Introduction
Healthcare professionals play a significant role in the community since they promote people’s well-being and healthy living. They not only treat and manage diseases but also provide preventive care services. Doctors and nurses are recognized health care providers who guarantee healthy nations. My future profession is nursing, and I will be offering care services as a registered nurse. This essay discusses the reasons for pursuing a career as a registered nurse, daily responsibilities, and the profession’s negative and positive aspects.
Reasons for Being a Registered Nurse
The passion for individuals’ and the community’s well-being is the primary reason I want to be a registered nurse. I enjoy supporting and caring for people with different health conditions. Their happiness makes me feel that I am fulfilling my purpose. Therefore, being a nurse is aligned with my values of serving others, which will open an opportunity to deliver high-quality care to patients and families. Additionally, the nursing profession offers job security due to the increased demand for nurses in healthcare facilities and other settings. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, there is a significant shortage of registered nurses in the US. Therefore, being a nurse increases the possibility to secure employment and minimizes the chances of dismissal.
The earnings, reputation of the profession, flexible schedule, and career growth are other reasons for being a registered nurse. Nursing is among the well-paid jobs which guarantee a steady flow of income. The salary is enough for catering for all financial needs and saving for future uncertainties. The role played by nurses in the community makes it the most esteemed profession. I will be enjoying respect from patients, friends, and families. Working as a registered nurse opens chances for pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and securing a leadership position in the field. Further, the flexibility of a nursing job allows one to choose when and where to offer services.
Daily Responsibilities as a Registered Nurse
As a registered nurse, I will be fulfilling various responsibilities towards patients to facilitate their quick recovery. The goal of daily activities will be the provision of high-quality nursing care to promote patients’ well-being. The tasks will depend on working environments, including hospital, clinic, critical care, and ambulatory care settings (Malvik). If working in a hospital, my day will be starting by receiving a report from a nurse ending their shift to have quick updates regarding admissions, patients with conditions which have worsened or improved, and discharges. Then, I will be counting medications, assess patients’ vital signs, and do the medical evaluation. Other registered nurses’ duties in hospitals include administering medications, documenting records, changing patients’ dressings, and handling such emergencies as new admissions and patient coding.
In a clinic, I will be arriving before the doctor to prepare daily appointments. The initial tasks will involve ensuring that the exam table is ready, turning on computers, and checking ophthalmoscope and otoscope lights (Malvik). Registered nurses examine the patients’ vital signs, including weight, height, temperature, and others. Additionally, I will be gathering details of patients’ illnesses or injuries and forward the information to the physician and handle such follow-up procedures or tests as X-rays and planning meetings with specialists.
The duties in critical care involve the treatment of patients with life-threatening illnesses, who demand constant attention. The responsibilities will include inserting injections and life-saving intra-venous as well as caring for critically ill patients such as those who have experienced trauma, suffered a stroke, or been in severe accidents. Additionally, I will educate families on different issues, including life support, regularly monitoring patients and machines, reporting patients’ condition to doctors, and documentation.
Working in ambulatory care will involve providing nursing services in such outpatient facilities as home hospice and rehabilitation centers. The responsibilities in these settings will include an assessment to guarantee patients’ comfort and safety, managing medical equipment, care provision, ensuring proper medication, and educating patients and families on medicines as well as their side effects. Undeniably, the registered nurse’s duties are patient-centered regardless of the working environment.
Positive and Negative Aspects of the Nursing Profession
The job of nursing is associated with numerous advantages and disadvantages. The profession focuses on improving individuals’ well-being and saving lives, regardless of whether a registered nurse cares for hospitalized patients or fights for their rights. Nurses play an invariable role that positively impacts the community’s health and wellness, families, and persons they serve. Additionally, the nursing job has a high demand for registered nurses and open diverse opportunities for the employees. Other than hospitals, registered nurses can apply their skills in different settings, including military bases, cruise ships, and airplanes. One can also choose to specialize in one of such areas as holistic, forensic, and informatics nursing.
Nursing is a trusted career and provides registered nurses with flexible schedules. The profession leads in honesty and moral standards since all practices are guided by a code of ethics, facilitating a significant relationship with patients and other healthcare workers. Registered nurses can choose to offer services on an on-call, full-time, or part-time basis, depending on their employers. Therefore, it is possible for registered nurses to plan and implement other activities such as continuing with education while working. An additional advantage of the job is related to the dress code, which is simple, saving them the trouble of thinking about what to wear.
Nevertheless, the profession is associated with such negative aspects as increased physical demands and long working hours. Registered nurses working in hospitals are prone to different issues, including back injuries and food problems. They spend considerable time on their feet and regularly lift and move patients within hospitals. Typically, nurses practicing in healthcare facilities offer services in 12-hours shifts. However, they can work longer, up to fifteen hours a day and holidays and weekends, if more patients report before their working period ends, factors which negatively affect their mental and physical well-being.
Further, a nursing job is associated with higher pressure, increased risks for virus exposure, and emotional burnout. Although nurses do not have much time resting, they still need to be composed and think critically when handling challenging situations with families and patients. Even though healthcare workers take all precautions against germs and viruses, they can catch something from patients which can jeopardize their well-being. For instance, there is a risk for bodily fluids splashing on nurses’ eyes of being stuck by a needle that has been used on patients with blood-borne illnesses. Human sufferings witnessed by nurses are potentially detrimental to their emotions. Therefore, counseling services and support are necessary for registered nurses to prevent emotional breakdown.
Works Cited
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. “AACN Fact Sheet – Nursing Shortage.” American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2020.
Malvik, Callie. “What Does a Registered Nurse Do? Understanding Their Impact.” Rasmussen College, 2020.