A head to toe assessment is done on each patient... and throughout the shift I will observe for any changes. My tasks for the day include giving medications, bathing, linen changes, oral care, turning the patient every two hours to prevent breakdown of the skin and assisting patients with basic bodily functions, rounding with the doctors, receiving new orders, taking off the orders from the chart and then implementing the orders. Treatments need to be given and dressings need to be changed. Some patients will need help with eating. I will communicate with other departments in the hospital as well as with the family as they visit.

As if this is not enough... things happen! An IV site has infiltrated and needs to be restarted, there is a procedure to assist with, a phone permit needs to be obtained, a patient has a seizure, a blood transfusion needs to be given, someone tries to crawl out of bed, a heart arrhythmia requires emergency medication, a blood pressure dangerously low or dangerously high needs treatment, another nurse needs help with her patient, you need to take a patient for a CT scan, pain meds are needed and the list goes on. Suddenly your best laid plans are disrupted, and it is almost time for lunch... but, our patients come first. A bathroom break? Maybe a quick one. And somewhere along the way, charting must be done.

My day is half over and there has been no time to sit down, no coffee break, and no time to chat with my coworkers except for a passing comment as we care for our patients.