A Day in the Life of a Nurse: Creating a Nursing Care Plan
Nurses are assigned jobs that tackle any issues in patient care, ranging from surgery assistance to basic health care, to managing and maintaining charts and lab work. Despite all the responsibilities they are saddled with, they still must make time to develop their nursing care plans for many of their regular patients, especially in hospital settings. Nursing care plans serve a vital function in most hospitals and several clinics because they indicate to other nurses and doctors what type of diet patients are on, as well as any specific medical needs that the patient requires. Without such communication to night nurses or doctors, patients run the risk of being given medicine or food they are allergic to, or even missing a meal.
Nursing care plans are relatively easy to create once you know the background of the patient. Spending some time with the patient additionally helps add to the nursing care plan; for example, if your patient is a particularly finicky eater, you can include this in the plan, or even post daily updates on what they have eaten during the day. This is especially important for doctors to see what type of appetite the patient has had, or whether they will be ready for surgery after the meal they recently had. This type of communication is essential in ensuring the continuation of patient care as well as guaranteeing that the hospital system continues to run smoothly.
With more records kept online at hospitals or through computer databases, many nurse communications such as the nursing care plan remain part of the few that are still hand-delivered, rather than uploaded onto computers. This is a more personal form of communication and helps nurses understand the patient care that each patient has received over the course of the day (or night). While computers continue to overtake medical records, this type of communication will more than likely remain the way it is, and indicate the stationary quality of such plans. Even if the nursing care plans are typed out, they remain in a form that is easily accessible to the next nurse or doctor on duty and are relatively easy to change.
Nursing is about more than just taking a patient’s weight and blood pressure, but is about administering high quality patient care and ensuring your patient is well-taken care of even after your shift ends.
Top Online Nursing Programs
 |
University of Phoenix - RN to BSN. 27 Nursing Degrees. Students interested in reaching their career goals in the healthcare industry as a nurse will reach them at the University of Phoenix. University of Phoenix allows working adults the convenience of taking classes when they can.
 |
 |
South University - A.S. in Allied Health Science. As an accredited online college, South University offers a respectable Associate’s Degree in Allied Health Science for those seeking to pursue a career in healthcare. The program is offered completely online, allowing students to learn in their own time without sacrificing their current responsibilities.
|
 |
LA College - A.A. in Health Care Administration. With a handful of online health programs, LA College is a great choice for students seeking entry-level positions in the healthcare industry. Their Associate’s degree in Health Care Administration will provide students with the basis for a multitude of job opportunities in hospitals, doctor’s offices, clinics, and many others.
|
 |
Post University - BS in Mgmt. For Registered Nurses. Post University is dedicated in helping students achieve their personal and professional goals in a timely manner, allowing them to pursue their careers in healthcare more quickly. The Bachelor of Science in Management for Registered Nurses degree will prepare nurses to obtain administrative and management roles that require critical-thinking, decision-making, and leadership skills.
|
 |
Herzing University - BSN-Bridge Program. With nursing constituting as the largest healthcare occupation today, Herzing University has created quality nursing programs to fulfill the increasing demand in the industry. At Herzing, students receive hands-on training in order to help them enter the workforce with confidence.
|
 |
The College Network - 10 universities offering Nursing Degrees. The College Network is one of the nation's top providers in providing high quality nursing degrees online. Students have the opportunity to pursue a variety of HealthCare degrees that that will allow them to further their career in Nursing.
|
 |
Jones International University - B.A. in Health Care Mgmt. Jones International University offers a Bachelor’s program in Health Care Management that will help students become skilled and effective managers in the healthcare industry. Students could work in a variety of different settings upon completion of the program.
|
 |
Virginia College - BS in Health Services Management. Virginia College is dedicated in helping students achieve their goals and aspirations to advance in the health care industry. Their Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Management will prepare students for a variety of career options in assistant management or administrative positions within a healthcare facility.
|
 |
Western Governors University - B.S. in Nursing. Western Governors University is an accredited online university offering a variety of nursing and healthcare programs for students of all ages. Their Nursing program will incorporate patient education, health promotion, nursing roles, technology, and many other health related subjects.
|
 |
Baker College - B.S. in Nursing. Baker College allows students to complete their Nursing degree completely online, at their own pace and time. Their program provides current registered nurses with the opportunity to advance and continue their growth.
|
 |
Keiser University - B.A. in Health Services Administration. With several degree options in the healthcare field, Keiser University prepares students for a variety of positions in any healthcare setting. Their mission is to help students develop skills and knowledge that will prepare them for leadership positions upon graduation.
|
 |
Indiana State University - LPN to BSN. Students looking to jump start a career will find accredited an accredited RN to BSN nursing degree from the Indiana State University. Indiana State University was originally founded in 1865 and over this time has prepared thousands of students for new, exciting careers.
|
