Nurses are one of the most integral parts of the healthcare sector; their resilience and determination make them the system’s building blocks. Recent crises of COVID-19 proved the vitality of nurses in healthcare when they became the frontline workers to provide optimum treatment to affected patients while risking their health and safety. Though the world is coming back to normal after that setback, unfortunately, there are still numerous identified and unidentified diseases that surround us. Hence, the need for healthcare workers keeps stably increasing.
There are several reasons behind the need for nursing professionals, especially RNs, in the healthcare sector, such as the aging population and people living with chronic illnesses like obesity, dementia, and diabetes, as they require constant support from RNs. While the future outlook for a registered nurse in healthcare looks bright and significant, students need to consider several roles and responsibilities before beginning a career in this field. It has to offer career growth and expansion in education, plus clinical experiences and competitive salaries. But what are the most prominent roles and responsibilities that people expect RNs to fulfill on their job? Let’s have a look:
1.Improve Health Outcomes
New research and studies have come to light with the advancement and development of the world, so the healthcare system requires people with enough knowledge and credibility to make the best use of newfound facts.
Many nurses prefer going for an RN-BSN online program which enables them to understand the complexities of modern healthcare and helps them become proficient in improving the overall lifestyles of their patients. They take responsibility to educate their patients regarding their ongoing treatment or basic self-care requirements to live a healthier life. They put effort into providing complete care to their patients to limit their repeated visits to the hospital. They also build a connection of trust and reliability with the people and become empathetic listeners so that they can be there for their patients during their low moments. Patients also feel closer to their nurses than any other healthcare staff; hence RNs help in improving patients’ satisfaction at the hospital.
2.Provide Holistic Treatment
Nurses are responsible for treating their patients holistically and delivering care in a way that completely heals them. Their caregiving role is not only limited to providing treatment for the patient’s physical well-being but also their mental and spiritual health.
Most nurses have a natural empathetic streak which allows them to understand their patients better by listening to their stories, traumas, fears, and hesitance. By analyzing their outward behaviors and understanding their narratives, nurses become more aware of how they can provide holistic care to patients. They understand that to become completely healthy, a person needs to be physically well and mentally at peace because their biological, psychological, social, and spiritual health is interconnected. Hence, they provide individualistic care to cater to the diverse needs of each patient by acknowledging and interacting with them.
3.Create Technology Efficient Workplace
There is no doubt that technology has made our lives easier, more efficient, and effective. The use of tech devices in healthcare has been conducive to improved health outcomes and successful hospital operations.
Today, registered nurses are responsible for understanding these technologies and implementing them in their daily lives to make work more organized and structured. They have the knowledge, education, and expertise to work with technical devices in innovative ways to provide the best care to their patients. Advanced innovations like diagnostic devices, data analytics, robots, and other devices have transformed the workspace for nurses. Since their job requires them to stay on their feet for hours while completing ward rounds around the medical facility, these mobile devices help them stay updated and proficient.
4.Educate Caregivers and Patients
A successful and efficient nurse knows that the patients should never feel alone; even when they’re on their own, they should know enough self-care to live healthily. When at the hospital, a nurse has to educate themself and their fellow nurses regarding special or diverse needs. They should identify and analyze every vital detail regarding a patient while looking after them to avoid mishaps.
Similarly, they teach patients about self-care, such as using insulin, checking their blood pressure, or recording their sugar levels. In doing so, patients become more efficient and self-aware to understand their own needs and cater to them most proficiently. Nurses also help them choose healthier lifestyles by making them aware of the right nutrition and encouraging them to do proper exercise routines. Patients often find their nurse’s advice more authentic and reliable because they trust them.
5.Advocate for Patients
The nursing profession is one of the most loyal and dependable professions because they know how to build good relationships with the patients and gain their trust. A nurse has several different jobs at a hospital, from diagnosis to prescribing medicines, monitoring patients’ health, administrating their progress, etc. Yet, they find a way and time to connect with them and become an advocate for them. It is an integral duty of a nurse to advocate for the patient because they know their patients are less hesitant and can ask them stuff they’re not comfortable questioning their physicians.
While doctors usually only visit their patients once or twice a day, nurses are there for them throughout their stay, and hence, they understand the condition of the patients better. It is, thus, their role in recording all relevant information and communicating them to the doctor so that the patient enjoys the best care available.
6.Understand the Importance of Health Equity
It is one of the most significant duties and roles of a nurse to understand the importance of health equity in the system and remove disparities in the provision of health. Nurses need to identify disadvantaged individuals in their care and understand their diverse needs, conditions and requirements. They need to evaluate the presence of health inequalities such as life span, rates of diseases and disabilities, quality of life, and access to treatment. These disparities might be present due to social, psychological, and demographic differences and nurses need to be aware of how to eliminate them to the best of their power. These discriminations impact different factors of human life, such as their behavior and biological responses, their living environment, accessibility to proper nutrients, and availability of healthcare. These aspects are closely related to health outcomes, and nurses carefully cater to each factor to make their patients’ lifestyles healthier and happier.
Conclusion
In conclusion, nurses are responsible for fulfilling roles as frontline healthcare workers. Their job requires them to be on their guard for long hours and look after patients in a way that heals them holistically. They need to cater to all patients’ different and diverse needs, advocate for them, and educate them regarding self-care and ongoing treatment. Today’s nurses need to be more technologically advanced and socially aware to improve health outcomes effectively.