![]() It can be argued that the med-surg unit is the most important department in an acute care hospital since the unit houses the most number of patients that can determine patient satisfaction scores.4 Med-surg nurses can work in a variety of settings ranging from the hospital to the home to outpatient clinics. Some describe the practice of med-surg nurses as foundational to all nursing practice. Med-surg nursing is defined as “the diagnosis and treatment of human responses of individuals and groups to actual or potential health problems.”3 The goal of med-surg nursing is to assist the individual or group in promoting, restoring, or maintaining his/her optimal health. How do you define med-surg nursing? Now, that becomes even trickier. Florence Nightingale (1859) stated that nursing “ought to signify the proper use of fresh air, light, warmth, cleanliness, quiet, and the proper selection and administration of diet-all at the least expense of vital power to the patient.”1 The American Nurses Association defines nursing as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, communities, and populations.”2 As you can see, the scope of nursing has really expanded from the time of Florence Nightingale. Have you ever tried to define nursing to anyone? Chances are you’ve heard different descriptions from different nurses. You are a member of a very talented and competent nursing specialty. Who are you? Well, you are a medical-surgical (med-surg) nurse, of course. (*All scenarios, although seemingly real, are created all patients described are fictitious.) And you were just notified that you would be receiving Joseph Garcia, an 84-year-old with a diagnosis of altered mental status, from the Emergency Department. He has a nasogastric tube, Foley catheter, patient-controlled analgesia, peripherally inserted central catheter, and sequential compression devices. David Martin, 58 years old, who is one-day postoperative after a pancreatectomy for a pancreatic tumor.She is receiving three different antibiotics to combat the infection and cellulitis. Her left lower extremity is swollen, red, and painful. Anne Brown, 48 years old, who was admitted with a cat scratch.He is oxygen dependent and has scheduled respiratory treatments throughout the shift. Jackson, a 72-year-old patient with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He is scheduled for a laparoscopic appendectomy at 1300 hours. 37-year-old John White, who was admitted with a diagnosis of appendicitis.She will be receiving hemodialysis today in her room and is also scheduled for a 2-D echocardiogram. She has a history of chronic renal failure, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. Smith, a 68-year-old who was admitted with a diagnosis of fluid overload. You start your shift with the following assignments:* By SANDRA FIGHTS, MS, RN, CMSRN, CNE, AND KATHY LATTAVO, MSN, RN, CMSRN, ACNS-BC, RN-BC
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