The Duties of a Nurse

Nurses, as indispensable members of the healthcare team, play a vital role in modern medical systems. They are not only the caregivers closest to patients but also essential assistants to physicians, often working on the front lines to deliver care, assist in diagnosis and treatment, and provide health education. As medicine evolves and social needs expand, nurses’ professional knowledge and service scope have grown accordingly. Here, we explore the responsibilities of nurses in detail to help the public gain a comprehensive understanding of their importance.

I. Assessment and Care: The Foundation of Nursing Work

One of the primary tasks of a nurse is to assess a patient’s health condition. This process involves not only observing and recording physical symptoms but also considering psychological and social factors. A qualified nurse must possess sharp observational skills, systematic assessment methods, and solid nursing knowledge to make rapid and accurate health judgments for various patients.

Nursing work includes both basic and specialized care. In basic care, nurses assist patients with daily living activities such as hygiene, dressing, eating, and toileting, which are crucial, especially for those who are disabled or recovering from surgery. Though these tasks may seem simple, they directly impact a patient’s comfort, dignity, and recovery speed, reflecting the human-centered and meticulous nature of nursing.

In specialized care, nurses perform wound care, intravenous therapy, catheterization, oxygen administration, airway management, and other highly technical procedures. These responsibilities demand excellent technical skills and a high level of responsibility, as any mistakes could have serious consequences. Nurses also monitor patients’ vital signs—temperature, blood pressure, pulse, respiration—and report any abnormal changes promptly to ensure timely medical intervention.

II. Executing Medical Orders: Responsibility Meets Professionalism

Nurses are not only caregivers but also the executors of medical orders. They play a critical role in translating a doctor’s treatment plan into action, strictly following orders regarding medication administration—timing, dosage, method, and frequency—with accuracy and precision.

Additionally, nurses often assist doctors in various diagnostic and treatment procedures such as blood draws, injections, infusions, catheterization, and ECG monitoring. They must be proficient in operating medical equipment and understanding fundamental medical principles to ensure procedures are safe and efficient.

Maintaining and operating medical equipment is also part of a nurse’s duties. Equipment functionality directly affects treatment outcomes. For example, devices such as ventilators, infusion pumps, and monitors require nurses to follow operating procedures and conduct routine checks. During emergencies, nurses must remain calm and effectively assist in life-saving measures.

III. Health Education and Rehabilitation Guidance: Extending Care Beyond the Hospital

Nurses are not confined to hospital duties; they also bear responsibilities in health education and rehabilitation guidance. Modern nursing emphasizes a patient-centered approach, aiming not only to treat illness but to prevent disease and assist recovery through comprehensive care.

Nurses educate patients and their families about disease management, medication use, and rehabilitation strategies. For example, they may guide diabetic patients in dietary control, insulin injection, and blood sugar monitoring; instruct post-operative patients in physical rehabilitation to prevent complications; or explain medication side effects to patients with chronic conditions. Such education enhances treatment adherence, reduces hospital readmissions, and lowers healthcare costs.

In rehabilitation, nurses often work with therapists to develop recovery plans for patients after surgery, trauma, or stroke. Rehabilitation involves physical exercises and psychological support. Many patients experience anxiety or depression after major illnesses, and nurses provide professional empathy and encouragement to help patients rebuild confidence and reintegrate into daily life.

IV. Medical Documentation: Ensuring Accuracy and Safety

Accurate, complete, and timely documentation is an indispensable part of nursing. Medical records are not only written logs of the treatment process but also essential for ensuring patient safety, legal protection, and quality management.

Nurses document patients’ condition changes, medication administration, vital signs, nursing interventions, and patient responses in detail. This data provides doctors with crucial references for follow-up treatment and serves as legal evidence in case of disputes. Scientific documentation practices also enhance work efficiency and standardization.

With the advancement of digital healthcare, many hospitals now use electronic medical records (EMRs). Nurses must be skilled in operating these systems to ensure data is correctly entered and securely stored. The accuracy of such information directly impacts clinical decision-making, making the nurse’s role in documentation critically important.

V. Public Health Education and Nursing Research: Advancing the Nursing Profession

A nurse’s responsibilities extend beyond patient care to broader roles in community health education. Nurses frequently act as "health ambassadors" in community clinics, schools, vaccination campaigns, and disease prevention programs. They disseminate medical knowledge to the public, raise health awareness, and support the development of public health initiatives.

Moreover, nurses actively engage in nursing research. As the nursing discipline continues to mature, more nurses participate in academic research to explore clinical pathways, theoretical models, and management systems. Through evidence-based studies, they identify challenges in nursing practice and propose improvements to enhance care quality and human-centered service. For example, research on psychological interventions to reduce preoperative anxiety or optimizing nurse shift schedules to increase efficiency are now being applied in clinical settings with positive outcomes.

VI. Hospital Management and Team Collaboration: Enhancing Healthcare Quality

Modern hospital management requires the involvement of nurses. As central figures in ward management, nurses participate in material control, staff scheduling, new employee training, and quality monitoring. Their frontline experience enables them to offer practical advice for administrative improvements.

In personnel management, head nurses lead nursing teams by creating work plans, arranging shifts, and evaluating performance to ensure efficient operations. Veteran nurses also train newcomers, provide technical guidance, and instill professional ethics, helping maintain high standards in care delivery.

Nurses also serve as communication bridges in multidisciplinary teams. Whether coordinating with doctors, pharmacists, therapists, or social workers, nurses facilitate information exchange and resource allocation to implement treatment plans. Their communication skills, organizational abilities, and team spirit significantly influence overall healthcare quality and patient satisfaction.

VII. The Spirit of Nursing: A Union of Professionalism, Dedication, and Humanity

In high-intensity, high-pressure, and high-responsibility environments, nurses consistently uphold professional standards, compassionate service, and selfless dedication. They not only deliver medical care but also offer emotional support, walking patients through their most vulnerable moments.

When caring for critically ill patients, nurses stand by their bedsides day and night. In public health emergencies, they rush to the front lines without hesitation. In daily work, they often delay meals or rest to respond promptly to patients’ needs. For these reasons, nurses are often called “angels in white.”

Nursing is not merely a demonstration of skill—it’s a transmission of humanity. Through their services, nurses help patients recover physically and find comfort mentally. Their detailed and empathetic care adds warmth to the clinical environment.

Conclusion

A nurse’s responsibilities go far beyond the commonly perceived roles of giving injections or administering IVs. They are essential in health assessment, clinical care, medical order execution, patient education, rehabilitation guidance, documentation, research, management, and team collaboration. Nurses’ all-around contribution ensures efficient healthcare delivery and high-quality patient care.

In the future, the role of nurses will become even more prominent. They are not only the guardians of healthcare quality but also the builders of a healthy society. No matter how technology advances, compassionate care will always require the human touch that nurses provide. It is because of them that the world of medicine remains warm, orderly, and full of hope.