Nursing is a profession within the health care sector. It focuses on the care of individuals, families, and communities. Nurses may be differentiated from other health care providers by their approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses work with doctors and other health care workers to make patients well and to keep them healthy. They also help with end-of-life needs and assist other family members when a loved-one has passed away. Just like doctors, nurses can specialize in what work they do. Nurses are in great demand because there are not enough nurses to handle hospital needs. Because of this shortage, nurses will sometimes travel to another location to work for a few months in what is called travel nursing. If you want to work as a nurse in another country, you have to be able to communicate with patients in another language.
The largest group of healthcare workers are Registered Nurses (RNs). If you want to become a registered nurse, you have to learn to work directly with patients and their families. RNs often perform patient evaluations, which mean that they monitor and track vital signs; they perform IV (intravenous drip feed) placement and phlebotomy (drawing blood for tests, transfusion, donation). They also administer medications. RNs have much more regular contact with patients than physicians, so they are usually the first to notice problems about patient progress. It is also their responsibility to make day-to-day nursing care plans, for patients in the hospital and for home after the discharge.
Another group of nurses are the Nurse Practitioners. In order to become a Nurse Practitioner you have to take on some extra responsibilities such as anaesthesiology, midwifery and certain other clinical duties. To become a nurse practitioner, you often need to have a Bachelors degree of Science in Nursing, followed by additional training and even a Master’s degree in Nursing. They are often the first ones who diagnose patients and treat illnesses and injuries. They even have the right to prescribe certain medications.
Head nurses supervise nursing activities and they set up work schedules, assign duties to a nursing staff and make sure that the members of the nursing team are properly trained. They also make sure that the nursing records and reports are correct and that they are handed over at each shift change. Head nurses also have to make sure that equipment and other supplies are in stock.
Another group of nurses are the Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) who provide personal patient care. They usually report directly to physicians and RNs, and are usually responsible for taking vitals and monitoring, treating bedsores, preparing or performing several procedures such as dressing wounds, bathing and dressing. This is a very important job because LPNs also help patients deal with their illnesses.
Nursing home nurses take care of nursing home residents, so they have to handle anything from fractures to serious diseases like Alzheimer’s. They keep track of the residents’ health condition, make treatment plans and supervise LPNs and nursing aides. They also work in specialty care departments such as long-term rehabilitation units for patients with strokes and head-injuries.
Nursing aides, also known as hospital attendants help the work of the medical staff in a very important way. They are the ones who answer patients’ call bells, deliver messages, serve meals, make beds and help patients eat, dress and bathe. They can provide skin care, take temperatures, pulse, respiration and blood pressure. They help the patients in and out of bed, to walk, escort them to operating and examining rooms and observe their physical, mental and emotional conditions and report any changes to the nursing or medical staff.
You can also become a Home Health Nurse, but you have to be able to work independently and care for patients of all kinds, such as those recovering from illnesses and accidents, cancer and childbirth. You provide periodic care for the patients, assess the patients’ home environments and instruct patients and their families on what’s best for a quicker recovery. Home health nurses can also supervise home health aides.
health care sector – settore sanitario
to focus on – concentrarsi su
community – comunità
to be differentiated from – essere differenziate da
health care provider – fornitori di servizi sanitari
approach – approccio
patient care – cura del paziente
scope – ambito
to assist – assistere
to pass away – morire
to specialize in – specializzarsi in
in great demand – molto richiesti
to handle – gestire
shortage – scarsità
healthcare worker – lavoratori sanitari
Registered Nurse – infermieri abilitati
to perform patient evaluation – procedere alla valutazione dei pazienti
to monitor – monitorare
to track – seguire, tracciare
vital signs – segni vitali
IV placement – posizionamento della flebo
intravenous drip feed – perfuzione endovenosa
to draw blood – drenare il sangue
blood transfusion – trasfusione di sangue
blood donation – donazioni di sangue
to administer medications – gestire le medicazioni
responsibility – responsabilità
day-to-day – giorno per giorno
discharge – congedo
Nurse Practitioner – infermieri professionisti
anaesthesiology – anestesiologia
midwifery – ostetricia
additional training – formazione aggiuntiva
to diagnose – diagnosticare
to prescribe – prescrivere
medication – medicazione
head nurse – infermiera capo
to supervise – supervisionare
to assign duties – assegnare i compiti
to be handed over – essere trasmesso
shift change – cambio di turni
supply – provvista, scorta
in stock – nella scorta
Licenced Practical Nurse – infermiere diplomato
bedsore – piaga da decubito
to dress wounds – medicare la ferita
nursing home nurse – infermiere che lavora alla casa di riposo
resident – ospite
fracture – frattura
serious disease – malattia seria
to keep track of – tenere traccia di
specialty care department – dipartimento di cure speciali
rehabilitation unit – unità di riabilitazione
stroke – ictus
nursing aid – assistenza infermieristica
skin care – cura della pelle
to take temperature – prendere la temperatura
pulse – battito, polso
respiration – respirazione
blood pressure – pressione sanguigna
to escort – accompagnare
operating room – sala operatoria
examining room – sala esami
to work independently – lavorare autonomamente
to recover from – riprendersi da
periodic – periodico
to assess – valutare
