Wellness guide

What registered nurses do

Registered nurses coordinate, deliver, and advocate for patient care across every healthcare setting — from hospital ICUs to schools, clinics, and the home.

Clinically reviewed by Maya Chen, RN, BSN, CCRNLast reviewed March 22, 202610 min read
Overview

What registered nurses do, in plain language

A registered nurse (RN) is a licensed clinician who assesses patients, administers treatments and medications, coordinates care across the medical team, and educates patients and families. RNs are the largest segment of the U.S. healthcare workforce.

Day-to-day responsibilities depend on the setting. A hospital RN may juggle four to six acute patients, while a home health RN drives between a handful of homes managing chronic conditions one-on-one.

Becoming an RN requires either an Associate's (ADN) or Bachelor's degree (BSN) in nursing, then passing the NCLEX-RN exam and obtaining state licensure.

Types of care

Therapy & care types

Medical-Surgical (Med-Surg)

General hospital floor nursing — the foundation of inpatient care.

Setting: Hospital

Critical Care (ICU)

Manages the sickest patients: ventilators, drips, hemodynamic monitoring.

Setting: Hospital ICU

Emergency (ER)

Triage, resuscitation, and stabilization of undifferentiated patients.

Setting: Hospital ED

Labor & Delivery

Care for laboring patients, newborns, and postpartum recovery.

Setting: Hospital L&D

Home Health & Hospice

In-home wound care, medication management, IV therapy, end-of-life support.

Setting: Patient's home

School & Community

Pediatric care, vaccinations, chronic disease management in non-acute settings.

Setting: Schools, clinics, public health

Conditions treated

Common reasons people seek care

  • Post-surgical recovery and wound care
  • Heart failure and post-MI management
  • Diabetes education and insulin management
  • Stroke rehabilitation
  • Respiratory failure and ventilator care
  • Cancer chemotherapy administration
  • Maternal-newborn care
  • Mental health crisis stabilization
  • End-of-life and palliative care
  • Infectious disease management
  • IV therapy and central line care
  • Chronic disease self-management coaching
What to expect

The typical recovery arc

  1. Phase 1
    Nursing assessment
    First contact
    • Head-to-toe assessment
    • Medication reconciliation
    • Care plan initiation
  2. Phase 2
    Acute intervention
    Hospital stay or visit
    • Administer treatments & meds
    • Monitor vitals & response
    • Coordinate with providers
  3. Phase 3
    Education & discharge planning
    Final days of care
    • Teach-back on meds & self-care
    • Coordinate follow-up
    • Connect to home services if needed
  4. Phase 4
    Follow-up
    Post-discharge
    • Home health hand-off when indicated
    • Telehealth check-ins
    • Readmission prevention

When to seek help

  • Complex medication regimens you don't fully understand
  • Wounds, drains, or catheters that need skilled care at home
  • A new diagnosis that requires patient education
  • Recovery from a hospital stay
  • End-of-life care planning for a loved one
Frequently asked

What registered nurses do: common questions

Editorial standards. This guide was written by the HealthcareApex editorial team and clinically reviewed by Maya Chen, RN, BSN, CCRN on March 22, 2026. It is intended for general education and does not replace personalized medical advice. Talk with your clinician about your specific situation.

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