If you’re a med-surg nurse, the organization is one that will help you find connections that will advance your knowledge and your career.īecause med-surg nurses have so many varied opportunities to work with patients, a professional network in which they can talk with other nurses who do what they do is essential. At any given time, AMSN is monitoring and promoting varied legislation, proposed policies, and agendas that could have an impact on med-surg nurses and the patients they care for. Because med-surg nurses see so many different conditions across a spectrum of patient ages, they have a fine-tuned intuition reinforced with critical thinking.ĪMSN is a driver of change for med-surg nurses and makes advocacy a priority. Patients who are cared for by med-surg nurses depend on their deep experience to know the subtle differences in patients that can signal a potential issue. But med-surg nursing is much more than a launching pad to a different specialty. Nurses can use the platform of Medical-Surgical Nurses Week to help answer questions about this area of nursing and encourage new nurses to consider this area of the nursing profession for a long-term, rewarding career.Īlmost all nurses work in med-surg during their careers as it offers the kind of hands-on, direct interactions with patients that nurses depend on for building their skill set. According to the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) this week is an excellent time for nurses in med-surg to advocate for themselves and for their patients. This week celebrates Medical-Surgical Nurses Week, which launches on November 1 annually. For nurses who want to spend a career constantly learning about different health conditions and issues and who enjoy the variations that come with working with patient populations that differ throughout the week, or even the day, medical-surgical nursing is an ideal career path that helps nurses specialize in this distinctly broad category of nursing When nurses think about all the career options available to them, medical-surgical nursing (known most often as med-surg) is one they hear about frequently–and there’s a good reason behind it. Capillary refill of 3 seconds or less.By Julia Quinn-Szcesuil | | Blog, Nursing Careers | 0 comments Results aid in evaluation of peripheral vascular perfusion (Wiseman & Curtis, 2011). A manual Doppler scan can be helpful in assessing a weak or thready pulse (Wiseman & Curtis, 2011).Īssessment of capillary refill is performed by pressing on the nailbeds or skin of an affected extremity. Identifying the pulse palpation site with an indelible marker can help other nurses assess the same location consistently (Johnston-Walker & Hardcastle, 2011). Inequality at assessment points is an abnormal finding that can indicate poor perfusion (Daniels & Nicoll, 2012 Johnston-Walker & Hardcastle, 2011). With a 0-4 point scale (0=absent and 4=strong/bounding), assess for weak, diminished pulsations or absence of the pulse (Johnston-Walker & Hardcastle, 2011 Wiseman & Curtis, 2011). While palpating the pulses of each extremity, assess the most distal pulses that are accessible and parallel (Daniels & Nicoll, 2012). Major peripheral pulse points include brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries in the upper extremities and femoral, popliteal, posterior tibialis, and dorsalis pedis in the lower limbs (see Figure 1) (Daniels & Nicoll, 2012). Even subtle changes must be recognized as important, and differences must be communicated to the physician promptly (Daniels & Nicoll, 2012).īilateral pulse assessments should be comparable (Johnston-Walker & Hardcastle, 2011 Wiseman & Curtis, 2011). Assessment findings of the affected extremity must be compared to those of the unaffected extremity (Daniels & Nicoll, 2012 Johnston-Walker & Hardcastle, 2011). Observations include pulses, capillary refill, skin color and temperature, sensation, and motor function (Blair & Clarke, 2013 Johnston-Walker & Hardcastle, 2011 Murphy & O'Connor, 2010 Turney et al., 2013 Wiseman & Curtis, 2011). Neurovascular assessment of the extremities is performed to evaluate sensory and motor function (neuro) and peripheral circulation (vascular) (Blair & Clarke, 2013 Turney, Raley Noble, & Kim, 2013). Components of the focused neurovascular assessment and risks and implications of neurovascular compromise are explored. To predict patient care needs, the nurse must understand normal body functioning, have keen assessment skills to recognize changes promptly, and use critical thinking to interpret assessment findings and determine the most appropriate interventions (Murphy & O'Connor, 2010). Nursing assessment skills are integral to every aspect of patient care.
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