Difference between Fundamentals in Nursing and Med-Surg in Nursing school?

[cosmicnurse]

Hello Everyone,

I am in my second nursing school semester in college. I took fundamentals last spring, am taking Med-Surg 2 this fall and have my first clinical on monday. I probably shouldn't be confused about this, but I am trying to find a simple definition for what Medical-Surgical nursing in Nursing school means? How will this semesters content differ from my first semester? Your answers are most appreciated.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

This is likely going to be dependent on the school. While the state BON sets what content must be covered, the school has the liberty to arrange the content as it sees fit. My nursing fundamentals course, which included a clinical portion, was mostly basic skills like assessment; med admin; and bathing, ADLs, etc. and the clinical started in skills lab and then moved to the hospital. My med/surg course was actually titled adults with chronic conditions, and classroom focused on pathophys and pharm. Clinicals built on what was learned in fundamentals. So, basically, unless someone responding is actually from your school, you won't necessarily get the right answer.

[cosmicnurse]

Thank you! I get what you mean, I am in a CUNY nursing program in NYC, and what you described sounds a lot like how it was for me in my first sem, and what I'm heading into for med-surg 2. Based on the reading list and syllabus the structure seems quite similar. Thanks again for explaining further!

[mrsboots87]

Fundamentals is just that. The basics. You learn assessment, basic wound care, PO and injectable med, basic care of patients, etc. you learn normal funding, abnormal findings, lab values and maybe even delve into fluid and lytes a bit. Clinical will focus on the basics you learn in class and following a nurse to see how they manage their day. Kind of like just getting your feet wet.

Med/surg should be advancing in your fundamentals. And you really just jump right in. You will focus on a lot of patho and interventions. Also a lot of pharm. clinical will be focused on developing your skills for more acute care. You may get assigned a second patient. You will learn IVs, trachs, CBI, and so on. More advanced skills then you learned in fundamentals. You will be expected to start being able to put the pieces together between what you learn in class and how to critically think and apply yourself in the real world.

[cosmicnurse]

That's awesome! Thanks so much for explaining...now I'm feeling super excited to take on more responsibility!!

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

That's awesome! Thanks so much for explaining...now I'm feeling super excited to take on more responsibility!!

And this is wonderful to hear. We hear so many students who use words like "freaking out" and "nervous" and even "terrified." I always tell them to lose that self-talk because terror is a paralytic. Replace those words with, "challenged" and "excited," as in, well,

now I'm feeling super excited to take on more responsibility!!

and you have put your brain in a terrific position to succeed!

I look forward to hearing more from you as you progress! Welcome to AllNurses!

[cosmicnurse]

Thanks so much. I promise to sustain this positive attitude...will definitely be back on here soon with more med surg 2 updates :) :)