KARTONO, M.

Pd

2. NURSING ROLES
Skills

1. Reading about the different

nursing roles
2. Listening to the practice nurse
job description
3. Writing about a nurse’s duties
4. Practicing a short conversation
in pair
• Where would you work with these people? (in a hospital, in a residential
care home, in the community)
Which nursing situation do you prefer and why?

a. baby b. child c. disability d. elderly

 Match the words (1-8) with their definitions!

1. limbs 7 doctor who cares for people in the community

2. team 4 old (polite)

3. midwives 6 the place where doctors operate on patients

4. elderly 8 dangerous, potentially causing death

5. feed 2 a group of people who work or play sport together

6. theatre 3 nurses who assist during and after birth

7. general practitioner 1 arms and legs

8. life threatening 5 to give nutrition

 Read about different nursing roles and complete the text with the words from the box

theatre nurses adult nurses school nurses neonatal nurses

mental health nurses paediatrics nurse learning disabilities nurses midwives nurses

Careers in Nursing
(1) _ neonatal nurses _ work with newborn babies who are born sick or prematurely.
Often, premature infants have breathing problems which can be life-threatening if they
are not treated promptly and monitored. Also, ill babies must be fed in a specialised way
in a hygienic environment that is warm.
These patients have a wide range of physical and mental health conditions so (2) _
learning disabilities nurses _ work with the patient, the family and carers for the health
and social inclusion of people of all ages with a learning disability. (3) _ mental health
nurses _ face a complex and difficult area, working with GPs, psychiatrists and
psychologists to care for patients with mental illness. Conditions range from personality
and psychological disorders to neuroses and psychoses.
The (4) _ paediatric nurse _ faces a wide range of situations, including babies with heart
complications, teenagers with broken limbs and child protection.
 theatre nurses adult nurses school nurses neonatal nurses
mental health nurses paediatric nurse learning disabilities nurses midwives nurses

Health problems can affect a child’s development socially and educationally so the
nurse’s role is important. (5) _ adult nurses _ work with adults with diverse health
conditions. They work in hospitals, clinics or in the community. Many patients are
elderly, others have disabilities or have a terminal illness so it may involve shift work
to provide 24-hour care. (6) _ midwives nurses_ are specialised nurses who assist
mothers and newborn babies during and after the birth. They give advice on hygiene,
breastfeeding and the postnatal well-being of the mother and baby. They work both
in hospitals and in the community. (7) _ school nurses _ usually work for the national
health service (NHS) or schools. They provide health and sex education in schools,
carry out developmental screening (testing all students) and administer
immunisation programmes.
(8)_ theatre nurses _ are qualified nurses that have completed additional training to
care for patients of all ages at the different stages of surgery. Based in hospital, they
work in operating theatres, anaesthetic/recovery areas and on specialised wards.
Are the following sentences True (T) or False (F) based on the text above?
T F
1. All nurses do shift work. V
2. Some nurses must have extra qualifications. V
3. Childrens’ nurses work with newborn babies. V
4. School nurses work privately. V
5. Premature babies can have very serious health problems. V
6. Nurses often give advice on medical problems. V

Label the photos with the activities from the box

applying a dressing ear syringing taking a swab

a ___ ear syringing _____ b ____taking a swab____________ c ____ applying a dressing _____
 Listen and then complete this short text with the appropriate words bellow!

giving Practice carrying applying

surgery running offering taking

(1) Practice nurses work with GPs (General Practitioners) in their (2) surgery (the place
where a General Practitioner or family doctor meets and treats patients) as part of a
team. Their duties include (3) running clinics for conditions such as asthma, diabetes,
heart problems and skin disorders, (4) offering advice on family planning and
contraception, (5) taking blood and urine samples and other specimens and swabs,
routine procedures such as ear syringing, (6) applying and removing dressings and
treating wounds, offering specialist information and advice on blood pressure, weight
control and stopping smoking, (7) carrying out infant injections, vaccinations and
travel immunisations, and (8) giving advice to patients with long-term medical needs.
 Complete the nurse duties that are mentioned above!

1. Running clinics for conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart problems and skin disorders

2. Offering advice on family planning and contraception

3. Taking blood and urine samples and other specimens and swabs, routine procedures
such as ear syringing

4. Applying removing dressings and treating wounds, offering specialist information and
advice on blood pressure, weight control and stopping smoking

5. Giving advice to patients with long-term medical needs

 Listen and then complete this short text with the appropriate words bellow!

satisfaction enjoy check change

measure take give disinfect

My name is Fiona Henry. I am a nurse in a large hospital in central

London. I have a lot of different duties on the ward. I (1) disinfect
patient’s wounds and (2) change their dressings, I (3) measure
blood pressure, (4) take temperatures and (5) give medicines. I also
have to take urine specimens and swabs from wounds or infected
throats or mucosa. I often have to give injections and have to (6)
check that the patient records are updated. I am always busy but I
(7) enjoy my work. It gives me a sense of (8) satisfaction.
(Dialogue) Practicing the Language
It’s been a busy day at Polindra Medical Center. The nurse is at the end of her shift, but a new client has been
admitted, so she stops by to check on her. Practice the dialogue with a partner.

Nurse : Good morning, Mrs. Chan. My name is Evelyn, and I’ll be one of the nurses taking care of
you here.
Client : Nice to meet you. You look really young to be a nurse!
Nurse : That’s nice to hear. I’ve been a nurse for three years now
Client : Well, I guess everyone is young compared to me. I’m just 72 years “young.”
Nurse : Good for you! Well, I see that you are here for a hip replacement.
Client : Yes, my orthopedic surgeon will come to see me soon.
Nurse : Are you nervous?
Client : Not really.
Nurse : Will someone from your family be here with you?
Client : Yes . . . I think I hear them now.
Nurse : Great! Well, my shift is over and I need to leave now, but I’ll be back tomorrow at 7:00
AM. Good luck with your surgery
Client : Thanks