Urology Nursing
Urologic nurses care for patients across the lifespan, providing guidance and treatment and preventative care for a variety of urologic diseases and concerns in all health care settings where acute problems and chronic conditions can be resolved. These issues usually focus on the female and male urinary tract, bladder, kidneys, ureters, and the urethra; however, some urology nurses may be involved with the male and female reproductive systems, depending on the implications.
Duties of a Urology Nurse
Urologic nurses perform exams, perform and interpret diagnostic studies (such as urodynamics), treat bladder dysfunction and incontinence, provide patient education, and teach preventive care. But, this job is not as simple as it seems, as urology nurses deal with a variety of diseases that affect the urinary tract system. These diseases include kidney stones; urinary tract infections, or UTIs, that happen in the kidneys (pyelonephritis), the bladder (cystitis), or the urethra (urethritis); nerve damage, damage caused by stroke, depression or drug side affects; acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, and nonbacterial prostatitis; Conn’s Syndrome, which causes high blood pressure due to excess production of the hormone aldosterone; and cancer.
Employers may or may not expect the urologic nurse to understand all diseases that affect the patient, but – in general – a urology nurse is expected to perform exams, diagnose and treat acute urological health problems, and perform evaluations and urodynamic studies. Urology nursing also involves duties such as ordering, performing, and interpreting diagnostic studies and lab work; diagnosing, evaluating, and treating bladder dysfunction and incontinence; and delivering medication and preventative or treatment plans to the patient and family. Considering the sensitive and often embarrassing nature of urinary and reproductive diseases for many patients, nurses within this specialty will consider regarding all patients with care and understanding on often sensitive issues.
Related Types of Nurses
The nursing positions that are similar to urology nursing include any nursing specialty that deals with chronic diseases, such as substance abuse therapy, IV therapy, oncology, and cardiac care nursing. These nurses all become bonded with patients, as they see them on a long-term basis. Also, all these specialties include teaching preventative strategies as well as teaching patients and their families about their conditions and treatments.
Urology Nursing Degrees
Urology nurses will need an LPN/LVN license and certification by the Certification Board for Urology Nurses and Associates (CBUNA). The urology RN requires current licensure as an RN and one year of experience as an RN in urology nursing practice. Advanced practice nurses must meet same requirements as the urology RN, plus have current regonition by their state board of nursing as a nurse practitioner and/or a clinical nurse specialist, and a master’s degree in nursing.