The role of a nurse in a hospital

Gamanji Tatiana, teacher of English and medical terminology

What do nurses do?
The nurse has to take care of patient, to
check temperature, pulse rates, blood
pressures, change dressings, give an
injections, remove sutures, to put on a
drips, to check intravenous lines, wound
drainage tubes and urinary catheter.
 Handover in a surgical ward
• 7.00-7.15 – Handover
The time when the night staff tell us about the
patients and report any changes. We are given a
computer printout containing all the basic
information about the patient: their name,
admission date, doctor and diagnosis.
• 7.15-7.30 – Round/Sight check
As soon as the handover is finished, greet and
check all of the patients in your care.
• 7.30-8.00 – Observations and
medications
Check that pre-operative patients are ready.
General observations include: temperature, pulse,
respirations and blood pressure. Intravenous lines,
wound drainage tubes and urinary catheter tubes
should also be checked at this time.
• 8.00 – Help patients with breakfast where necessary and feed patients who are
unable to feed themselves. If some patients are fasting, attend to their personal
hygiene and bed – making while the others are having breakfast.
• 09.30 – Doctors rounds. 15 minute break for staff when possible.
• 10.00 – Check any new orders on the patients charts. Do the observations, give
out medications and fill-in the Fluid Balance Charts of all the patients in your
care.
• 12.15 – The patients midday meals arrive. Check that patients are prepared to
eat and check their BSLs (blood sugar levels) if necessary and give insulin or
other medications that should be taken with food.
• Staff meal break (30 minutes). All the patients must be fed prior to the staff
having their lunch.
• 14.00 – Recheck all your patients charts and notes.
Make sure that the evening staff have the keys to the locked
cupboards for the Dangerous Drugs and valuables.
14.00-16.00-This is catch-up hour and to expect the unexpected:
•Catching up on charting. For example, completing any discharge paperwork and new
admission paperwork, along with your morning paperwork.
•Catching up on tasks: Starting new IVs because the other one has expired, changing wound
dressings, ambulating patients, changing expired tubing.
17.00-18.00– Wrapping things up! This is the time where you are going to make sure you
have everything done before the next shift comes in. You will be doing the following:
•Checking blood sugars prior to dinner on diabetic patients.
•Setting patients up for dinner and assisting them with eating.
•Wrapping up any new discharge or admissions you get.
18.45-19.00– Finally you’re done! You will give report to the next shift during this time and
leave. You will be exhausted, hungry, and ready for a hot bath and bed!
It is important to note this is what is required that you do as a nurse during your shift, but
there will be days that will be so hectic because the unexpected has happened. It is very
important you stay organized and try to prepare as much as in advance as possible.
Name some physical/moral qualities of a nurse
• Physical qualities • Moral qualities
Name the role of Nurse and function of Nurse
 Best words to describe nurses who take care of you
E W C A Z H J H O Q D K W P N
I M I C L Q P 0 G N E P I K S
N E P A T I E N T V D T L N M
T N T A I S J E O Q I H L O D
U E I W T R F S D F C O I W O
I R M E O H O T J G A U N L B
T G I L L U E J L Q T G G E S
I E S P O L I T E A E H R D E
V T T J T R L O I I D T U G R
E I I C A R I N G C A F Z E V
E C C E E Y N U R Z U U D A A
P R O F E S S I O N A L Q B N
Q F A T T E N T I V E D O L T
A Q T R U S T W O R T H Y E X
S G U F R I E N D L Y A K J Z
Fill in the gaps with necessary words:
• (Heart, forget, days, life, love, compassion, comfort, prescription, caring, nursing,
love, to tolerate, strong, to understand, soft).

• 1. Nurses are the_______ of healthcare. 2. No matter how difficult the_______ may

get, never_________ the reason you became a nurse. 3. Where there is______ there
is_________. 4. Nurses dispense_________,______________, and __________
without even a______________. 5. Care for one that’s ______,care for hundreds
that’s___________. 6. Nurse: just another word to describe a person __________
enough __________ anything and ________ enough ___________ anyone.
 Expression and word list
• To change into a hospital gown – to remove personal clothes and wear a gown.
• To do the rounds – to visit patients individually one by one.
• To give an injection (or a pre-med) – the use of a syringe and needle to introduce
medication into the body – (into a muscle: intramuscular; into a vein:
intravenous; under the skin: hypodermic).
• To make a bed – to tidy or change the bed-clothes so that the bed can be slept in.
• To take a pulse – to measure heartbeats: the rhythmic beating of the heart pumping
blood around the body.
• To take blood pressure – to measure the systolic and diastolic pressure of the
blood circulating in the body.
Instruments and other things used for physical examinations
• 1. Stethoscope 1. Catheter
• 2. Sterile gloves 2. Sphygmomanometer
• 3. Vomit bowl 3. Scalpel handle
• 4. Forceps 4. Drip
• 5. Syringe/needle 5. Tongue depressor/spatula
• 6. Dressings
• 7.Cotton balls
• 8. Thermometer
• 9. Scissors
John arrives at work, talks to the staff on evening shift (hand-over) and
checks his patients case histories. Next he visits each of his patients.
Put the following conversation in the correct order.
J: I can help you turn over on your side, but your leg stays on the pillow, O.K.?
Your leg will hurt more without it. Hold on to me and I’ll help you turn. There you are. Lift up your leg
and I’ll move the pillow, that’s better. Are you comfortable, now?_________
Cathy: That’s much better, thank you – now I can sleep!_________
J: This tablet is to help the pain and then I’m sure you’ll sleep._______
C: Oh, hello John. Yes, I’m a little better, but my leg still hurts a lot._______
J: Good then. I’m going to check on the other patients now, but you can call me if you need anything –
just ring the bell!______
C: Thank you. Can I move my leg of the pillow? I want to lie on my side._______
J. Good evening young lady! I’m looking after you again tonight. Are you feeling a bit better? You don’t
look very happy! ________
 THE NURSING SYMBOLS

NURSING LOGO
 It is a symbol of fertility, wisdom. 
NURSING 
CAP NIGHTINGALE’S 
The nursing cap has LAMP
become a symbolic WHITE UNIFORM This lamp... was a symbol of all
aspect of the nursing
profession. The cap’s
A nurse uniform is attire worn by nurses Florence Nightingale stood for,
original purpose was to  for hygiene and identification. It also comfort and kindness and
maintain a hygienic and symbolizes purity. gentleness and courage, and an
clean look. Over years,
the white nursing cap
unswerving devotion to duty.
has become a
universally
recognized symbol of
nursing, care and
kindness. 
• Thank you for attention, have a good day God bless you!