Acute Care Nurses :: Job Description

ExistingUsers

User Name:

Password:

Forgot your password?
Click here

NewUsers

FeaturedResources

Acute Care Nurses

Careers / Acute Care Nurses

Summary Description


	Provide advanced nursing care for patients with acute conditions such as heart attacks, respiratory distress syndrome, or shock. May care for pre- and post-operative patients or perform advanced, invasive diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.

Sample Job Titles

1.	Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist

2.	Acute Care Nurse

3.	Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

4.	Admission Nurse

5.	Admission Nurse Coordinator

6.	Care Transitions Manager

7.	Care Transitions Nurse

8.	Charge Nurse

9.	Charge Nurse, Cardiac Interventional Care

10.	Chronic Condition Nurse

11.	Clinical Educator

12.	Clinical Nurse Educator

13.	Clinical Staff Educator

14.	Nurse Manager

15.	Nursing Director

16.	Pediatric Acute Care Unit Nurse

17.	Preceptor

18.	Progressive Care Manager

19.	Progressive Care Unit Registered Nurse

20.	Screening Unit Registered Nurse

21.	Staff Nurse

22.	Supervising Nurse

Job Tasks

	Perform emergency medical procedures, such as basic cardiac life support (BLS), advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), and other condition stabilizing interventions. Treat medical emergencies.

	Manage patients' pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, monitoring patients' responses, and changing care plans accordingly. Monitor patients following surgeries or other treatments. Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.

	Document data related to patients' care including assessment results, interventions, medications, patient responses, or treatment changes. Record patient medical histories.

	Diagnose acute or chronic conditions that could result in rapid physiological deterioration or life-threatening instability. Diagnose medical conditions.

	Administer blood and blood product transfusions or intravenous infusions, monitoring patients for adverse reactions. Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities. Administer blood or other fluids intravenously.

	Assess urgent and emergent health conditions using both physiologically and technologically derived data. Analyze patient data to determine patient needs or treatment goals.

	Adjust settings on patients' assistive devices such as temporary pacemakers. Adjust prostheses or other assistive devices.

	Assess the impact of illnesses or injuries on patients' health, function, growth, development, nutrition, sleep, rest, quality of life, or family, social and educational relationships. Evaluate patient functioning, capabilities, or health.

	Prescribe medications and observe patients' reactions, modifying prescriptions as needed. Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities. Prescribe medications.

	Interpret information obtained from electrocardiograms (EKGs) or radiographs (x-rays). Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.

	Obtain specimens or samples for laboratory work. Collect biological specimens from patients.

	Collaborate with patients to plan for future health care needs or to coordinate transitions and referrals. Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.

	Refer patients for specialty consultations or treatments. Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.

	Set up, operate, or monitor invasive equipment and devices such as colostomy or tracheotomy equipment, mechanical ventilators, catheters, gastrointestinal tubes, and central lines. Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use. Operate diagnostic or therapeutic medical instruments or equipment.

	Discuss illnesses and treatments with patients and family members. Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.

	Distinguish between normal and abnormal developmental and age-related physiological and behavioral changes in acute, critical, and chronic illness. Diagnose medical conditions.

	Order, perform, or interpret the results of diagnostic tests and screening procedures based on assessment results, differential diagnoses, and knowledge about age, gender and health status of clients. Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment. Order medical diagnostic or clinical tests.

	Collaborate with members of multidisciplinary health care teams to plan, manage, or assess patient treatments. Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

	Assess the needs of patients' family members or caregivers. Assess patient work, living, or social environments.

	Perform administrative duties that facilitate admission, transfer, or discharge of patients. Process healthcare paperwork.

	Provide formal and informal education to other staff members. Train medical providers.

	Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in acute care. Maintain medical or professional knowledge.

	Treat wounds or superficial lacerations. Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.

	Analyze the indications, contraindications, risk complications, and cost-benefit tradeoffs of therapeutic interventions. Evaluate treatment options to guide medical decisions.

	Participate in patients' care meetings and conferences. Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

	Assist patients in organizing their health care system activities. Advise patients on healthcare system processes.

	Participate in the development of practice protocols. Establish nursing policies or standards.

Work Activities

Importance	Work Activity

Assisting and Caring for Others — Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Interacting With Computers — Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates — Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Coaching and Developing Others — Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Staffing Organizational Units — Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Performing Administrative Activities — Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Selling or Influencing Others — Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Nature of the Work


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Registered Nurses
	Registered nurses (RNs) provide and coordinate patient care, educate patients and the public about various health conditions, and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.

	Read More >>

Working Conditions


	(Abstract from Career Articles)

	Registered Nurses
	Registered nurses work in hospitals, physicians' offices, home healthcare services, and nursing care facilities. Others work in correctional facilities or schools, or serve in the military.

	Read More >>

<< Previous Page

Next Page >>

Interesting Fact

Wal-Mart is the largest employer in the world (1,300,000 employees). 3 of the top 10 employers in the world are American; 4 of the top 10 are Chinese.

Did you know...

MyPlan.com has a Video Library of nearly 500 different career and industry videos!