Difference between nursing skills and tasks?

AJJKRN · Jul 2, 2016

http://www.nickols.us/TJ_TaskvsSkill.pdf

This is what I found via the internet that makes the most sense to me with the explanations used. Hope it opens :laugh:

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jul 2, 2016

Nursing tasks are defined as demonstrative competency of procedures meaning, they are step-by-step instructions and evaluated through hands-on measures; such things as making a bed, suctioning, simple wound care, inserting a NGT, even teach changes can be examples of nursing tasks; caregivers when there are not enough nursing hours approved my insurance end up doing these particular tasks and do so when there are no skilled nurses present; they are taught by nurses and evaluated on the information.

Nursing skills are evolving assets that transcend nursing specialty IMHO; anything that depends on the nursing process:assessment, diagnosing through then nursing model, critical thinking when deciding best interventions, evaluating the interventions and using different interventions to produce an outcome; honing how to be a patient educator and soft skills of communication are nursing skills; these assets set apart a nurse in conjunction with nursing procedures and can stand alone when not undertaking procedures.

Putting down suctioning as a nursing skill on a resume is extraneous because, these are merely procedures covered in nursing school and can be easily cleared through competency training; same thing with basic peripheral IV access can be cleared with competency training-although with IV skills, that is a whole other ball of wax because there are nurses who have a special skill set in terms of IV skills, competency, and even a specialty in which nursing skills are involved when establishing access; same thing with a complex wound, understanding a vent, etc; the more BASIC a procedure which could be taught by an unlicensed person, then that is a nursing task.

smartnurse1982 · Jul 2, 2016

^I suppose that "the more basic a procedure,the more it is a task" sounds about correct.

In Pdn and LTC it is especially hard distinguishing nursing tasks from nursing skills.

Buyer beware, BSN · Jul 9, 2016

Let's not over-think "skills vs. tasks." It's tantamount to the Medieval mental masturbation of Christian clerics trying to estimate how many angels could fit through the head of a pin---useless!!!

The more pertinent question to ponder is how is it possible that many nurses after years of experience can practice nursing remaining solely task/skill oriented while concurrently exhibiting and in possession of the clinical acumen of a marmaset?

Buyer beware, BSN · Jul 9, 2016

Let's not over-think "skills vs. tasks." It's tantamount to the Medieval mental masturbation of Christian clerics trying estimate how many angels could fit through the head of a pin---useless!!!

The more pertinent question to ponder is how is it possible so many nurses after years of experience can practice nursing who remain solely task/skill oriented while in possession of the clinical acumen of a marmaset?

AutumnApple · Jul 9, 2016

Nursing tasks are defined as demonstrative competency of procedures meaning, they are step-by-step instructions and evaluated through hands-on measures; such things as making a bed, suctioning, simple wound care, inserting a NGT, even teach changes can be examples of nursing tasks; caregivers when there are not enough nursing hours approved my insurance end up doing these particular tasks and do so when there are no skilled nurses present; they are taught by nurses and evaluated on the information.
Nursing skills are evolving assets that transcend nursing specialty IMHO; anything that depends on the nursing process:assessment, diagnosing through then nursing model, critical thinking when deciding best interventions, evaluating the interventions and using different interventions to produce an outcome; honing how to be a patient educator and soft skills of communication are nursing skills; these assets set apart a nurse in conjunction with nursing procedures and can stand alone when not undertaking procedures.
Putting down suctioning as a nursing skill on a resume is extraneous because, these are merely procedures covered in nursing school and can be easily cleared through competency training; same thing with basic peripheral IV access can be cleared with competency training-although with IV skills, that is a whole other ball of wax because there are nurses who have a special skill set in terms of IV skills, competency, and even a specialty in which nursing skills are involved when establishing access; same thing with a complex wound, understanding a vent, etc; the more BASIC a procedure which could be taught by an unlicensed person, then that is a nursing task.

I liked your analogy and definitions.

I'd just like to add (supported by the parts I highlighted): For me, to keep things simple, it all boils down to critical thinking.

Tasks involve minimal or no critical thinking. For the most part, they are procedures that can be easily broken down into definite steps.

Skills involve a higher degree of critical thinking and tend to be things you really can't sit in a classroom and teach. Skills must be obtained and sharpened through experience (primarily).

This is why, when a nurse has not developed their critical thinking, we tend to call them "task oriented".

smartnurse1982 · Jul 28, 2016

Let's not over-think "skills vs. tasks." It's tantamount to the Medieval mental masturbation of Christian clerics trying estimate how many angels could fit through the head of a pin---useless!!!
The more pertinent question to ponder is how is it possible so many nurses after years of experience can practice nursing who remain solely task/skill oriented while in possession of the clinical acumen of a marmaset?

I can only think of my own field: Private duty nursing

There is very little "nursing skill" practiced,but tons of nursing tasks.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jul 28, 2016

I can only think of my own field: Private duty nursing
There is very little "nursing skill" practiced,but tons of nursing tasks.

I disagree with this.

In private duty nursing, I was CONSTANTLY using my KNOWLEDGE to assess, intervene and evaluate my kiddos based on interventions related to what their condition presented; I had to have knowledge of symptoms, developmental level, and also observe family dynamics and intervene appropriately.

Private duty, when done right encompasses nursing skills-and it kept me employed and my children thriving. :yes:

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jul 28, 2016

A task is something that can be taught to a layperson. They can suction, change a dressing, and even start an IV.

The professional nurse has the skill to know the rationale for treatments and medications, observe their effectiveness, and communicate with other disciplines if the plan of care is not cutting it.

In other words, we don't just do STUFF.

BonnieSc · Jul 28, 2016

I'd agree that listing "trach suction" as a nursing skill on a resume is redundant, because as the PP said, it's something that either most people learned in nursing school or any nurse can learn to do quickly. It doesn't pump up your resume at all.

However, if you work with trach patients on a daily or weekly basis, that's certainly worth mentioning, because you have a skill set that is rarer and that employers may be looking for. "Highly experienced in the care of patients with tracheostomies" or something like that. That nurse would be significantly skilled and experienced in all aspects of care: daily care like suctioning and trach site care, but also troubleshooting, assisting in replacement, patient education, trach site healing, etc.

Googlenurse, ASN, BSN, RN · Feb 11, 2023

Bumping this.