Many people think that being an independent nurse is similar to being a full-time nurse. Although they are true to an extent, there are certain tasks and responsibilities that accompany being an agency nurse. For starters, an independent nurse provides healthcare services in a variety of settings rather than working in a dedicated facility. That is, an agency nurse is required to visit patients at facilities or at home, including rehabilitation centres as well as nursing homes. So, their responsibilities are a bit too much, and they have to make sure that they take them seriously. Nursing agency jobs can be tough if you don’t know what you are doing. It requires a high level of knowledge and collaboration.
If you are considering being an independent/agency nurse, then you should go through this post because we are going to explain the agency nurse responsibilities and duties you must follow.
Duties and Responsibilities of an Agency Nurse
The responsibilities and duties of an independent nurse can vary significantly because of the nature of their work. And this may depend on a specific location or the assignment. With that being said, we have listed the many responsibilities that are consistent with this role.
#1 Maintaining Patient Records
One of the responsibilities of an independent nurse is maintaining a detailed record of the patient regarding health issues, symptoms, and treatments. You will need to provide this record to the doctor as well as the permanent nursing staff so that they can easily support care activities without any hassle. They can even update the record based on how patient care is taking place. Regarding this facet of the job role, you will develop the skills of having excellent communication skills as well as strong attention to detail.
#2 Administer Care and Medication
Being a skilled nursing consulting, you will support patient health by providing direct care to them. Moreover, you will be administering treatments and medication, as well. This will require you to have proper knowledge of the drugs and the treatment procedures. A part of these nursing agency jobs is that you may have to visit the patient’s house every day or on a weekly basis to assist them with the care or provide them with specific treatments or medications. On the other hand, you may also need to travel to long-term care facilities and rehabilitation centres for providing routine care and treatment. Hence, it is extremely important to have proper knowledge of the treatment procedures. However, this gives you the opportunity to collaborate with other professionals from the same field.
#3 Train Nursing Staff
If you are experienced enough, you might be appointed to a healthcare facility where you will be assigned the task of supervising and training nurse staff. Yes, independent nurses are also responsible for training and supervising less-experienced staff at the hospital or a medical care facility. You have to do all this while performing your main responsibility, which is taking care of the patients. Your role will be to work with other nurses on assignments and report the performance of the nursing staff to the management. Depending on the number of Medicaid consulting firms you're working with, you can bring trainee nurses with you on assignment to provide them with practical training, support, and instruction.
#4 Assess Patient Health
Another key role that agency nurses play is assessing patient health in conjunction with the nursing staff or other care providers. You will be responsible for conducting patient interviews, reviewing their conditions, determining what symptoms are bothering them, helping doctors arrive at a specific diagnosis, or evaluate the overall health of the patients. Moreover, you will also be responsible for conducting tests and working with patients on a recurring or an ongoing basis. This gives you a great opportunity to learn new things and see how other professionals from your team work.
#5 Travel to Patient Locations
One of the primary differences between a permanent nurse and an agency nurse is the lack of a fixed location. That is, there is no fixed location for an agency nurse where they can go every day to work. When you sign up for being an agency nurse, you need to understand that there is a lot of travel involved. Whenever work calls you, you will have to go, even if it is on the other side of the country. Those who love travel may find it as an amazing opportunity to explore places and work in different medical care environments. On the other hand, it is not only the hospitals and medical care facilities, but you may also have to travel to patient homes to assist them with care. So, all in all, you will have to create a flexible schedule because you will be travelling to different facilities throughout the week.
These are the most critical duties and responsibilities of an agency nurse.
