3-7.
SUMMARY
a. You can see that the clinical duties and responsibilities of the practical nurse
involve much more than simply performing patient care tasks. In addition to having
performance proficiency in nursing care tasks, the practical nurse must also maintain a
strong knowledge base from which to work. The practical nurse must be a
communicator, an observer, an interviewer, and a teacher. The M6 practical nurse
must be able to interpret data, prioritize needs, and act appropriately to assist in the
implementation of a plan of nursing care. Some patient needs may require the M6
practical nurse to think and act quickly to save life or limb, while other needs may
require projecting ahead to the future. Most importantly, the practical nurse must be a
team worker.
b. All these things are part of clinical practical nursing. The majority of the MOS
related tasks performed by the practical nurse are clinical in nature; that is, they involve
providing patient care. As a soldier advances to the next skill level, he assumes the
responsibility for proficiency in more tasks. For the M6 practical nurse, the higher skill
levels include not only more advanced nursing care, but managerial tasks as well.
These tasks will be discussed in the next section of this lesson.
Section II. MANAGERIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
M6 PRACTICAL NURSE
3-8.
INTRODUCTION
In addition to clinical proficiency and soldier skills, the practical nurse must
learn to be an effective manager and leader (see figure 3-2). As rank increases, the M6
must maintain additional managerial and supervisory expertise. Clinical areas must be
well managed in order to provide consistent quality care. Supplies and equipment must
be maintained, and paperwork must flow smoothly. The needs of the patients and staff
must be dealt with in a fair and professional manner. As with clinical skills, these
managerial skills must be adaptable to different areas of assignment. Practical nurse
management responsibilities can be categorized into three basic areas of concern:
managing supplies and equipment, managing work center operations, and managing
personnel.
MD0910
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