4 answers
Ariana
Student
Kansas City, Missouri
1
Question
Updated
912 views
What does a day in the life of a registered nurse look like?
What is a registered nurse life look like everyday?
Login to comment
4 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
1464
Answers
Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Hey Ariana! 👋
Being a registered nurse (RN) is like stepping into a rollercoaster that runs on caffeine, compassion, and an ever-ticking clock. Here's what a typical day could look like for an RN—fasten your seatbelt because it’s a ride!
🌅 Morning: Hitting the Ground Running
Shift Start: Nurses often start their day early. We're talking 6–7 AM for hospital shifts. First, they get a report from the previous shift about patients' conditions. This is like getting the day's mission briefing! 🎧
Vitals & Medications: After that, it’s time to check vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels) and hand out medications. Think of this as the nurse’s version of “making the rounds.”
🏃♀️ Midday: Organized Chaos
Patient Care: Nurses do everything from dressing wounds to helping patients with daily activities like walking or eating. Need someone to juggle tasks while staying calm? That’s an RN.
Doctor-Nurse Collaboration: Nurses work closely with doctors, updating them on patient conditions and following through with their orders. If doctors are the quarterbacks, nurses are the MVPs making the plays happen. 💪
Charting & Documentation: A big part of a nurse's day is keeping patient records up-to-date. It’s like detective work but with medical charts instead of magnifying glasses.
🌅 Afternoon: The Hustle Continues
Procedures & Emergencies: From assisting in surgeries to responding to a sudden patient emergency, no two afternoons are alike. Flexibility and quick thinking are a nurse's superpowers. 🦸♀️
Patient Education: Nurses teach patients and their families about medications, treatments, or what to expect after discharge. They’re like health educators rolled into caregivers.
🌙 Evening: Wrapping Up
Final Rounds: Before passing the baton to the next shift, nurses check on patients one last time, ensuring everyone is stable and comfortable.
Hand-off Report: They give a detailed update to the incoming nurse, setting them up for success.
🌟 The Hidden Gems of Nursing
Connections: Nurses form unique bonds with patients. Whether it’s calming someone’s nerves before a procedure or being there during life’s hardest moments, nurses are often the heart of healthcare. 💖
Adrenaline Rushes: Unexpected challenges can make the day exciting (and sometimes nerve-wracking).
Teamwork: Nurses are part of an incredible healthcare team that feels like a second family.
🌈 The Reality
Is it tough? Absolutely. Nurses juggle long hours, emotional situations, and physical demands. But ask any RN, and they’ll tell you that the rewards—helping people heal, saving lives, and making a difference—make it all worth it.
If this sounds like the kind of adventure you want to take on, Ariana, nursing might just be your calling! 🌟 Keep asking questions, keep exploring, and you’ll find the perfect fit in healthcare. 😊
Being a registered nurse (RN) is like stepping into a rollercoaster that runs on caffeine, compassion, and an ever-ticking clock. Here's what a typical day could look like for an RN—fasten your seatbelt because it’s a ride!
🌅 Morning: Hitting the Ground Running
Shift Start: Nurses often start their day early. We're talking 6–7 AM for hospital shifts. First, they get a report from the previous shift about patients' conditions. This is like getting the day's mission briefing! 🎧
Vitals & Medications: After that, it’s time to check vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, oxygen levels) and hand out medications. Think of this as the nurse’s version of “making the rounds.”
🏃♀️ Midday: Organized Chaos
Patient Care: Nurses do everything from dressing wounds to helping patients with daily activities like walking or eating. Need someone to juggle tasks while staying calm? That’s an RN.
Doctor-Nurse Collaboration: Nurses work closely with doctors, updating them on patient conditions and following through with their orders. If doctors are the quarterbacks, nurses are the MVPs making the plays happen. 💪
Charting & Documentation: A big part of a nurse's day is keeping patient records up-to-date. It’s like detective work but with medical charts instead of magnifying glasses.
🌅 Afternoon: The Hustle Continues
Procedures & Emergencies: From assisting in surgeries to responding to a sudden patient emergency, no two afternoons are alike. Flexibility and quick thinking are a nurse's superpowers. 🦸♀️
Patient Education: Nurses teach patients and their families about medications, treatments, or what to expect after discharge. They’re like health educators rolled into caregivers.
🌙 Evening: Wrapping Up
Final Rounds: Before passing the baton to the next shift, nurses check on patients one last time, ensuring everyone is stable and comfortable.
Hand-off Report: They give a detailed update to the incoming nurse, setting them up for success.
