About This Career

Directs nursing staff in the provision of patient care in a clinical practice setting, such as a hospital, hospice, clinic, or home. Ensures adherence to established clinical policies, protocols, regulations, and standards.

This career is part of the Health Science cluster Therapeutic Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Evaluates the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice or organizational systems.
• Collaborates with other health care professionals and service providers to ensure optimal patient care.
• Develops and maintains departmental policies, procedures, objectives, or patient care standards, based on evidence-based practice guidelines or expert opinion.
• Develops nursing service philosophies, goals, policies, priorities, or procedures.
• Directs or supervises nursing care staff in the provision of patient therapy.
• Reads current literature, talks with colleagues, or participates in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in nursing.
• Instructs nursing staff in areas such as the assessment, development, implementation, and evaluation of disability, illness, management, technology, or resources.
• Provides coaching and mentoring to other caregivers to help facilitate their professional growth and development.
• Provides consultation to other health care providers in areas such as patient discharge, patient care, or clinical procedures.
• Develops, implements, or evaluates standards of nursing practice in specialty area, such as pediatrics, acute care, and geriatrics.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposed to disease and infections more than once a month through work such as patient care, laboratory work, and sanitation control
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel