Nurse Job Description| Duties & Responsibilities

If you are a nurse seeking an idea of your job description before getting a job, then this article is for you.

After graduating from the university and entering the job market, you need to know at least what employers would expect from you.

We all know how important nurses are in the medical field as a result, you must prove yourself worthy by showing that you know what to do with or without being told.

This article is a perfect guide for nurses and everyone considering a career path in nursing.

A career path in nursing allows you to work at different practice levels, such as a registered nurse, staff nurse, or assistant nurse, and also as a specialist, such as a psychiatric nurse.

Whichever level of practice or specialization your responsibilities as a nurse are indispensable.

Ranging from checking blood pressure, cleaning wounds, handling injections,s and even providing emotional support to patients.

You must also possess an amazing selfless personality towards all patients.

The fact that you are reading this article probably means that you are interested in starting a career path in nursing.

This nurse job description will guide you on the qualifications, skills, benefits, and practically everything you need to know about nursing.

Table Of Contents

Why Should You Choose Nursing?
Is Nursing the Right Profession for You?
What You Must Know About Nursing Job
How to Become a Nurse
Types of Nurses
Registered Nurse Job Description
Basic Duties of a Registered Nurse
Special Skills Required to be a Registered Nurse
How Much Do Nurses Earn?
Conclusion – Nurse Job Description Guide
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Why Should You Choose Nursing?

There are so many different reasons why nursing is a good career choice.

Here are some reasons why you should consider a nursing job.

It is a very interesting job, every day comes with new experiences, and you will have the opportunity to meet so many people daily. Certainly, it is one job that never gets boring, even after decades of working.
You get the opportunity to decide to work in a variety of healthcare settings, such as psychiatric care, pediatric care, and even in schools.
Nurses are indispensable; therefore, taking a job that makes you feel valued is certainly a plus.
You also get to work as a team with other healthcare providers, such as doctors and even your fellow nurses.
The joy of helping others and being able to pay your bills from the same professional brings satisfaction.
Meeting different people with different personalities and health conditions helps you acquire new nursing skills daily.
No matter what location you find yourself in at any time, there will always be a job for you due to the increased demand for nurses with the growing population.

Moreover, taking a job that can put you in place to save a life is worth doing.

Is Nursing the Right Profession for You?

Different people have different reasons why they choose a particular career over others.

You may be considering nursing or even decided on it.

But the fact that you love how nurses dress or know so much about their duties does not necessarily mean that it is the right job for you.

Here are some questions you should ask yourself. And, of course, answer them honestly before choosing to nurse.

What are my interests? Will a nursing job give me satisfaction? After years of working, will I be happy doing what I do?
How well can I care for others without getting offended and harsh on them?
How can I effectively communicate practical and theoretical information about medical care?
What area of specialization do I want to go into? What is the demand for that type of nurse in my desired location?
Do I have the necessary skill and temperament to be a good nurse? Am I willing to learn those skills?

It is very important to answer these questions honestly because, sometimes, things may look beautiful in my mind but not in reality.

Therefore, if that’s not what you want to do when things do not go as you expect, you may think you have done the wrong job.

What You Must Know About Nursing Job

Your decision to learn more about the job description of a nurse is really good.

As the saying goes, count the cost before you build a house.

This knowledge you acquire will be a perfect guide and help you make the right choice.

Here is a list of the necessary things you need to know about nursing

#1. There are Different Types of Nurses

Many people do not know this, but there is a wide range of areas of specialization in nursing, and these different specialists perform different duties and responsibilities.

As such, you should expect the job descriptions to differ.

It is estimated that there are about 104 different specialization areas a nurse can choose from.

I think that the fact that you get to choose is amazing.

Some of these areas include intensive care unit registered nurses; travel registered nurses, operating room nurses, emergency room nurses, and a long list of others.

#2. Numerous Employment Opportunities

As a result of how important nurses are in the healthcare sector, most times, there is always a job available for every candidate.

This doesn’t mean that there is no competition, of course not, but in every location, the probability of getting a job as a nurse is almost equal to one.

According to the United States of America bureau of labour statistics, the number of nurses working by 2022 will be about 3.2 million.

Furthermore, because the world’s population is estimated to reach 9 billion in 2050, you can agree with me that many more nurses will be employed.

Nurses are indispensable now and will be even more valued in the future as health care improves.

#3. Nurses don’t need to work in a Hospital

Many people think that to become a nurse, the hospital is practically the only place you get to work.

But that is not necessarily the case.

Although most nurses work in the hospital, some so many nurses do not

Their services are also required in schools, forensic departments, at home, and even as lecturers in colleges or nursing schools.

The fact that you have various options to choose from as a nurse is wonderful.

#4. Nurses do not work all-day

By saying nurses do not work all day, I mean they work based on shift. This shift can either be morning, afternoon, or night.

Therefore your working time will depend on your shift as scheduled by the hospital or organization you work for.

If you intend to start your own family, this will give you time for your home.

#5. Getting a job as a Nurse doesn’t depend on Gender.

Although there are more female nurses in some parts of the world, many patients may prefer females.

Organizations do not consider gender when employing a nurse; it is a job for both gender.

How to Become a Nurse

As you already know, there are different types of nurses which have different requirements.

Depending on your location, the requirements may also differ. One common route to becoming a nurse is taking an undergraduate degree course.

Here are some programs you can enroll in to become a certified nurse.

Associate’s degree
LPN and LVN programs
Bachelor’s degree

After completing either of these programs, below is a list of other important programs

Master’s degree
Certificate and licensing; these is very important to become a registered nurse.

Some people want to become nurses but may not be able to attend any of the above-listed programs.

Some employers may accept you as a nurse apprentice for 3-4 years, depending on your qualification.

