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Nursing specialties

Psychiatric nurses

psychiatric unit nurses are required to have an associate's or a bachelor's degree in nursing and a state nursing license. They care for individuals with psychiatric illnesses who need to be in inpatient or day hospital settings.
Psychiatric unit nurses care for patients with illness or disease that has led them to temporary or long-term hospitalization. They are responsible for direct care of a set of patients, facilitating their recovery through social interaction and traditional therapies. Psychiatric unit nurses are required to complete state nursing licensure requirements, and due to the complexity of this specialization, many employers prefer that these nurses hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Additional voluntary certifications are also available to enhance these professionals' training and job prospects.

Responsibilities

As many patients are hospitalized because they are a danger to themselves and others, nurses are responsible for maintaining a safe environment through the use of monitoring devices and restraining techniques where deemed necessary. Psychiatric unit nurses provide social support for patients by creating and encouraging patients to take advantage of opportunities such as support groups, social activities and other therapeutic measures, as well as participating with patients where appropriate.
assessing and planning nursing care requirements
organising workloads
visiting patients at home
building relationships with, reassuring, listening and talking to patients
combating stigma and helping patients and their families deal with it
administering medication
agreeing and reviewing care plans and monitoring progress
giving advice and arranging support for patients, relatives and carers
liaising with doctors, social workers and other professionals
assessing treatment success at case conferences and meetings
writing and updating patient record

Duties/Responsibilities
Pre-operative

Nurses caring for patients before and after surgery are also know as perianesthesia nurses. The perioperative nurse in this phase of care:
Uses interviewing and assessment skills to identify possible or actual patient problems prior to surgery
Carefully reviews the patient's current and past health history, lab values, psychological status, and understanding of the procedure
Perioperative nurses work in hospital surgical departments, day-surgery units (ambulatory surgery), radiology departments, clinics, and physicians' offices. They work closely with the surgical patient, family members, and other health-care professionals to help plan, implement, and evaluate treatment.

Intra-operative

In the operating room, the perioperative nurse may serve as a:
Circulating Nurse
Manages the overall patient care in the surgical suite and helps to maintain a safe, comfortable environment.
Ensures patient safety during the procedure
Coordinates with the surgeon, scrub nurse/tech, and anesthesia provider to provide quality care to the patient
Scrub Nurse
Uses sterile technique while selecting and passing instruments and supplies used for the operation
Maintains patient safety

Other responsibilities during the intra-operative period include:
Acts as a patient advocate at all times, especially while the patient is under anesthesia
Assists with completion of surgical "counts" to be sure that no foreign objects are left unaccounted for
Helps with repositioning of the patient
Provides warming blankets
Post Operative
Post-operative care is provided by the nurse in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Post-op nurses should have extensive experience in intensive care nursing as they care for the life-sustaining needs of the patient. They also discuss with patients and families post operative care in the home.
Perioperative nurses care for patients before, during and after surgery or interventional procedures.
Perioperative nursing encompasses a range of specialised roles including, but not limited to

Anaesthetic nurse
Circulating nurse (scout)
Instrument nurse (scrub)
Post Anaesthesia Care Unit nurse (recovery)
Perioperative Nurse Surgeon's Assistant (PNSA)
Nurse practitioners.
Anaesthetic nurse
The anaesthetic nurse provides the primary support to the patient and the anaesthetist throughout the anaesthetic process. With the anaesthetist's supervision, the anaesthetic nurse ensures the safety of the patient during the course of the anaesthetic. Outcomes are optimised through the astute situational awareness of the anaesthetic nurse, who monitors the patient’s status, surgical equipment and pharmacological management as well as communicating with the perioperative team. In the true spirit of teamwork, in facilities where the workflow requires, the anaesthetic nurse may undertake some circulating nursing activities.
Nephrology Nursing Practice:
Nursing assessment
Identification of risk factors
Patient education
Initiation of dialysis, patient and machine monitoring during dialysis, and termination of the dialysis procedure
Home dialysis training
Nursing care immediately prior to and following renal transplantation

