What does a nurse do?

Nurses are healthcare professionals responsible for administering medications and treatments, monitoring vital signs, educating patients on their care and maintaining medical records. Nurses collaborate with patients and their families, doctors and other healthcare providers to ensure attentive care at all times.

They often work with patients in hospitals and clinics or provide in-home care. Some organizations, such as schools, have nurses on staff to assist with day-to-day care and emergencies.

“When hiring a nurse, providing a clear and detailed job description helps to streamline the hiring process by filtering out applicants who are unqualified for or uninterested in the position. Try to be as transparent as possible.”

—Michelle Hensley, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS

General nursing duties and responsibilities

Although nursing responsibilities vary by specialty, most nurses share similar duties as part of their typical day. Nurses serve several parallel roles in a healthcare setting, each with a variety of associated tasks, such as:

Basic medical skills

Nurses are directly involved in providing certain treatments and procedures for patients, as ordered by physicians or other providers. Some nurses have more responsibilities than others, depending on where they work and their level of training.

Clinical skill tasks for nurses include:

• Drawing blood and submitting specimen samples for testing in the lab
• Changing bandages and wound dressings
• Inserting IVs
• Giving patients their medication according to schedule
• Monitoring heart rate and other vital signs
• Operating and monitoring medical equipment such as monitors, ventilators and IV pumps
• Preparing patients for surgery

Patient support

Nurses are often a patient’s primary point of contact with the healthcare system. They communicate directly with patients about their overall care plan and provide additional ongoing support.

Some patient support tasks include:

• Explaining what each diagnosis means
• Interpreting care plans
• Providing instructions for recovery
• Connecting patients to support groups and other resources
• Educating patients on healthy lifestyle habits
• Advocating for patients to get the best care

Administration

Nurses play a key administrative role, managing interactions among doctors, technicians and other nurses, including charge nurses. They perform a range of activities to keep the entire team coordinated when providing medical care to patients.

Key nurse administration tasks include:

• Updating details on each patient’s chart
• Coordinating medical care
• Communicating with doctors about their patients’ conditions and medical histories
• Checking medical protocols
• Calling insurance providers
• Reaching out to emergency contacts
• Preparing medical supplies and materials

Common nursing specialties

Here are some of the most common nursing specialties and the duties associated with each position:

Emergency room (ER) nurse

ER nurses work in emergency rooms to help patients resolve urgent health issues. They help stabilize patients’ vital signs and provide emergent treatment. ER nurses manage a high volume of critical patients in a fast-paced setting and often work as part of a large nursing team.

Home health nurse

Home health nurses travel to treat patients in their homes. Depending on their role, they may help patients with activities of daily living like maintenance of hygiene and mobility. They may provide more skilled medical support, like providing intravenous (IV) therapy or wound care. Home health nurses may also provide hospice care, keeping patients with terminal conditions comfortable.

Critical care nurse

Critical care nurses work in intensive care units and trauma units, where they respond to serious injuries and illnesses. They work with patients on life support and treat severe wounds. Critical care nurses often need to be highly organized and experienced to deal with the complex, stressful intensive care environment. This may involve making life-saving decisions.

Neonatal nurse

Neonatal nurses provide care for babies after birth. They most often work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) setting. Here, they provide care to infants who are premature, critically ill or need extra support after birth. They may also work within a newborn nursery. Neonatal nurses may require additional certifications, such as neonatal resuscitation.

Pediatric nurse

Pediatric nurses specifically care for children. They can work in pediatric or family clinics, schools and hospitals. They can work with a specific age level or with any patient under 18. Pediatric nurses may need an excellent bedside manner with both young patients and their families. To do this, they need to communicate effectively with children and explain complex ideas in terms they can understand.

Transport nurse

Transport nurses provide critical care in ambulances or accompany patients by helicopter or airplane when they are transferred between hospitals. They may work in complex situations, such as search-and-rescue missions, providing emergency treatment with limited inventory and supervision.

Psychiatric nurse

Psychiatric nurses provide mental health care to patients. They can work in psychiatric units at hospitals, at mental health treatment centers or at a private practice alongside a psychiatrist. They often have advanced knowledge of mental health conditions, counseling and harm reduction strategies.

Public health nurse

Public health nurses focus on educating communities about common health issues. They can provide treatment at clinics or public health departments. Duties typically involve sharing public health information and improving public access to healthcare.

Advanced nursing specialties

Advanced nursing roles extend beyond typical nursing specialties. These nursing roles may be achieved through further graduate education and board certifications. Some examples include:

Nurse anesthetist

Nurse anesthetists are advanced-level providers with master’s or doctoral degrees. They administer anesthesia and help patients manage pain through anesthetic medication. They often assist with surgeries to ensure patients are adequately sedated.

Nurse practitioner

Nurse practitioners are advanced-level professionals who may hold a master’s degree or doctoral degree in nursing. They function in roles similar to doctors, conduct examinations, diagnose conditions and prescribe medications and treatments for patients.

How to hire a nurse

If you are ready to hire a nurse as part of your care team, consider the following steps to attract and screen applicants:

1. Determine appropriate qualifications.

Because nurses directly perform medical procedures, understanding the qualifications and certifications required can be useful. Based on the activities the nurse will perform, determine the education and training they should possess.

2. Create a clear and direct job posting.

When writing a job description for the position, be clear about the scope of the nursing role and what they can expect from their daily duties. Clearly outline the nurse’s key responsibilities, including work location, shift hours and the expected number of hours worked per week.

If you need a nurse who is available for weekends or on-call shifts, mention this in the job description and posting. Include your expectations about their experience in nursing.

3. Verify each applicant’s credentials.

It’s important to ensure that a nurse’s resume is accurate, as incorrect or misleading information could directly impact a patient’s health. Confirm each applicant’s references and check with relevant licensing boards to confirm up-to-date nursing certifications.

4. Note soft skills during the interview.

When interviewing candidates, ask questions that focus on each employee’s soft skills. Ask them how they would handle challenging situations in the workplace or how they would discuss upsetting subjects with patients. As they answer each question, be mindful of their interpersonal communication skills.

5. Consider the team dynamic.

Nurses work as part of a team every day, so think about how each candidate would add to your healthcare team. Ask questions about how well the candidates work as a team and contribute to shared goals. Select qualified candidates whose skills complement your current team.