Competencies/Critical Skills

[aellisrn10]

Just a curious question here. I am finishing up 1st semester of nursing school, and was just wondering what type of competencies/critical skills other nursing students were/are taught in all semesters.

Here is a list of mine... (only 1st semester, I am unsure of all other semesters)

Skills Taught:

handwashing

daily hygiene/bed making

placing patient on bedpan

scrubbing and gowning in isolation technique

enemas

scrubbing, gowning, sterile gloves, setting up sterile fields

removing & applying elastic bandages, & TED hose

nasogastric feeding

instillation of eye and ear drops

inserting a nasogastric tube

changing dressings

administering a specific dose of insulin

PEG feedings

medication administration (Oral, IM, SC, ID)

Competencies: (we had to demonstrate competencies with an instructor watching and it was pass if you do it right, fail if you get it wrong)

Vital Signs

Dosage Calculations

Foley Catheterizations

Physical Assessment

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

You know, it's been over 30 years, but that sounds an awful lot like what we did in my first semester nursing lab. It was pretty intensive.

[aellisrn10]

YES, it was alot! And most of it within a 2 week time period!

I was hoping for more replies than just one. Anyone else wanna chime in?

What should I expect in 2nd semester?

[sbcher09]

I'm at the OU nursing program in Glendale, CA

1st semester:

CARE PLANS CARE PLANS CARE PLANS...haha

handwashing

vital signs (BP, pulse, apical pulse, resp rate, temp)

ADLs (bedpan, bedbath, showers,etc)

nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal suctioning

application of oxygen (nasal cannulas, non-rebreather)

tube feedings

Intradermal/subcutaneous/intramuscular medication injections

IV and IV piggyback infusions

Isolation precautions

Removing foley, obtaining sterile urine specimen

Removing sutures and staples

Changing dressings

Oral meds

Setting up sterile fields

NG tubes

I've gotta say this semester has flown!!