Head nurses or nurse supervisors direct nursing activities. They plan work schedules and assign duties to nurses and aides, provide or arrange for training, and visit patients to observe nurses and to insure that care is proper. They may also insure that records are maintained and that equipment and supplies are ordered. At the advanced level, nurse practitioners provide basic health care. They diagnose and treat common acute illnesses and injuries.
Nurse practitioners can prescribe medications in some States.
Other advanced practice nurses include clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse-midwives. Most nurses work in well-lighted, comfortable medical facilities. Home health and public health nurses travel to patients' homes and to schools, community centers, and other sites. Nurses may spend considerable time walking and standing. They need emotional stability to cope with human suffering, emergencies, and other stresses.