List of must-have skills/procedures for Med-Surg?

[greenbeanio]

What are the most important to know, most frequently required procedures in med-surg? I know this is a very general question, but if you just think of a new nurse in Med-Surg who can't do something and you're thinking "Whaaaat? She can't even do that?! How did she even graduate?!" - what would some of these things be? What are some things that med-surg nurses have to do all the time?

[anonymousstudent]

I'm not a med/surg nurse, but I can't imagine you'd get though your nursing school, if it was worth anything, and not be able to perform basic skills.

IV therapy & everything involved

CVC's - TPN

dressing changes

caths

BS monitoring and insulin

Probably where it hits the fan is performing adequate assessments, understanding data from lab values, picking up on slight but significant changes in functioning, etc.

[greenbeanio]

When you CVCs what exactly do you mean? I've never actually come across a patient with a central venous catheter.

Also, what do you consider the "basic" skills?

Thanks.

[birthrevolution]

It really seems to vary from floor to floor! I know I'm afraid I'm going to leave school never having started an IV except on that fake hand! All of my patients have either had their IVs placed in the ED, had central lines, or were such hard sticks that we had to have the IV team come.