What Is An RGN?

What is an RGN? We use this initialism all the time in our industry, and it stands for Registered General Nurse. But what do RGNs do? What are their roles and responsibilities? What makes a good RGN? And, most importantly, why should RGNs work for Medilink Nursing? We’ll answer all these and more in this post.

What is an RGN – Roles & Duties

The label “RGN” can describe a variety of roles. The majority of RGNs work in hospitals, but many also work in residential homes, schools, healthcare clinics, and other workplaces. Because of this, there are many different jobs that RGNs might have to do. Some of the basics that all RGNs do are:

• Dispensing and administering medication.
• Communicating with patients and their families regarding the patient’s condition and treatment.
• Listening to patients, understanding their needs and symptoms.
• Working alongside others to create and enact healthcare plans, which must then be regularly evaluated.
• Handle patients’ documents, and compile medical records. This includes maintaining thorough reports on patients’ conditions.

What is an RGN – Who Do RGNs Work With?

Like we say, RGNs work in a wide variety of roles and workplaces, so naturally they can end up working with a variety of people too. For example, the majority of our RGNs here at Medilink Nursing work with elderly and/or disabled patients, since Residential Homes form the bulk of our clientele. Other workplaces include:

• Hospitals
• Community health centres
• Residential Homes
• At the home of a client
• Prisons & rehabilitation centres
• GP practices

At the end of the day, anyone can become sick or injure themselves, so RGNs wind up helping people from all walks of life.

What is an RGN – What Skills Should An RGN Have?

Besides the technical skills and qualifications, there are a number of traits that RGNs really ought to have:

• Communication – being a good listener, knowing the right things to say, and reading between the lines when talking to patients. At the same time, you’ve got to be considering treatments too, so we can add “multitasking” to the list as well.
• Problem-solving – patients often experience a mix of symptoms and conditions, and working out the causes and solutions requires problem-solving skills.
• Adaptability – Patients’ conditions, symptoms, moods, and needs are constantly changing. Being able to adapt to this is important.
• Resilience – Emotional resilience, and the will to carry on is critical in nursing roles. You will likely be party to some emotionally distressing situations, but the wellbeing of others’ is in your hands, and you have to carry on, for them.

What is an RGN – How To Become An RGN

Working as an RMN is a rewarding career, both financially as well as emotionally. Nurses get a lot of job satisfaction from being able to help those in need. If you’d like to become an RNG, you must first have graduated from a nursing school or obtained a nursing degree – this will qualify you to become an RGN. Then, before starting work, you must register with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC).

What is an RGN – Agency Work Available With Medilink Nursing!

If working full-time is difficult for you, or you would like to supplement your regular work with extra shifts where possible, agency work is for you! Here’s how it works:

• Sign up for free with Medilink Nursing to become a member of our agency nursing team.
• Let us know your skills and available hours.
• When our clients need extra staff they get in touch with our team, who finds them a nurse from our team that is available during the hours required.
• Our plans all change sometimes, so there are no requirements to accept shifts with us, even if they fall within your availability. We aim to let you work as flexibly as possible!

We do require that all our staff have recent healthcare experience, but if you’re interested in working with Medilink, give our Head Office a call on 0113 877 6383, and we’ll see about getting you started!

We look forward to hearing from you!