CARE FOR THE PATIENT

Nurses care for patients continuously, 24 hours a day. They help
patients to do what they would do for themselves if they could.
Nurses take care of their patients, making sure that they can breathe
properly, seeing that they get enough fluids and enough
nourishment, helping them rest and sleep, making sure that they are
comfortable, taking care of their need to eliminate wastes from the
body, and helping them to avoid the harmful consequences of being
immobile, like stiff joints and pressure sores.
The nurse often makes independent decisions about the care the
patient needs based on what the nurse knows about that person and
the problems that may occur. For example, the nurse may decide
that, in order to prevent pressure sores, the patient needs to be
turned every two hours. However, the nurse may consult the doctor
about this if it is possible that turning the patient might cause some
other problem. Thus the nurse uses understanding of medical
conditions, as well as knowledge of nursing, in deciding on patient
care.
The nurse not only takes care of the patient but also gives comfort
and support to the patient and his or her family. When the patient
cannot recover, the nurse helps to make sure that the death is
peaceful.
When a person becomes ill or is injured, generally the doctor
assesses the patient, diagnoses the patient’s problem and decides
on the treatment needed to cure the problem or relieve the patient’s
symptoms. In the past only the doctor assessed and
diagnosed. Today, however, nurses play a large role in evaluating
patients and detecting problems. In some rural areas, nurses admit
patients to hospital and manage their care, referring only the most
critical patients to distant medical centres.
In every hospital nurses carry out many of the treatments prescribed
for the patient. For example, the doctor may prescribe surgery or
bed rest or a certain therapy. The doctor will perform some of these
treatments, such as surgery. It is the nurse who gives most of the
treatments. If a patient needs intravenous therapy, usually the nurse
sets up the intravenous line and gives the patient the fluids and
drugs prescribed. If the patient needs an injection, it is the nurse
who gives it. The nurse changes the patient’s dressings and
monitors the healing of the wound. The nurse gives medication for
pain. Many physicians order medication for pain “to be given as
needed”. They let the nurse decide when to give the medication.
The nurse also monitors the patient’s progress to make sure that
the recovery has no complications. Because nurses have more
frequent contact with patients than other staff, they often find
problems before anyone else.