🌟 The Hidden Gems of Nursing
Connections: Nurses form unique bonds with patients. Whether it’s calming someone’s nerves before a procedure or being there during life’s hardest moments, nurses are often the heart of healthcare. 💖
Adrenaline Rushes: Unexpected challenges can make the day exciting (and sometimes nerve-wracking).
Teamwork: Nurses are part of an incredible healthcare team that feels like a second family.
🌈 The Reality
Is it tough? Absolutely. Nurses juggle long hours, emotional situations, and physical demands. But ask any RN, and they’ll tell you that the rewards—helping people heal, saving lives, and making a difference—make it all worth it.
If this sounds like the kind of adventure you want to take on, Ariana, nursing might just be your calling! 🌟 Keep asking questions, keep exploring, and you’ll find the perfect fit in healthcare. 😊
Mishl Muhammad
HR intern
15
Answers
Islamabad, Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan
Updated
Mishl’s Answer
Hi,
A day in the life of a registered nurse (RN) is dynamic and demanding, focused on patient care, collaboration, and adaptability. Here's a typical day outline:
1. Start of Shift _ Receive updates from the previous shift about patients' conditions, treatments, and care plans. Perform initial patient assessments, including vital signs and physical checks.
2. Patient Care _ Dispense medications and monitor for reactions or side effects. Assist with or perform wound care, IV management, or other medical interventions. Record all patient interactions, treatments, and observations in medical charts.
3. Communication and Coordination _ Work with doctors, therapists, and other healthcare staff to implement care plans. Educate patients and families about health conditions, medications, and post-discharge care.
4. Managing Emergencies _ Handle unexpected situations, such as sudden patient deterioration or critical care needs.
5. End of Shift _ Ensure patients are stable and prepare them for the next shift. Communicate updates and concerns to incoming nurses.
Throughout the day, an RN balances medical expertise with compassion, multitasking to meet the diverse needs of patients while maintaining professionalism under pressure. It’s a challenging yet highly rewarding career. Thanks!
A day in the life of a registered nurse (RN) is dynamic and demanding, focused on patient care, collaboration, and adaptability. Here's a typical day outline:
1. Start of Shift _ Receive updates from the previous shift about patients' conditions, treatments, and care plans. Perform initial patient assessments, including vital signs and physical checks.
2. Patient Care _ Dispense medications and monitor for reactions or side effects. Assist with or perform wound care, IV management, or other medical interventions. Record all patient interactions, treatments, and observations in medical charts.
3. Communication and Coordination _ Work with doctors, therapists, and other healthcare staff to implement care plans. Educate patients and families about health conditions, medications, and post-discharge care.
4. Managing Emergencies _ Handle unexpected situations, such as sudden patient deterioration or critical care needs.
5. End of Shift _ Ensure patients are stable and prepare them for the next shift. Communicate updates and concerns to incoming nurses.
Throughout the day, an RN balances medical expertise with compassion, multitasking to meet the diverse needs of patients while maintaining professionalism under pressure. It’s a challenging yet highly rewarding career. Thanks!
Thank you so much, Mishl!
Ariana
Molly R.
Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer
24
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Molly’s Answer
It depends what specialty you go into but in general an RN position focuses on assessment and treatment, along with care coordination to improve outcomes. You will interact with other medical professionals and people who need your care during difficult times in their lives.
