What does a treatment nurse DO in nursing home?

A treatment nurse in a nursing home provides skilled nursing care to residents who require medical attention and support. Their responsibilities may include:

1. Administering Medications: Treatment nurses are responsible for administering medications to residents according to prescribed dosages and schedules. They monitor for drug interactions, allergies, and side effects, and educate residents and their families about their medications.

2. Wound Care: Treatment nurses assess, clean, and dress wounds and perform wound care procedures as directed by the physician. They monitor for signs of infection and complications and collaborate with other healthcare team members to ensure proper wound healing.

3. Catheter and Tube Care: Treatment nurses insert, maintain, and remove catheters and tubes, such as urinary catheters and nasogastric tubes. They monitor for complications and ensure proper functioning of these devices.

4. Vital Signs Monitoring: They regularly monitor residents' vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation levels, and document any abnormal findings.

5. Ostomy Care: Treatment nurses provide ostomy care to residents with ostomies, including changing ostomy bags, managing ostomy output, and educating residents about ostomy care.

6. IV Therapy: They start and maintain intravenous (IV) lines, administer IV fluids and medications, and monitor IV sites for complications.

7. Education: Treatment nurses provide health education to residents and their families about various health conditions, disease management, and self-care strategies.

8. Collaboration: They collaborate with physicians, other nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, and other members of the healthcare team to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach to resident care.

9. Documentation: Treatment nurses accurately record all aspects of resident care, including medications administered, treatments performed, observations made, and resident responses, in the residents' medical records.

10. Emergency Care: In case of emergencies or medical crises, they provide immediate care and assist in stabilizing the resident until further help arrives.

Overall, treatment nurses play a vital role in ensuring the well-being and health of residents in a nursing home by providing specialized nursing care and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.