Introducing treatment modalities to the patient and family
Coordinating multidisciplinary care for the person with CKD
Nursing intervention to prevent complications, decreasing the need for hospitalizations
Assisting patients in achieving rehabilitative potential
The nephrology nurse may be involved in the tertiary care of the person with CKD which involves more complex care usually in an intensive care environment. Responsibilities may include:

Acute dialysis, with care directed towards decreasing morbidity and mortality
Coordinating care with multidisciplinary teams
The nephrology nurse may be involved in coordinating training for dialysis staff
Specific critical care nurse duties and responsibilities can include:
Critical Care Nurse Practitioner | Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
Critical care involves complex assessment and intervention performed by highly skilled medical professionals who are able to function effectively under intense circumstances to save lives. Working with physicians and other medical professionals, critical care nurses care for critically ill or injured patients within the intensive care unit.
Assessing a patient’s condition and planning and implementing patient care plans
Treating wounds and providing advanced life support
Assisting physicians in performing procedures
Observing and recording patient vital signs
Ensuring that ventilators, monitors and other types of medical equipment function properly
Administering intravenous fluids and medications
Ordering diagnostic tests
Collaborating with fellow members of the critical care team
Responding to life-saving situations, using nursing standards and protocols for treatment
Acting as patient advocate
Providing education and support to patient families
trauma nurse
Trauma nurses are thoroughly trained in emergency care - focusing on serious medical conditions. You can find these nurses working in emergency rooms, critical care units, and as part of an emergency flight team where they alleviate a patient's condition by providing proper medical intervention. They usually aid patients with serious injuries such as heart attacks, stroke, suicide attempts, car accidents, and other injuries related to work. Further, trauma nurses work carefully to stabilize a trauma victim and prevent secondary complications, such as respiratory distress, shock, or even death.

Paediatric nurses

Paediatric nurses work as part of a multidisciplinary team of professional and medical staff that includes doctors, health visitors, social workers and therapists.
Typical responsibilities include:
providing care before and after operations
monitoring and administering medication, injections, blood transfusions and intravenous infusions
treating wounds
taking samples from patients and monitoring their pulse, temperature and blood pressure
checking patients’ conditions and monitoring functions such as respiration
dealing with emergencies
supervising junior staff
organising workloads
tutoring student nurses
obtaining parental consent for treatment
keeping accurate records
writing reports
providing information, emotional support and reassurance to patients and relatives
ensuring adherence to strict hygiene and health and safety rules
Cardiac care nurse
Cardiac nurses possess a high level of education and experience that allows them to diagnose, treat, and manage conditions that affect the complex cardiovascular system. They work to promote optimal cardiovascular health among clients through preventative measures that involve health counseling, screening, and stress tests, as well as disease prevention and management strategies. They also provide care to patients with coronary heart disease, providing post-operative care to those recovering from bypass surgery or heart transplant.
Cardiac nurses are qualified to provide cardiac care to patients across the lifespan, which may include newborns with heart defects or elderly patients with advanced stage heart disease. They also provide a wide range of services, which may include:
Managing hypertension, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias and other heart conditions
Evaluating and monitoring heart devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators
Performing a wide variety of cardiac tests, including stress tests, stress echocardiograms, exercise stress tests, PET/dipyridamole stress tests, and CT coronary angiograms
Providing physical exams so as to diagnose chronic and acute cardiac diseases
Interpreting laboratory results or cardiac tests
Prescribing and managing cardiac medications and other therapies
Educating patients on health maintenance and disease prevention
Bedside nurse
The general responsibilities of a bedside nurse include various duties that deliver direct and immediate care to whichever patient the nurse is currently assigned to. Some of the duties a bedside nurse may be accountable for include:
Assessing the patient’s general health status
Identifying nursing needs of the patient
Assisting the patient with moving and maintaining proper body alignment
Helping the patient use appropriate body mechanics
Taking vital signs
Accurately recording vital signs
Observing and responding to the patient’s emotional and spiritual needs
Preparing the patient for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
Assisting physicians with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
Observing signs and symptoms a patient is experiencing
Starting corrective action when needed, and recording information into the patient’s chart
Acting as a connection between the patient and other hospital personnel
Interpreting information to the patient and his/her family in order to promote successful therapy and rehabilitation

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