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Medical Surgical Nursing Procedures

Medical-surgical nurses work in hospitals, inpatient care units, long-term care facilities, surgical centers and other medical organizations. They provide patient care and health education to individuals who have received some sort of medical or surgical diagnosis or treatment. According to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN), medical-surgical nurses make up one of the largest groups of practicing medical professionals.

  1. Basic Patient Care Procedures

    • Most medical-surgical nurses must take care of between five to seven patients at any given time. They perform procedures that help patients recover from a variety of illnesses or surgeries, including those related to diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, infectious diseases, acute trauma, neurosurgical procedures and more. They must be able to monitor chest tubes and drainage systems, oversee central line maintenance and intravenous blood infusion therapy, monitor patient feedings, and sometimes administer restraints. Medical-surgical nurses are also responsible for assessing patient recovery and making sure that a physician's prescribed method of treatment is being executed accurately.

    Medication Procedures

    • Individuals admitted into inpatient facilities take an average of 10 to 12 different medications, depending upon their diagnosis. Medical-surgical nurses are responsible for managing the delivery and administration of those medications. They must also be knowledgeable and practiced in the various delivery methods for medications, including eye and ear installations, oral intakes, IM injections, insulin pumps, meter dosed inhalers and infusions.

    Telemetry Procedures

    • Telemetry nursing involves connecting patients to various types of equipment in order to monitor their breathing, blood pressure and heart rate. Medical-surgical nurses should know not only how to connect patients to such machines in a safe and effective manner, but also how to read and analyze the results from a computer monitor. They should then be able to utilize those results to make accurate assessments regarding future treatments.

    Patient Intake and Discharge Procedures

    • Another procedure typically placed in the hands of medical-surgical nurses is patient intake and discharge. Medical-surgical nurses are responsible for admitting patients, filling out requisite paperwork, preparing patients for treatment and discharging them when treatment is complete. The discharge process might involve some one-on-one instruction, allowing medical-surgical nurses to provide patients with the education and knowledge necessary to take care of themselves and administer their own treatments at home.

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