Clinic nurses typically take vital signs, triage patients to determine the reason for visit, perform diabetic foot exams, EKGs, obtain blood and urine specimens for anticipated/ordered lab work, give medications/vaccinations, conduct portions of the Annual Wellness Visit for Medicare patients, ask questions about medical history (including surgeries, medications, mental health, family history, etc.), chaperone the provider during pelvic exams, document patient charts, take/return calls from patients and specialists, request medical records and consult notes, and provide information/education pertaining to any tests, referrals, or procedures ordered.
I'm in a Neurology Clinic. We have medical assistant that bring the patient to the room and do vital signs and complete the full "rooming process" such as their med list, pharmacy, etc.
As the nurse/RN we manage & triage all calls and patient portal messages, specialty lab or infusion paperwork, FMLA/disability forms, dismiss all new patient and established that have educational needs as well as manage stock of Botox and other injectable meds we do in clinic. When we have a Botox or steroid injection, RNs draw up the meds for the provider. Nurses are basically the quarterback of the team and need to essentially know how to do everything in the event we need to jump in and help. Obviously, like most clinics, we work to keep patients out of the hospital/ER.
I worked in ambulatory care for about 22 years. We assessed patients and provided care as needed and reported symptoms to Providers as needed, scheduled appointments with providers, scheduled x-ray and lab procedures and provided pre-procedure education, gave injections, changed dressings, inserted catheters and ran EKG's as needed, reviewed and Called lab and x-ray results to patients. Arranged for ambulance transport to hospital as necessary. Whatever the patient needed, we provided or arranged for other services to provide care.
As a clinical nurse my duties are:
- Check vital signs for parent and record it,
- Assessing a patient's condition,
- Administering medication,
- Setting IVs,
- Updating patient records,
- Providing emotional support, and/or educating patients on how to manage their illness or injury.
As JeanMarie mentioned below that it depends on the construct of the clinic, the population it serves with the varied comorbidities addressed by the providers etc. In addition to triage, and assessments, EKG, stress test, you could be administering different vaccinations, possibly COVID testing, blood draws, drug screening, follow-ups, setting diagnostic appointments for patients and providing patient education. Responsibilities also incumbent on what is the job description a nurse is given. If it is mostly administrative/leadership, you most likely will not implement many of the clinical criteria. However, an effective leader is very astute to the day-to-day operation of the clinic and is mindful of how his or or her own EI impacts others, positively or negatively. Ena-L
I believe your duties will depend on the the department and their expectations and the patients needs as well as the providers expectations.
Every department has its own special needs.
About half of the time is phone triage, and ordering DME equipment for patients, etc. The other half is assisting Pulmonologists with clinic procedures, rooming patients, teaching patients/ instruction. This was in the Pulmonology Clinic. Regular Hours, not much variety in patients or their problems, but the hours are better for family life.
As the last statement EVERYTHING...
