Nursing Blog – CNA Training, And Other Nursing Job and Information

One of the most satisfying professions that guarantee a reasonable remuneration and job security is the nursing profession.  Accounting for more than 60% of the total employment in the health care industry, the nursing profession has one very salient feature.  The health care industry, especially the medical field and the nursing profession, is not affected by the business cycles.  In other words, there is no room for recession in this evergreen sector.

With the developments in the medical field, and a considerable improvement in the mortality rates of the people leading to more baby boomers, the need for quality nursing will always be in short supply in comparison with the demand.

In the circumstances, taking up a nursing profession and deciding to enroll in nursing school is one of the wisest decisions an individual could take, especially in the early stages of his or her career.

What is a nursing school?

Nursing school is an educational institution that is dedicated to imparting nursing education to the aspiring students and prepares the students to take up the challenging profession of nursing.

The idea of setting up a nursing school to educate and groom students to develop as  qualified nurses to the healthcare industry was first mooted by the famous “Lady with the Lamp” – Florence Nightingale way back in 1860 in London.

Who can enroll into a nursing school?

Nursing is a specialized profession in the healthcare industry and one should have some basic academic qualifications to enter into this specialized nursing field.

One should have a high school diploma course completed before seeking admission into a nursing school, as is the case with any professional study.  In other words, the minimum schooling and basic knowledge about the general subjects normally taught in the school should be an essential requirement to seek entry into a nursing school.

Having this basic qualification of a high school diploma, any person aspiring to take up nursing profession need to take up pre-admission test prescribed by the governing body for Nursing Profession.  A successful pass in the test will pave way for your entry into a nursing school.

In order to come out successfully in the pre-admission test, one student should have, apart from the basic high-school diploma, reasonable proficiency in subjects like English,  physics, chemistry, biology, anatomy and mathematics.  If the student is less proficient in any of these basic subjects, then entry into the nursing school will be quite difficult.

The most important qualification, other than educational qualifications, to take up nursing profession is compassion, patience and willing to serve the people, especially those in pain and distress.   The service-minded attitude and helping tendency, as can be inferred from the shining example of the Lady with the Lamp, is one essential trait every person aspiring to take up nursing profession should have in their skin.

Additional traits that help in becoming a successful nurse include the mental stamina, will power, ability to stay calm and composed, sense of humor and above all patience.  One has to always bear in mind that as a nurse, he or she will be making a difference or impact in a patient’s life.

The role of nursing, in general, and that of a registered nurse, in particular, is important when it comes to healthcare and service to the patient suffering from some sort of ailment or disease for which he or she approached the hospital for assistance. It is no wonder that more than 50% of the workforce in the health care industry, in general, represent the nursing profession in one way or the other.

The first person that would be interacting with a patient in a hospital, or a nursing home, or a clinic will be none other than the registered nurse. It is this registered nurse, assisted by a team of subordinates – either licensed practical nurses or certified nursing assistants, who meets the patient, gets to know about the disease and the intensity, provide first aid treatment in case of emergency, carry out the basic procedure and arrange for an appointment with the doctor.

What are the basic procedures that a registered nurse does on a routine basis?

Assessment of a new patient, especially his or her health history, health or wellness related issues, background about the education and employment, eating habits, and/or other habits are some of the basic things that a registered nurse will have to do as a basic procedure. The registered nurse can direct the certified nursing assistant or licensed vocational nurse to carry out this basic procedure. The assessment of the basic details will be effectively used by the registered nurse when it comes to devising plans for effective treatment of the patient, including diet plans.

Another basic procedure which a registered nurse will normally do either himself or herself, or else direct the subordinates to carry out is related to medication. Obtaining the prescription from the doctor attending the patient and administering the required medication in appropriate dosages at regular intervals as may be prescribed by the doctor is the responsibility of the registered nurse. As part of the procedure, the registered nurse has to educate the patient and the family members accompanying the patient about the medication, frequency of administering the medication, and the importance of medication at frequent intervals. The registered nurse should also advise the patient and the family members about the precautions a patient should take during and after the treatment.

It is the responsibility of the registered nurse to take readings of the vital signs at frequent intervals. The important tests include temperature, blood pressure and pulse reading. Some duties are performed only by the registered nurses. Administration of oxygen to patients having trouble with normal breathing is normally done only by a registered nurse. Again, the most important procedure which every registered nurse should ensure is that the vital signs are functioning properly, and any discrepancy should be reported to the doctor as early as possible, as deterioration or change in the readings of the vital signs can prove detrimental to the patient’s health and might even lead to loss of life if not attended to immediately.

It is the responsibility of a registered nurse to carry out the required procedure for obtaining results from a blood test. Procedure involving administering IV fluids to patients is also the responsibilities of a registered nurse.