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Detailed Needs and Requirements: General Nursing Unit
4. Nursing Staff
The nursing staff is charged with providing the broad range of nursing
care necessary to serve patients and stabilize and improve their
conditions.
Activities on the unit related to nursing are supervised by a head nurse.
The head nurse plans and evaluates patient services, schedules and
supervises nursing activities, records and reports on nursing care and
patient condition, and provides direct care for patients. She should
also be aware of the condition of all patients of the unit. She may,
therefore, accompany attending physicians, residents, and interns on
rounds or make rounds independently or with other members of the
nursing staff.
The nursing staff administers various aspects of treatment programs
as directed by attending physicians, residents and interns, e.g.
preparing and administering medications, applying dressings, giving
enemas, etc. and assisting with more complex diagnostic or
therapeutic procedures. They observe and measure physiological
indicators of the patient's condition. They provide necessary
supportive care and assistance to patients and supervise or control
patient activities to insure conformance to therapeutic or diagnostic
requirements.
In conjunction with these activities the nursing staff will need to make
notes or entries on the patients' charts; however, their involvement with
general clerical activities should be minimized.
The nursing staff may arrive on the unit in uniform. Purses, overcoats,
etc., must be kept secure while they are on duty. Locker facilities are
desirable on or close to the unit for the storage of such personal
articles or for changing uniforms in certain instances.
The unit staff will take work breaks while on duty. During these breaks
they should be able to rest and relax away from normal unit activities.
Lounge facilities on or adjacent to the unit will minimize circulation time
and permit emergency calls for staff assistance during work breaks.
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