There are so many different types of nurses, more than you might actually think. From IVF nurses to mental health nurses, if there is a medical field for it, chances are there is a type of nurse that you will find to be a part of it.
One type of nurse that you might not know about is a nurse clinician. This job is an incredibly rewarding position for someone in the medical field can take on, and if you want to know more about it, then you’ve come to the right place.
We’ll be going over what a nurse clinician actually is (see also ‘What Is An IVF Nurse?‘), what they do, and what you need to do to become one yourself. So let’s get started.
What Is A Nurse Clinician?
Nurse clinicians are a type of nurse that will work with patients throughout their entire stay at the hospital and they will help the doctors implement and develop the right treatment plans and strategies.
They really get to know the patients and make sure to ask them questions about their medical history, to any symptoms they are currently experiencing. They will then take this information to the doctors so they can provide the patients with the appropriate medical needs.
Another thing that nurse clinicians do is administer medication (see also ‘How To Administer A Vaccine‘) to the patients that have been assigned to them by the doctors. They also make sure all equipment in the hospital or clinic is clean, sanitized, and maintained.
What Does A Nurse Clinician Do?
Nurse clinicians have quite a lot of responsibilities they must keep on top of and they are a vital part of the medical practices in which they work. While we can’t list every single duty of a nurse clinician, here are some examples of some of their responsibilities:
- Provide CPR training to other medical professionals
- Administer medication to patients that have been cleared by the doctors
- Clean, monitor, and sanitize all of the hospital or clinic equipment
- Review and agree with LPN charting
- Manage patient relief and sedation
- Instruct ACLS and BLS classes
- Provide educational support to patients with chronic diseases
- Provide accurate information for billing to Medicaid and Medicare.
- Help doctors implement and develop the right treatment plans and strategies for the patients
- Provide immediate intervention in emergency cases, such as performing physical examinations if no qualified physicians are available
- Keep in continuous contact with Novartis for FDA submission and approval.
- Provide direct nursing care and treatment to patients with life-threatening emergency conditions when they first arrive at the hospital
There many other responsibilities a nurse clinician will have, but these are just some that will give you a better understanding of what they do. Nurse clinicians are incredibly important and are responsible for a lot of the patient’s care and treatment.
How To Become A Nurse Clinician
If you are training to become a nurse or you have some interest in becoming a nurse clinician yourself, there are lots of things you will have to know and do first.
Most nurse clinicians have a bachelor’s degree, but you can become one if you only have a GED or college-level education (see also ‘Is Nursing STEM?‘). The major you choose for your bachelor’s degree can impact how quickly you can become one too. Most qualified nurse clinicians major in Nursing, Nursing Science, or Psychology.
When you do want to become a nurse clinician, you will need to participate in lots of on-the-job training. This can last anywhere from 1 to 12 months, but in some cases, it can last for a bit longer.
This on-the-job training is important because this is where new nurse clinicians develop the appropriate skills and techniques that their employers will expect them to have.
It is also important for nurse clinicians and nurse clinicians in training to get the appropriate certifications.
These certifications prove that you have the appropriate knowledge and skills that are expected and required for the position. Having these certifications will also help you gain employment at a faster rate than those without them.
There are a few different certifications you can get, but the best one is Family Nurse Practitioner and Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN). You can also get the following certifications:
- Medical-Surgical Nursing (RN-BC)
- Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)
- Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC)
- Certified Nurse Technician (CNT)
- Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP-BC)
- Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (ACNP-BC)
Another thing that you should do if you are serious about becoming a nurse clinician is to research the duties and responsibilities that will be expected of you once you get your job.
Knowing what to expect and having a basic understanding of how to do it will make settling into your role a lot easier and you are less likely to make mistakes when you’ve taken the time to truly understand the role.
We have already listed some of the common responsibilities and duties of a nurse clinician above, so refer back to them if you need to!
Once you have gained all the qualifications, degrees, and certifications needed, you will be able to brush up on your resume and apply for a nurse clinician position.
If you have built up a network during your training, don’t be afraid to reach out to these contacts and see if they know of any jobs or if they can refer you to a particular hospital or practice.
The more qualifications and hands-on experience you have, the more likely you will be successful in your job search for this role.
Conclusion
A nurse clinician is an incredibly important role within medical practices. They work closely with patients to understand them and what care they need in order to help the doctors create the appropriate treatment plans.
Becoming a nurse clinician isn’t an easy task, but if you are motivated and willing to put in the work to do it, you’ll find that it’s an incredibly rewarding career.
If you want to become a nurse who works extremely closely with both patients and doctors, then this is fantastic role for you to work towards!