on the other wings if there are problems. If I'm on the subacute wing, I have 12 pts.

PERKS: Coming in and hearing my pts. hear me in the hall after I've been off for a week and say "Oh good, it sounds like our girl is back!"

-Are you my nurse today? I hope so!

-I'm going to miss you when I go home next week.

-I love you

-Thank you for taking care of my mom/sister/brother/father

-Letting someone comfort them after their loved one dies.

-Knowing that a pt. left this world pain free because of my care

-Seeing pts. come in confused, in pain, and malnourished and three months later having them smiling and returning home.

-Having a dining room full of pts. sing to me

-Having a confused little lady say "momma, will you help me?" to me, having her trust me so much...it's a huge responsibility.

-Being told that my care made the difference in someone's life.

itsnever2L8 · Sep 26, 2009