A Day in the Life of a Med Surg Nurse
Medical-Surgical Nursing is the Foundation of Hospital Nursing
Medical-Surgical Nursing is the foundation of hospital nursing. Nurses who specialize in med-surg are the cornerstone of the healthcare system. Each shift brings opportunities to develop new skills and competencies and transition from novice nurse to expert. This doesn’t happen overnight, as nurses become experts over time. This is all done to help support patients and provide quality care.
Keeping it Clear
Communication is critical to excellent healthcare outcomes. Shift change begins with reporting at the bedside using the electronic medical record (EMR). An essential tool to communicate with is the SBAR method. Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendations (SBAR) reporting helps nurses communicate clearly. Patient ratios vary, but about 5 minutes/patient reporting is standard. Good communication on the plan of care for each patient can promote good outcomes for that patient.
Another essential communication tool is delegation. Delegation to support staff is vital to patient progress and team communication. Med-Surg nursing is a team sport, and all team members must stay in the game.
Keeping it Together
Organization is another critical skill necessary for the med-surg nurse. Getting organized requires critical thinking, reasoning, and clinical judgment. Med-surg nurses are brilliant at balancing priorities. This can also require flexibility, as the plan for the shift at the start is always subject to change.Providing high-quality nursing care to adults means knowing that no two patients are alike. Recognizing the different needs of each patient builds upon existing skills, and that starts with a good assessment. Assessment is the foundation of the data and information used to make clinical decisions. Nurses use reasoning and knowledge to make clinical judgments for the best patient outcomes (Cappelletti et al., 2014). One patient in pain may be very vocal, whereas another may withdraw. Other examples include assessing for the appropriate response from ordered treatments and therapies. Patients need reassessment and ongoing collaboration with medical providers. Constant communication and organization keep a med-surg unit moving forward.
Keeping it on Track
For many med-surg units, morning medication administration is usually the busiest time of any day. The right patient, medication, route, dose, time, reason, and documentation require focus. Delegation of tasks such as vital signs and blood glucose monitoring is necessary. This supports the RN's time and attention on medication administration. Many medications and dosing are time-specific. Collaborating with pharmacists can help develop the medication profile with constantly changing physician orders.
Keeping it Current
Preparing for rounds mid-morning requires a balancing act. Daily team rounds will bring new knowledge and ideas to the care plan. In many hospitals, med-surg nurses often lead bedside rounds and are the bridge between the patient and physicians.Keeping each patient on track with changing needs also requires ongoing documentation. EMRs can be time-consuming for all healthcare team members but are incredibly important. This record also serves as the primary form of communication between all hospital departments.
Keep Coping
Coping with changing situations is critical in all areas of nursing. Med-Surg nursing can be like a calm, complex, and chaotic roller coaster. Each member of the med-surg team is an essential link in the care of the patient. Scheduled rounding on each patient ensures that patients' needs are met. It is important to remember that you are continuously part of a highly functioning team with the patient at the center of the focus. The 4 P’s of intentional rounding include Pain, Potty, Position, and Possessions to prevent poor patient outcomes such as falls. (HQIN, 2021).
Keeping the Balance
Basic needs for nurses need to be met, especially during break time. Intentional breaks for nurses are crucial to a healthy work/life balance. Meal breaks are also an excellent time to reflect on how the day is going. Most med-surg units function on 12-hour shifts, and taking your breaks is mandatory and necessary for your physical and mental well-being. Catching up with colleagues over lunch or coffee breaks allows for decompression after a busy start. This can also be a time to reflect on the priority for the shift and how things can be improved. Evaluating the workflow will enable us to re-align the day’s priorities and consider process improvements.
Keep Coming Back
Remember that you’re not alone while at work. You are always part of a team. Teamwork builds more support for patients, ourselves, and the hospital. Experienced nurses reflect on what they might do differently in communicating, organizing, planning, documenting, and team building. Med-surg nurses never stop improving.Med-Surg nurses balance our professional responsibilities with team members. They keep communication open, transparent, and direct. They take time to evaluate hourly and daily progress.
Keep Learning
Nurses never stop learning in any area of healthcare. Med-Surg nurses must be able to flex and pivot with changing complexities. Med-surg nursing is an exciting opportunity for nurses to grow with the crucial building blocks of the healthcare system.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to work as a med surg RN? Reach out to an EARN recruiter today to schedule a 15-minute virtual meeting with peer nurses to start the process!
References:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ] (2017). Strategy 3: Nurse Bedside Shift Report. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/patients-families/engagingfamilies/strategy3/index.htmlCappelletti,
A., Engel, J. K., & Prentice, D. (2014). A systematic review of clinical judgment and reasoning in nursing. The Journal of nursing education, 53(8), 453–458. https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20140724-01
Healthcare Quality Innovation Network [HQIN]. (2021).
4 P's to Purposeful Rounding. https://hqin.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Four-Ps-of-Reducing-the-RIsk-of-Falls_508.pdfQuality and Safety Education for Nurses[QSEN]. (2012). Graduate QSEN Competencies. https://qsen.org/competencies/graduate-ksas/
Brigette Quinn is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of clinical experience. Her critical care, emergency, and perioperative nursing background built a strong foundation for undergraduate and graduate nursing education. For the past seven years, Brigette has continued to expand her career as a board-certified case manager and legal nurse consultant. While most of her writing experience has been in academic areas, she never stops building her skillset in honing the craft of writing for audiences in and beyond healthcare.