Lisa Rodriguez
Registered nurse
14
Answers
Catonsville, Maryland
Updated
Lisa’s Answer
Hi Ariana,
I am a surgical recovery nurse. I work 10 hour days in an outpatient surgery center that does urology. The beginning of my shift, I log onto computer and look at how many and what types of cases we are doing. We do kidney stones, bladder cancer, prostate surgerys, implants for urinary frequency, radioactive seeds implanted for prostate cancer. I check my equipment which is oxygen and suction attached to the wall. I have a cardiac moniter that will alarm at any abnormal reading. Make sure I have supplies I need. I check the defibrillator on the crash cart in case there is an emergency. I stock linen, put blankets in blanket warmer. Make sure there is juice and soda in the fridge. When a patient is done. I go onto the operating room and help move the patient onto the stretcher with a rolling board. I get report from surgeon and nurse. The anesthesiologist and I roll the patient into the recovery area and he gives me report on things like pre existing conditions, estimated blood loss during surgery, how much IV fluid they were given. What anesthesia medications were given plus what pain and anti-nausea medication were given. Sometimes they have to treat low or high blood pressure during surgery so they let me know what other medications were given if any. The patient is usually asleep when they come out. We have to record the exact time they came out. We attach them to the moniter that monitors their heart, their oxygen level and records their blood pressure every 5 mins. Sometimes they have an airway in their mouth or nose to help with breathing. I remove when they start to wake up. Sometimes they need oxygen. If they sound like their breathing is obstructed, I have the lift their chin to help them breath. I am required to do an Aldrete score. This is a score to establish if the patient is ready for discharge. The highest score is 10. It scores if they can move all 4 limbs, if blood pressure within normal range, if they can cough and take deep breath on their own, if they need oxygen, if they are fully awake. Once they wake up, I ask them to tell me their birthday and who is driving them home to see if they are oriented. I will give them something to drink and take out their IV. If they have pain, I ask them on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst, what the level is. Depending on the level and what type of pain, I will give some type of medication to relieve it. Working in urology, a lot of my patients go home with catheters in their bladder the drains the urine to a bag. Sometimes I will have to flush their bladder thru the catheter to remove blood clots. If they go home with a catheter, I have to instruct them when and how to remove it. The discharge instructions are printed out for them and I go over restrictions, diet, medication, signs of infection , when to call us with problems and their next appointment. I am trained in advanced cardiac life support so if there is an emergency, like a dangerous heart rhythm or respiratory arrest, I know what to do. If their is a major problem, we have to call 911 for hospital transport. When they are ready for discharge, I have them get dressed and I take them to the car in a wheelchair. I used to do this at a hospital and it was much more complicated. The most patients we have are 9 or 10. I do the same basic thing for each one. I have to chart in the computor using a specific program for surgery. It has a section for the pre op nurse, the OR nurse and the recovery nurse. I have each patient anywhere from 30-40 mins. It can be a long busy day.
I am a surgical recovery nurse. I work 10 hour days in an outpatient surgery center that does urology. The beginning of my shift, I log onto computer and look at how many and what types of cases we are doing. We do kidney stones, bladder cancer, prostate surgerys, implants for urinary frequency, radioactive seeds implanted for prostate cancer. I check my equipment which is oxygen and suction attached to the wall. I have a cardiac moniter that will alarm at any abnormal reading. Make sure I have supplies I need. I check the defibrillator on the crash cart in case there is an emergency. I stock linen, put blankets in blanket warmer. Make sure there is juice and soda in the fridge. When a patient is done. I go onto the operating room and help move the patient onto the stretcher with a rolling board. I get report from surgeon and nurse. The anesthesiologist and I roll the patient into the recovery area and he gives me report on things like pre existing conditions, estimated blood loss during surgery, how much IV fluid they were given. What anesthesia medications were given plus what pain and anti-nausea medication were given. Sometimes they have to treat low or high blood pressure during surgery so they let me know what other medications were given if any. The patient is usually asleep when they come out. We have to record the exact time they came out. We attach them to the moniter that monitors their heart, their oxygen level and records their blood pressure every 5 mins. Sometimes they have an airway in their mouth or nose to help with breathing. I remove when they start to wake up. Sometimes they need oxygen. If they sound like their breathing is obstructed, I have the lift their chin to help them breath. I am required to do an Aldrete score. This is a score to establish if the patient is ready for discharge. The highest score is 10. It scores if they can move all 4 limbs, if blood pressure within normal range, if they can cough and take deep breath on their own, if they need oxygen, if they are fully awake. Once they wake up, I ask them to tell me their birthday and who is driving them home to see if they are oriented. I will give them something to drink and take out their IV. If they have pain, I ask them on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst, what the level is. Depending on the level and what type of pain, I will give some type of medication to relieve it. Working in urology, a lot of my patients go home with catheters in their bladder the drains the urine to a bag. Sometimes I will have to flush their bladder thru the catheter to remove blood clots. If they go home with a catheter, I have to instruct them when and how to remove it. The discharge instructions are printed out for them and I go over restrictions, diet, medication, signs of infection , when to call us with problems and their next appointment. I am trained in advanced cardiac life support so if there is an emergency, like a dangerous heart rhythm or respiratory arrest, I know what to do. If their is a major problem, we have to call 911 for hospital transport. When they are ready for discharge, I have them get dressed and I take them to the car in a wheelchair. I used to do this at a hospital and it was much more complicated. The most patients we have are 9 or 10. I do the same basic thing for each one. I have to chart in the computor using a specific program for surgery. It has a section for the pre op nurse, the OR nurse and the recovery nurse. I have each patient anywhere from 30-40 mins. It can be a long busy day.