The Definitive Guide to Nursing Tasks: Roles, Duties, and Settings (CNA, LPN, RN, APRN).

Explore the definitive guide to nursing tasks! Understand the core duties of CNAs, LPNs, RNs, and APRNs across hospitals, clinics, and home health settings.

Hierarchy of nursing tasks and roles (CNA, LPN, RN, APRN) showing duties like medication administration, patient education, and care planning in diverse settings.

Introduction: What Do Nurses Really Do?

Nursing is a multifaceted profession, encompassing far more than just taking vitals. Nurses are the backbone of patient care, delivering holistic support from the bedside to advanced clinical practice. The specific duties performed depend heavily on the nurse's level of certification (e.g., CNA, LPN, RN, APRN) and their unique work environment.

This guide breaks down the core responsibilities that define the nursing profession across all specialties and settings.

Core Nursing Responsibilities: The Pillars of Patient Care.

The foundational tasks of nursing are centered around continuous, high-quality patient management and support:

Pillar of Care Key Nursing Duties.

• Patient Assessment & Monitoring Conduct thorough physical exams, measure and record vital signs (BP, HR, Temp, Resp), document detailed patient history and symptoms, and continuously observe for changes in clinical status.

• Medication Management Safely administer prescribed medications and treatments (including injections, IV therapy, and specialized wound care), and vigilantly monitor patients for potential side effects or adverse reactions.

• Care Coordination & Planning Collaborate actively with physicians, therapists, case managers, and other healthcare professionals to develop, implement, and evaluate individualized patient care plans.

• Education & Empowerment Educate patients and families on diagnoses, complex treatment plans, discharge and at-home care instructions, and critical preventive health measures (e.g., diet, exercise, stress management).

• Technical & Diagnostic Support Collect biological samples (blood, urine, tissue) for lab analysis, assist in diagnostic testing procedures, and expertly operate various medical devices (ventilators, IV pumps, glucometers).

• Documentation & Compliance Maintain accurate, timely, and detailed patient records within confidential Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, ensuring seamless communication and continuity of care among the entire team.

• Patient Advocacy Act as the patient’s voice within the healthcare system, ensuring their rights and needs are met, and helping them navigate complex medical information and protocols.

• Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) Assist patients with essential basic needs, such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and safe mobility, which are fundamental to comfort and the recovery process.

Nursing Tasks by Professional Role.

The scope of practice is dictated by the level of education and licensure, creating distinct hierarchies of responsibility:

1. Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs).

• Focus: Direct, foundational care and assistance with ADLs.

• Tasks: Bathing, feeding, repositioning patients, measuring intake/output, checking vital signs, and ensuring patient comfort.

• Supervision: Work under the direct supervision of an LPN or RN.

2. Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs / LVNs)

• Focus: Advanced basic nursing care and patient surveillance.

• Tasks: Administering medications (often excluding IV push meds), providing routine wound care, collecting samples, and monitoring patient responses to treatment.

• Supervision: Work under the direction of an RN or physician.

3. Registered Nurses (RNs).

• Focus: Comprehensive assessment, critical thinking, and care management.

• Tasks: Performing initial patient assessments, creating care plans, managing complex IV therapies, supervising LPNs and CNAs, and making critical clinical decisions in emergency situations.

• Responsibility: They are legally accountable for all aspects of patient care delivery.

4. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)

• Focus: Independent clinical practice, diagnosis, and disease management.

• Roles: Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs), and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

• Tasks: Diagnosing acute and chronic illnesses, ordering and interpreting diagnostic tests, prescribing medication (scope depends on state), and managing patient long-term health.

Daily Duties by Work Setting.

Where a nurse works significantly influences their daily tasks and priorities:

• Hospitals (Acute Care): Focus is on rapid intervention, managing unstable or acutely ill patients, and highly specialized care in units like the ICU, ER, or surgical recovery.

• Clinics / Outpatient Centers: Tasks are centered on preventive health, patient education, administering vaccinations, health screenings, and managing stable chronic conditions during standard business hours.

• Long-Term Care / Hospice: Emphasis is on managing chronic conditions and providing comfort-focused care (end-of-life care) and daily living assistance in a residential or home setting.

• Home Health: Duties require high autonomy and adaptability, involving travelling to patient homes to perform skilled tasks like complex wound care, medication setup, and extensive patient/family education.