nursing skills validations

not now, RN · Nov 16, 2004

It depends. When we learn a skill in lab we are required to demonstrate it by the end of the day. If we can't we must stay after class to get it down. All lab activities have their own seperate check off. Then when we moved to actual patients there is a whole other list.

For example: I was checked off for catheterization in the lab on the model. I still haven't met that objective in the clinical setting. Since almost everyone else has inserted one in clinic those of us who haven't are "priority" if/when the situation arises.

There's only 15 of us so time is not really an issue.

All_Smiles_RN · Nov 16, 2004

At my school we have 3 attempts to pass the skill or else you are dropped from the program. They teach us the skill and we practice it in the lab for two or three days. Then we get tested. If you don't pass, they encourage you to attend a skills lab which are ran by students further along in the program. Then you get tested for your 2nd chance. If you don't pass again, you have to have 1-on-1 instruction with one of the clinical instructors. When you go for your third validation, two instructors will be present. Pass it or get dropped from the program.

Help is hard to get when you are practicing before the first validation because there are 30 of us needing assistance from 3 instructors. If you happen to not pass the first validation, help is much easier to get.

...Jennifer...

lil' girl, LPN · Nov 17, 2004

We get two chances, but we get one time being shown, and the rest is up to us. Example, tomorrow we will be shown injections, Thurs and Fri we will be checked off.