Nurses, not considering their specialty or work location, have several responsibilities that involve treating patients, offering counsel and emotional support to the family of the patient and educating patients about several medical circumstances. Nurses help doctors perform diagnostic exams and study results. They also help manipulate medical equipment, give the patients their medicines and assist them with their rehabilitation.
Nurses also help patients and their families by explaining to them how to treat diseases. This involves teaching them to post treatment home cares, self administration of medications, basic physical therapy and diet and exercise programs. Some nurses are also trained to offer counseling to the family of a patient who is suffering a critical illness. They support general health through education about the symptoms and signs of many different illnesses and information about where you can go in case you need professional help. This can be made through public seminars or in clinics and hospitals.
They may specialize in one or more different patient care fields. Usually, they may be divided in several categories depending on the setting of their work, the type of treatment, the sickness, condition or ailment, body or organ system type or even depending on the population. Normally, nurses are focused on one specialty, but some others specialize in more than just one field, for example, oncology, pediatric or cardiac emergencies. Of course, this is not obligatory. They can chose whichever they want.
A few years ago, it was not common to see many men working as nurses; however, today, this is a normal situation. Nurses work in clinics, hospitals, nursery homes, shelters, army and many different places. They normally work in well lighted facilities. Nevertheless, sometimes, they have to visit their patients at their homes, schools and other locations depending of their situation.
As you know, an emergency may occur at any moment. Due to this reason, nurses sometimes have to work weekends, nights and even holidays. They must be able to assist an urgent situation on short notice. To be a nurse is a nice job especially for those who enjoy helping people who are in hospitals, shelters or any place where they need medical assistance.