Description
Provide intermediate-level nursing care to acutely ill patients in progressive/step-down units, delivering continuous cardiac and respiratory monitoring, titrated therapies, early intervention, and coordination of transitions to or from intensive care.
- • Identify patients' age-specific needs and adjust care plans accordingly.
- • Provide post-mortem care.
- • Evaluate vital signs, telemetry, and labs to determine need for urgent interventions.
- • Perform approved therapeutic or diagnostic procedures based on clinical status.
- • Administer blood products and monitor for transfusion reactions.
- • Administer medications via IV, injection, oral, enteral, or other routes.
- • Advocate for patients and families and provide emotional support.
- • Set up and monitor equipment such as telemetry, pulse oximetry, noninvasive ventilation (CPAP/BiPAP), oxygen devices, and IV pumps.
- • Monitor fluid balance to detect issues like fluid or electrolyte imbalances.
- • Monitor for deterioration, sepsis, or shock and initiate protocols; escalate care or activate rapid response as needed.
- • Assess pain and sedation needs; manage PCA or epidural therapies per policy.
- • Assess psychosocial status, sleep, anxiety, grief, coping, and support systems.
- • Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to develop and revise treatment plans.
- • Collect specimens for laboratory tests.
- • Compile and interpret data from monitoring and diagnostic tests, including rhythm strips.
- • Conduct pulmonary assessments to identify abnormal breath sounds or patterns.
- • Document patients' medical histories and assessment findings.
- • Document treatment plans, interventions, outcomes, and revisions.
- • Identify patients at risk for complications related to nutrition; coordinate nutrition support.
- • Prioritize care for multiple progressive care patients based on acuity.
- • Assist with procedures such as cardioversion and bedside line or tube management; provide post-procedure monitoring.
- • Ensure equipment is cleaned and stored properly after use.
- • Identify and report malfunctioning equipment.
- • Assess family adaptation and coping; refer for support services as needed.
- • Coordinate patient care rounds and transition-of-care planning.
- • Participate in continuing education and professional organizations to maintain competencies.
- • Contribute to development and evaluation of unit protocols and pathways.
- • Plan and deliver education for patients, families, and staff on conditions, medications, and devices.
- • Serve as charge nurse or preceptor; supervise and mentor unit staff as assigned.
- • Titrate prescribed infusions (e.g., insulin, heparin, antiarrhythmics, nitroglycerin) per protocol and monitor responses.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
