For all nurses, their primary role is to take care of patients or residents within the home. However, based on their qualifications and the type of patients nursing homes attend to, nurses may have somewhat different roles. If you are interested in learning more about nursing responsibilities, continue reading. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

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What Does A Nurse Do In A Nursing Home?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Nurses in nursing homes may have different responsibilities based on their medical training levels, but they are all in charge of the necessities that their patients need to live. Maintaining a balanced diet, distributing medication, assisting patients with basic hygiene, and keeping the living space clean are all primary duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nursing aides and assistants are the most numerous nursing home employees and have the most day-to-day interaction with the residents. They are responsible for more of the essential duties like helping residents with their daily activities, keeping them clean, and maintaining each patient’s accurate records. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Licensed practical nurses do not spend as much time with the residents, although many of their duties may overlap with the nursing aides and assistants. In addition to the assistance with residents’ transport, licensed practical nurses are also responsible for administering medication to residents and treating minor injuries like bedsores. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Registered nurses often carry out some of the supervisory tasks, in addition to the nursing administrators. However, registered nurses are the people who consult with the doctors in order to finalize care plans for residents. In addition, they are responsible for administering intravenous medication and monitoring blood sugar levels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nursing Aides\/Assistants<\/strong><\/td> Licensed Practical Nurses<\/strong><\/td> Registered Nurses<\/strong><\/td> Nursing Administrators<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Personal hygiene<\/td> Administer medication<\/td> Creating care plans<\/td> Supervising nursing staff<\/td><\/tr>
Change bedpans<\/td> Give injections<\/td> Administering IVs<\/td> Managing facility<\/td><\/tr>
Assist with transport<\/td> Change bandages<\/td> Monitoring blood sugar<\/td> Deciding budgets<\/td><\/tr>
Assist with mobility<\/td> Treat bedsores<\/td> Consulting with doctors<\/td> Understanding the laws<\/td><\/tr>
Keep patient records<\/td> Insert catheters<\/td> Nurse supervision<\/td> Maintaining records<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
The nursing supervisor often helps coordinate telehealth visits with providers<\/a> in the community and the medical providers who cover the facility. This role has taken on new meaning since the Covid 19 pandemic<\/a> started. Many specialists and providers have added telehealth to their service line. However, this creates new responsibilities for nurses who assist with the visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nursing Aides And Assistants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nursing aids make up the majority of nurses at a nursing home. These people usually do not have extensive medical qualifications. They take care of the residents\u2019 most basic needs, like personal hygiene and keeping their room clean. Nursing aides might help residents with simple tasks, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brushing their teeth<\/li>
Taking a bath<\/li>
Trimming their hair or nails<\/li>
Getting dressed or undressed<\/li>
Making their bed<\/li>
Getting to the bathroom<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In addition, nursing aides are often responsible for changing bedpans or emptying catheters for residents with limited or no mobility. Nursing aides typically spend the most time interacting with the residents and get to know them on a personal level. They will also maintain patient records, relay any potential problems to the other nurses, and generally help out around the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If a resident is looking for someone to talk to about an ongoing issue or is noticing new symptoms, they will usually have the opportunity to speak to a nursing aide about it, who can then help them decide if it is something that needs to involve a doctor or not. They often report directly to licensed practical nurses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nursing aides might also help the residents talk to or interact with visitors, like family members and other loved ones. Using an iPad or phone to speak to long-distance loved ones can be a challenge, but nursing aides are there to help assist with the technology or to prop up the tablet so that the residents can stay in touch with people outside of the nursing home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Licensed Practical Nurses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Licensed practical nurses are the next tier in the hierarchy and report to registered nurses. They often fall in the middle of duties and responsibilities because they can either help registered nurses with their tasks or help out new nursing aides or assistants with their jobs. Although licensed practical nurses perform many of the functions above, they also keep track of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patients\u2019 breathing<\/li>
Patients\u2019 blood pressure<\/li>
Patients\u2019 heart rate<\/li>
Patients\u2019 oxygen levels<\/li>
Patients\u2019 temperature<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
In addition to monitoring those aspects of the residents, licensed practical nurses are often responsible for administering medications through injections, changing bandages or splints, and treating minor injuries like bedsores. A licensed practical nurse may work with a registered nurse to create a care plan for a patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Licensed practical nurses do spend a fair amount of time with residents, although not as much as nursing aides and assistants do. A licensed practical nurse will often look in on a resident once or twice per shift, aside from in the case of an emergency, so that a resident will be familiar with the licensed practical nurses on staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, in nursing homes with fewer nursing aides and assistants, the responsibilities for personal hygiene and helping residents eat and go to the bathroom may fall to the licensed practitioner nurses. A lot of their duties depend on the size of the nursing home and how many people are on staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Registered Nurses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Registered nurses are in charge of monitoring the other members of the nursing staff, in addition to staying on top of residential medical needs. Licensed practical nurses report to registered nurses and check with them if a patient has reported new symptoms or needs a modification to their care plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Registered nurses rarely interact with healthier patients on a daily basis, instead of focusing on patients who have long-term illnesses or who require extensive medical care. Although they are less involved in the day-to-day activities of the residents, the registered nurses are an integral part of the nursing home hierarchy. Registered nurses are also responsible for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Administering intravenous medications<\/a><\/li>
