Description
Provide practical nursing care to ill, injured, convalescent, or disabled patients in hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics, and home settings under the direction of a registered nurse or physician. State licensure required.
- • Observe patients; chart and report condition changes or adverse reactions; take necessary action.
- • Administer prescribed medications and start or monitor intravenous fluids; document times and amounts.
- • Respond to patient call lights and determine how to assist.
- • Measure and record vital signs, height, and weight.
- • Provide basic treatments such as wound care, dressing changes, catheterizations, and enemas.
- • Assist with bathing, dressing, hygiene, repositioning, ambulation, and transfers.
- • Supervise and direct nursing assistants or aides.
- • Collaborate with the healthcare team to assess needs, plan, modify, and implement care.
- • Record food and fluid intake and output.
- • Evaluate responses to nursing interventions and communicate findings to the team.
- • Assemble, set up, and use equipment such as catheters, tracheostomy supplies, and oxygen delivery systems.
- • Collect specimens such as blood, urine, or sputum and perform routine point-of-care tests.
- • Prepare patients for examinations, tests, or procedures and explain steps.
- • Review food trays for adherence to prescribed diets.
- • Apply hot or cold compresses as ordered.
- • Maintain clean, safe patient rooms and make beds.
- • Inventory, stock, and requisition supplies and instruments.
- • Provide care in private homes; maintain comfort; teach simple care to family or caregivers.
- • Clean and sterilize equipment and supplies.
- • Provide post-mortem care per policy.
- • Schedule appointments, update records, and perform basic clerical tasks.
- • Prepare treatment rooms and ensure equipment readiness.
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Healthcare & Human Services
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
