What did you do in Fundamentals?

[JeepDudeRN]

Hey all, I am starting fundamentals in July, just wondering what everyone else did. I had thought fundamentals was just that, fundamentals (bed making, BP, ect) Today I found out we will be doing that, as well as learning assessments, and even passing oral meds! They said we should learn concept maps as well. Anyone have any pointers on getting a leg up on these?

Thanks!

[gt4everpn, BSN, RN]

Make sure you have your fundamentals down before learning anything else. Obvious, but true!

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

Just pay attention and learn what they teach you and HOW they teach you (nurses in the hospitals sometimes have their own ways of doing things).

In addition to the above, we learned to give injections, discontinue IVs and NG tubes, insert Foleys, and spiking and hanging IV fluids. Probably some other stuff, too, but that's what comes to mind quickly!!

Have fun!!

[shoegalRN, RN]

In my foundations class, we learned (and actually did them in clinicals), sub-q injections, IM injections, passing meds, flushing IV's, vitals, bedpans and bed making and NG tubes.

[madascanbeRNtobe]

im looking at my 1st year nursing courses, and i dont have a fundamentals course, but we do have clinical from semester 1 hmm. this has me worried.

We have in sem 1 and 2 Introduction to nursing theory and practice: focus on wellness. The nursing profession in todays society as well in sem 1.

In sem 2, we have Health Assessment of the Individual and Nursing Therapeutics and Disease conditions (which i think is basically pathophysiology, as the textbook for it is a patho book).

Do any of the others sound like nursing fundamentals to you more experienced students?

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

We have in sem 1 and 2 Introduction to nursing theory and practice: focus on wellness. The nursing profession in todays society as well in sem 1.

Do any of the others sound like nursing fundamentals to you more experienced students?

Your first semester classes listed above sound similar to what we had....but we also had a separate "lab class" one day a week which focused on skills that kind of went hand-in-hand with what we were learning in the classroom. This was where we got the skills learning that necessitated "checkoffs" quite often that first semester and introduced us to these skills that may or may not be using in clinicals (it was somewhat patient-dependent; if you had a pt that needed these items, then you got to do them with an instructor handy. If you never have a pt who needs any of these items, you might be learning once you've passed the NCLEX, lol!).

If your school is accredited and has a good NCLEX pass rate (found by looking at your state's board of nursing website), I wouldn't worry!!

[madascanbeRNtobe]

Ok thanks Pixie. i wont freak out. i just checked that the introduction couse does have a lab. That is probably where we do our fundamentals.

And my school is accredited here in Canada

thankyou.

CrazyZanyMad

[JeepDudeRN]

They told us today, we would be going right into the hospital. We will have clinical 2 days a week, and the remaining 3 will be class and lab. I am a little nervous to say the least. I appreciate everyone letting me know what you did in your fundamentals course. I am been a CNA for about 10 years, but I know nothing has prepared me for what lies ahead. It's both exciting and terrifying at the same time.

[WDWpixieRN, RN]

Well, you're a jump ahead of some of us cbresnahan....I had NO healthcare experience whatsoever (does having babies count?!?!)....I continue to envy the students who have been the hospitals....they had a code on our floor today and one of the gals who's been a CNA/Tech for some time understood so much of what was going on and twice when they yelled for equipment, she ran down to the supply room and got stuff, while 50 million other people in the room were busy working on the pt...don't ask me what she got, as I didn't understand a word!!

You'll do GREAT!!!