Possibly Odd Question

I'm not sure I'm understanding your question. Are you asking if, as a nurse, you simply get instruction from the physician and then follow orders, or if you know from your own training and education what to do? If that is what you're asking, then the answer is the latter.

Thanks for the reply, if you or someone could please elaborate. I'm sure this answers my question. But it gives me more questions

I'm not sure I'm understanding your question. Are you asking if, as a nurse, you simply get instruction from the physician and then follow orders, or if you know from your own training and education what to do? If that is what you're asking, then the answer is the latter.

I agree that the way you've asked this question is weird. Especially the "in the field" portion, what do you consider that to be? But in my opinion with the way you've phrased the question there are things you can do without the physician, like common sense things. If the patient is bleeding then your first order of business is to get that under control as best you can anyway whether told to or not because it's part of the ABC's.

Thanks for the reply, if you or someone could please elaborate. I'm sure this answers my question. But it gives me more questions

It's really hard to elaborate because you're being quite vague and cryptic. Instead of dancing around the questions, why don't you just ask them, and we'll try to answer as best we can.

If someone was cut very badly, a nurse wouldn't need to wait for a doctor to tell him/her to apply pressure.

If my patient was bleeding, I would use my skills and education to control it as best I can, working collaboratively with the provider if they are there. Nursing and medicine are quite intertwined. Does that answer your question?

frequently, the the hospital setting, the MD is not around. The nurses responds and gets someone to call the MD.

It's a question that branches to more questions... It's actually just common sense, if you think asking the Doctor would be best way then do it. I do think experience will be your best teacher, so at first ask the Doctor then as you experience more thing, I'm sure you don't have to ask.

No common sense would tell me to apply pressure not turn around and ask the doctor what to do.

If someone is bleeding, the nurse would know to hold pressure. Suppose the doctor was holding pressure he/she could tell the nurse to "hold pressure" so the doctor can move on to something else.

There are scenarios where the doctor would tell the nurse "how" to do something. For example, suppose the ED doctor is going to reduce a dislocated wrist. The doctor would say to the nurse: "you will provide the counter traction. While pull on the hand, you will hold the forearm down and make sure you prevent movement laterally." (This might not be the exact direction the doc would give you when he/she reduces a wrist, but an example of what you might hear.)