Charge Nurse in Minnesota, Research Paper Example

Nurses form a very valuable component of health care team in their institutions. Their functions find applicability in the ambulatory centers of healthcare and the offices of the physicians. The high demand for the nurses stems from a pool of diverse skills that they posses in addition to their valuable abilities relevant in the medical profession (http://emedicalassistants.com/difference-between-a-medical-assistant-and-licensed-practical-nurse)

Based on the skills that the nurses have acquired overtime, their responsibilities include but not limited to the following responsibilities. Analysis of critical signs including the pulse rates, temperature, blood pressure, respiration count, weight as well as height of the patient are among the responsibilities vested on charge nurses in a health care setting. They also carry out basic assessments of the patients and conduct a detailed review of the patients’ medical history (http://emedicalassistants.com/difference-between-a-medical-assistant-and-licensed-practical-nurse). It is also the responsibilities of the nurses carry on fundamental procedures of patient care such as screening for the vision and the sight of the patient. Nurses also conduct immunization, minor surgery and pap testing which are offered as assistance to the physician.

Another important responsibility of a nurse is making referrals. It is the duty of the nurse to give directions to the patient of the most appropriate physician or any other professional in the health care institution who is deemed to be in the best position to give the most appropriate management of the problem afflicting the patient (Minnesota Statutes, 2010).

Nurses are also responsible for offering anesthetist practice which basically implies the anesthesia care in addition to allied services with regard to collaborative management. These services extend to the selection, administration and access to the drugs along with therapeutic devices which in turn facilitate the work of the physician such as surgery, therapeutic or diagnosis. This is done on the request of the physician (Minnesota Statutes, 2010).

A charge nurse takes the responsibilities to assign nursing care aspects to the rest of the nurses. Delegation of nursing care followed by adequate supervision is very important procedures that should be accomplished by the charge nurse. It is therefore prudent for the charge nurses to account for their responsibilities with respect to delegating as well as supervising (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2010). In the process, it is vital that they consider a variety of diverse factors which require great consideration in making the decision of delegating. The safety of the patient should be put at the forefront in the course of deliberating the option of delegating or otherwise. Supervision may be direct or indirect and this implies that, there are times that the presence of the charge nurse is not important in a health care setting and consultation is sufficient to achieve the intended objectives (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2010).

In discharging their responsibilities, it is a professional requirement that the nurses become accountable of their individual actions at the time that they supervise and monitor the rest of the personnel (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2010). Nurses offer services aimed at observation of care for the patients through application of counsel along with procedures directed to safeguarding of the life of the patients (Minnesota Board of Nursing, 2010). This is achieved through administration of medication as well as treatment according to the directions and the prescriptions from health care professional who has been duly licensed.

References

Minnesota Board of Nursing, (2010). 2829 University Avenue SE #200, Minneapolis, MM 55414-3253

Minnesota Statutes, (2010). http://emedicalassistants.com/difference-between-a-medical-assistant-and-licensed-practical-nurse