Checking patients\u2019 levels of blood sugar<\/li>
Consulting with doctors<\/a><\/li>
Modifying or creating care plans for residents<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Registered nurses often create schedules and rotations for the staff. While working with the supervision of the consulting doctors, registered nurses are often the ones who make the final decision about whether or not to call in the presence or expertise of a doctor in the case of an emergency or worsening medical condition of a resident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If there does need to be a change to a resident\u2019s treatment plan, a registered nurse is a person who interfaces with that resident\u2019s next of kin. Together, they discuss the changes and what would be appropriate next steps for the resident so that the family or loved ones are duly notified of the incoming changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n $\"Nurse$

Nursing Aides\/Assistants<\/strong><\/td>	Licensed Practical Nurses<\/strong><\/td>	Registered Nurses<\/strong><\/td>	Nursing Administrators<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Personal hygiene<\/td>	Administer medication<\/td>	Creating care plans<\/td>	Supervising nursing staff<\/td><\/tr>
Change bedpans<\/td>	Give injections<\/td>	Administering IVs<\/td>	Managing facility<\/td><\/tr>
Assist with transport<\/td>	Change bandages<\/td>	Monitoring blood sugar<\/td>	Deciding budgets<\/td><\/tr>
Assist with mobility<\/td>	Treat bedsores<\/td>	Consulting with doctors<\/td>	Understanding the laws<\/td><\/tr>
Keep patient records<\/td>	Insert catheters<\/td>	Nurse supervision<\/td>	Maintaining records<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n The nursing supervisor often helps coordinate telehealth visits with providers<\/a> in the community and the medical providers who cover the facility. This role has taken on new meaning since the Covid 19 pandemic<\/a> started. Many specialists and providers have added telehealth to their service line. However, this creates new responsibilities for nurses who assist with the visit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nursing Aides And Assistants<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Nursing aids make up the majority of nurses at a nursing home. These people usually do not have extensive medical qualifications. They take care of the residents\u2019 most basic needs, like personal hygiene and keeping their room clean. Nursing aides might help residents with simple tasks, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brushing their teeth<\/li> Taking a bath<\/li> Trimming their hair or nails<\/li> Getting dressed or undressed<\/li> Making their bed<\/li> Getting to the bathroom<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n In addition, nursing aides are often responsible for changing bedpans or emptying catheters for residents with limited or no mobility. Nursing aides typically spend the most time interacting with the residents and get to know them on a personal level. They will also maintain patient records, relay any potential problems to the other nurses, and generally help out around the home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a resident is looking for someone to talk to about an ongoing issue or is noticing new symptoms, they will usually have the opportunity to speak to a nursing aide about it, who can then help them decide if it is something that needs to involve a doctor or not. They often report directly to licensed practical nurses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nursing aides might also help the residents talk to or interact with visitors, like family members and other loved ones. Using an iPad or phone to speak to long-distance loved ones can be a challenge, but nursing aides are there to help assist with the technology or to prop up the tablet so that the residents can stay in touch with people outside of the nursing home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Licensed Practical Nurses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Licensed practical nurses are the next tier in the hierarchy and report to registered nurses. They often fall in the middle of duties and responsibilities because they can either help registered nurses with their tasks or help out new nursing aides or assistants with their jobs. Although licensed practical nurses perform many of the functions above, they also keep track of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patients\u2019 breathing<\/li> Patients\u2019 blood pressure<\/li> Patients\u2019 heart rate<\/li> Patients\u2019 oxygen levels<\/li> Patients\u2019 temperature<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n In addition to monitoring those aspects of the residents, licensed practical nurses are often responsible for administering medications through injections, changing bandages or splints, and treating minor injuries like bedsores. A licensed practical nurse may work with a registered nurse to create a care plan for a patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Licensed practical nurses do spend a fair amount of time with residents, although not as much as nursing aides and assistants do. A licensed practical nurse will often look in on a resident once or twice per shift, aside from in the case of an emergency, so that a resident will be familiar with the licensed practical nurses on staff. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, in nursing homes with fewer nursing aides and assistants, the responsibilities for personal hygiene and helping residents eat and go to the bathroom may fall to the licensed practitioner nurses. A lot of their duties depend on the size of the nursing home and how many people are on staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Registered Nurses<\/h3>\n\n\n\n Registered nurses are in charge of monitoring the other members of the nursing staff, in addition to staying on top of residential medical needs. Licensed practical nurses report to registered nurses and check with them if a patient has reported new symptoms or needs a modification to their care plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Registered nurses rarely interact with healthier patients on a daily basis, instead of focusing on patients who have long-term illnesses or who require extensive medical care. Although they are less involved in the day-to-day activities of the residents, the registered nurses are an integral part of the nursing home hierarchy. Registered nurses are also responsible for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Administering intravenous medications<\/a><\/li> Checking patients\u2019 levels of blood sugar<\/li> Consulting with doctors<\/a><\/li> Modifying or creating care plans for residents<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n Registered nurses often create schedules and rotations for the staff. While working with the supervision of the consulting doctors, registered nurses are often the ones who make the final decision about whether or not to call in the presence or expertise of a doctor in the case of an emergency or worsening medical condition of a resident. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If there does need to be a change to a resident\u2019s treatment plan, a registered nurse is a person who interfaces with that resident\u2019s next of kin. Together, they discuss the changes and what would be appropriate next steps for the resident so that the family or loved ones are duly notified of the incoming changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n $\"Nurse$