We have all experienced a medical emergency at least once in our lives. Be it a fractured bone, a bleeding wound, or a raging fever, we have all had to rush to the hospital to get the medical help we need. And often, in these times, the first person to come to our aid is a nurse.
According to the World Health Organization, nurses and midwives stand for 50% of the entire healthcare workforce worldwide. There are approximately 43.5 million healthcare workers worldwide, out of which 20.7 million are nurses. However, in the past, the role of nurses has often been undermined and sidetracked. But with the growing awareness, now nurses play a more significant role and take up responsibilities other than the basic medical tasks.
We often have a misconception that nurses only perform the primary duties of providing patients with the medical care they need. Even though it is still one of the primary responsibilities, nurses now have a far broader healthcare role. They create public awareness, train the juniors, provide valuable feedback in healthcare policy-making, etc.
Here we have a list of five things most people do not know that nurses do:
- Assisting In Bettering The Healthcare System:
It is a common misconception that nurses do not have much say in the treatment and medical care provided to the patients. Also, most people are not aware that nurses have an active role in giving feedback and suggesting ideas for building newer and better healthcare policies. Nurses now take up positions in the higher management of healthcare facilities, which means they have a significant part in policy building. Since nurses are the ones who directly deal with the patients for long hours, they are in a better position to advocate on behalf of them.
Today, nurses work in conjunction with doctors in providing the best medical care to patients. They have as much say and value as physicians on the facilities' panel. Even though nurses do not have the authority to make the diagnosis, they offer substantial assistance by providing feedback on the condition and needs. And these suggestions are of critical importance for physicians to make the correct diagnosis.
- Nurses Can Also Teach And Train!
Not all, but yes, some nurses also play the role of being part-time teachers. Several nursing schools worldwide offer numerous programs, including a terminal degree in nursing such as the DNP, DNS, or the EdD. Senior nurses have immense experience gathered over the years. They know well about the nursing practice and how to administer patients in a healthcare facility. They can give out this wisdom to aspiring nurses to help them understand the profession and its challenges.
Moreover, quite a few organizations now offer health educational programs where nurses can add significant value. They are better equipped to deal with patients and know how to convey important messages in a way that is understood and appreciated. They help in spreading awareness regarding health concerns. They teach patients regarding illnesses, symptoms, preventive measures, etc. For example, during the COVID-19 period, nurses played a crucial role in spreading awareness amongst the masses about the symptoms and the safety precautions against this novel virus.
- Taking Care Of The Patient's Family:
We all know how nurses tend to the patient's medical needs, but their duty often doesn't stop at that role. You can also witness nurses going the extra mile and providing support to the patient's family. And this responsibility is often taken for granted and overlooked.
For example, in a children's ward, where the nurses take care of the suffering child, they also have to take time out to console the parents. Giving updates on their child's health and making sure the family stays hopeful in the trying times is a role often taken up by the nurses in the ward. Taking care of the patients and fulfilling medical responsibilities is in itself a tiresome task. But nurses have to slow down and give some attention to keeping the patient's loved ones at ease and encouraged.
- Assisting Patients Beyond The Medical Needs:
Last year, a video of a dancing nurse got viral over the internet. The nurse named Joseph Ronquillo danced silly routines to make his patients happy. The children at the St. Luke's Children's hospital fighting terminal illnesses would laugh and cheer as Joseph danced their favorite steps. Along with the children, the families also felt light-hearted after the nurse danced through the routine checkups. And that sums up one of the most significant roles played by nurses that we often ignore.
Nurses do not perform the sole duty of taking care of the medical needs of the patients. They go beyond that and are also involved with taking care of the emotional needs and health needs outside of the medical facility, such as assisting them with social care. Senior nurses often label this as one of the most rewarding parts of the roles when they realize they can help their patients beyond the necessary medical assistance.
- Assessing The Variables Impacting Patient's Health:
Most people believe that a nurses' job includes following instructions to perform simple medical procedures such as injecting IVs, administering medicines, etc. But that is not at all true. Nurses have a vital role in assessing and interpreting the lab tests to conclude the patient's condition and the suitable treatment. They also anticipate what may go wrong depending on the patient's underlying health and how to prevent it.
Conclusion:
Over the years, the role nurses play in a medical setup has massively broadened. It is now not restricted to providing patients with necessary medical facilities. It includes other significant roles, such as those we highlighted above. Nurses nowadays are policy-makers, assist in strategy-making, help raise awareness among the masses, train future nurses, etc. They take up several valuable roles, which often we overlook. But the fact of the matter is that nurses play numerous significant characters. And together with the doctors, they make sure patients receive the best care they need and deserve.
