Nurses are vitally important health-care professionals. A good nurse can help in many different areas of medicine. In a single day, a nurse might help a patient recover more quickly from surgery, help a scared baby to relax in a frightening hospital and explain to a diabetic patient exactly how best to follow dietary restrictions. An assessment of a nurse's skills should focus on her understanding of patient-care basics as well as her overall understanding of medical procedures.
Instructions
1. Pay close attention the nurse's interactions with patients. Any assessment of a nurse's skills should focus on the way she works with patients. Note her body language as well as the words she uses to speak to patients. Pay attention to how she conveys information to the patient as well as how she addresses their cares and concerns about any medical treatments and procedures.
2. Test a nurse's administering of medication. One of the most important responsibilities any nurse has is the proper administering of medication. A nurse should know insert an intravenous line as well as make sure the line remains functional. She should know make sure that the patient receives the right dosage of medication and when to check on the patient or add more medication. A nurse should understand follow a doctor's orders about administering medications properly.
3. Determine if a nurse knows chart. Charting is an important part of a nurse's duties. Nurses must document a patient's progress at appropriate intervals. She should meet all charting requirements and make sure the next nurse caring for her patients during the next shift can follow her notes correctly.
4. Assess a nurse's foundation of knowledge. Nurses should understand basic medical procedures such as maintain a sterile environment. A nurse also should be familiar with academic subjects such as chemistry, biology, microbiology and statistics. If possible, ask her questions about her understanding of the scientific method and her background in pharmacology and anatomy.
5. Pay attention to her leadership skills. Charge nurses should be able to interact with other nurses on the floor to make sure that it is running well. Registered nurses should know supervise licensed practical nurses in order to make sure that patients are receiving medically suitable care. Nurses should be capable of working with orderlies and certified nursing assistants to make sure that all necessary medical tests are performed at the right time and that patient's physical needs are attended to appropriately.
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