To learn more about becoming a nurse, see

If you hope to get promoted to a senior nurse or specialist, more skills and qualifications may also be required.

Types of Nurses

Before I start telling you about some job descriptions of nurses, let’s talk briefly about some of the different types of nurses.

#1. Nurse Practitioner

Nurse practitioners work independently in certain areas of health care. Although, when the need is, they also work as a team with doctors.

#2. Intensive Care Unit Nurse

These nurses provide specialized care to patients suffering from critical health issues.

#3. Travel Registered Nurse

Travel nurses perform the same function as other nurses. But, in their case, they travel to different countries to proffer their professional help.

#4. Operating Room Nurse

From the name, I guess you can already tell what they do. I believe your guess is right; they help doctors in the operating room

#5. Home care Registered Nurse

These nurses offer care to people in the comfort of the patient’s home and not in the hospital.

#6. Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse

They are nurses who work with gynecologists. Therefore, they help care for pregnant women, especially during labor and at the time of delivery.

#7. Mental Health Nurse

These are nurses that help people who are diagnosed with mental problems and require treatment or rehabilitation.

#8. Pediatric Nurse

Pediatric nurses work in schools or pediatric hospitals; they work with children or teenagers. Their salary ranges from $27,00 to $45,000.

Pediatric nurses, who are also called children nurses, should know how to deal with and handle children.

#9. Dental Nurse

A dental nurse, as the name implies, helps the dental team during surgeries, patient assessment, and in maintaining dental equipment.

They receive a salary of about $22,000 per annum

#10. Adult Nurse

Once again, just as the name implies, adult nurses work with adults of all ages.

Their work includes the treatment of long and short-term health problems

While telling you basic facts about nursing, I remember saying there are about 104 different types of nurses.

Certainly, I cannot exhaust all of them in this article.

But the different types I have explained in this article are some of the most popular types.

Registered Nurse Job Description

Firstly, the major tasks performed by nurses include

Checking blood pressure
Administration of intravenous drips
Recording temperature at the appropriate time
Dressing wounds
Administration of medications
Research

All these are responsibilities that are required not only in the hospital but also in schools, camps, prisons, nursing homes, and so many other organizations.

Therefore, there are a variety of organizations that certainly require the duties of a nurse.

Another very important point to note is that as a nurse, you must protect yourself. That’s because every single day, you come in contact with contagious patients.

It is also important to know that, depending on your qualification and the rules governing nurses in your environment, a nurse may be allowed to practice independently.

Whether you decide to practice independently or not, here is a list of the basic duties of a nurse.

Basic Duties of a Registered Nurse

Offer medical emergencies in cases such as accidents, stroke, or asthmatic attacks.
Checking and recording the vital signs of the patient at the appropriate timing
Drafting out a proper care plan for patients
Meet with doctors and other members of the team to discuss better ways to care for patients.
Take care of patients before and after surgery
Administration of medications at the appropriate time
Collect patient samples for proper testing and diagnosis
Provide information and emotional support to patients and their families or loved ones.
Take detailed reports about the medical history of patients
Observe and communicate with patients to know if they have allergies
Supervise and educate junior nurses
Assist doctors
Taking note of the fluid intake of patients

In general, the duties of a nurse are to take proper medical care of all patients until they are fine.

Special Skills Required to be a Registered Nurse

From the duties of a nurse listed above, you can obviously tell that not everybody can be a nurse.

Not because we are not all good people, but because we do not all have what it takes.

Some of us are better off as software engineers or web developers, we prefer writing codes to deal with humans.

Only those who understand and accept the nurse job description can become good nurses

These are some of the necessary skills you need to become a nurse.

#1 Nurses should show Professionalism

Apart from dressing up as a nurse, you must also stick to all nursing ethics and stay professional before patients and your fellow nurses at all times.

#2 Time Management

As a nurse, you probably have a lot to do, and a lot of people to attend to. Proper time management will help you work effectively.

Of course, time cannot be managed properly without a good working plan.

Whenever you need to, multitask, with uttermost organization, in order to avoid mistakes.

#3 Nurses must give Attention to Details

The importance of this point cannot be over-emphasized. Practice giving attention to details.

It will not only help you avoid mistakes but also pay proper care to patients.

#4 Think Critically

You must be able to identify problems fast and with the necessary supervision handle them.

A nurse is a critical thinker, if you must be a good nurse, prepare to be one.

#5 Show Compassion

When dealing with people, you must be able to show necessary care without showing or feeling offended no matter what.

Most importantly, a nurse must also take proper care of his/herself. You need to stay healthy in order to help others.

How Much Do Nurses Earn?

The amount you earn as a nurse depends on your qualification and location too.

Nurses who are more qualified earn more than those with fewer qualifications.

According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, it is estimated that nurses make about $52,300 yearly.

Location and qualification are not the only factors that determine the salary of a nurse.

Area of specialization is also a factor to consider. Just add the job description of the different types of nurses differ, and so does their salary.

In order to make more money, you can get registered as a home nurse even while working in the hospital.

During your free time at work, you may take a part-time job as a home nurse for a patient or family. But this may be quite stressful.

Apart from your monthly salary, you may enjoy other monetary benefits such as

Free health insurance
Pension
Full paid leave
And a list of other benefits depending on your employer.

Conclusion – Nurse Job Description Guide

From the job description of a nurse fully explained above, you can as well agree with me that a career in nursing is worth taking if you wish to.

It is indeed a job worth doing anytime, any day.

A lot of people owe their lives to nurses as a result of good medical care.

Now you know a nurse job description, the choice is strictly yours to make.

Do you wish to be a nurse?

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Nurse Job Description | Duties & Responsibilities