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Registered Nurses Occupation Detailed Description

Registered Nurses career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Registered Nurses

The main tasks and work activities of Registered Nurses are to maintain medical facility records, inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care, record patient medical histories, monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities. In general, for the Registered Nurses, social Perceptiveness, active Listening, speaking, service Orientation and other 17 skills are required.
Registered Nurses Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Registered Nurses jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
100.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Registered Nurses

  • Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
  • Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
  • Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
  • Modify patient treatment plans as indicated by patients' responses and conditions.
  • Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.
  • Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic tests to identify and assess patient's condition.
  • Monitor all aspects of patient care, including diet and physical activity.
  • Direct or supervise less-skilled nursing or healthcare personnel or supervise a particular unit.
  • Prepare patients for and assist with examinations or treatments.
  • Observe nurses and visit patients to ensure proper nursing care.
  • Assess the needs of individuals, families, or communities, including assessment of individuals' home or work environments, to identify potential health or safety problems.
  • Instruct individuals, families, or other groups on topics such as health education, disease prevention, or childbirth and develop health improvement programs.
  • Prepare rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies and ensure that stock of supplies is maintained.
  • Inform physician of patient's condition during anesthesia.
  • Administer local, inhalation, intravenous, or other anesthetics.
  • Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
  • Perform physical examinations, make tentative diagnoses, and treat patients en route to hospitals or at disaster site triage centers.
  • Conduct specified laboratory tests.
  • Hand items to surgeons during operations.
  • Prescribe or recommend drugs, medical devices, or other forms of treatment, such as physical therapy, inhalation therapy, or related therapeutic procedures.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Maintain medical facility records.
  • Inform medical professionals regarding patient conditions and care.
  • Record patient medical histories.
  • Monitor patient conditions during treatments, procedures, or activities.
  • Evaluate patient outcomes to determine effectiveness of treatments.
  • Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
  • Order medical diagnostic or clinical tests.
  • Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
  • Supervise patient care personnel.
  • Prepare patients physically for medical procedures.
  • Assist healthcare practitioners during examinations or treatments.
  • Assess patient work, living, or social environments.
  • Communicate health and wellness information to the public.
  • Design public or employee health programs.
  • Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment.
  • Prepare medical supplies or equipment for use.
  • Administer anesthetics or sedatives to control pain.
  • Treat acute illnesses, infections, or injuries.
  • Immunize patients.
  • Treat medical emergencies.

Skills and Abilities for Registered Nurses

  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • Learning StrategiesSelecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  • Quality Control AnalysisConducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Operation MonitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Speed of ClosureThe ability to quickly make sense of, combine, and organize information into meaningful patterns.
  • Trunk StrengthThe ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • MemorizationThe ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures.
  • StaminaThe ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Diagnostic or interventional vascular catheters or setse.g. Angiocaths
  • Vascular or compression apparel or supporte.g. Anti-embolism elastic stockings
  • Apnea monitors or accessoriese.g. Apnea monitors
  • Therapeutic heating or cooling pads or compresses or packse.g. Aqua K pads
  • Arterial blood gas monitors or accessoriese.g. Arterial blood gas testing equipment
  • Arterial line catheterse.g. Arterial line catheters
  • Audiometers or accessoriese.g. Audiometers
  • Steam autoclaves or sterilizerse.g. Autoclaves
  • Medication or pill dispensers or accessoriese.g. Automated medicine dispensing equipment
  • Autotransfusion unitse.g. Autotransfusion systems
  • Breathing circuit bagse.g. Bag-valve masks
  • Leg traction suppliese.g. Balanced suspension traction equipment
  • Patient bed or table scales for general usee.g. Bed scales
  • Non invasive bi level machinese.g. Bilevel positive airway pressure BiPAP ventilators
  • Acute care fetal or maternal monitoring units or accessoriese.g. Bilimeters
  • Binocular light compound microscopese.g. Binocular light compound microscopes
  • Urological procedure trays or packs or kitse.g. Bladder irrigation equipment
  • Blood collection needlee.g. Blood collection needles
  • Blood warming or transfusion systemse.g. Blood warming equipment
  • Arm traction suppliese.g. Bucks traction equipment
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • PsychologyKnowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Therapy and CounselingKnowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Philosophy and TheologyKnowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
  • Law and GovernmentKnowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Sociology and AnthropologyKnowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • ChemistryKnowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.