What do you do in labs?

[Ted D]

What I'm wondering is what labs are like in nursing school. Do pretty much all upper level classes have a lab component? What sort of material do you cover in them? Just a real broad scope would help me understand much better, thanks!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I am sure not all schools are the same, but in my school we really only have regular labs the first two semesters. It is where we practice our nursing skill set, such as taking vitals, doing wound care, starting IVs, placing catheters, passing meds and etc etc etc. We also have a simulation lab that is used all four semesters and is really awesome. We have "robotic" patients we care for....they are called high definition mannequins. They have vital signs, talk, blink, cry, vomit, you name it. We are video taped caring for them and then the tape is reviewed with the instructor and we critique together how we did. It is pretty awesome.

[cnmbfa]

Because there is so much to learn, we spread it out and have a skill lab nearly every quarter beginning in sophmore year. We try to match the content with the topics they are learning about in lecture, and the complexity of the skills grows over time. We also begin simulations as sophomores. The students get lots of help with early ones, but by Senior year, the simulations focus on complex, high-risk cases.

The start with things like vital signs and safely ambulaing someone. By the end, skills-wise they are learning how to care for someone on a vent, or with an ICP monitor, etc.

[cnmbfa]

I misspelled a word. Should be Sophomore, not sophmore.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

Generally hands-on stuff...from what I remember:

ROM, ambulation, pt transfers, AM care (how to give a bed bath, etc), vital signs, how to give injections, dressing changes (sterile and non-sterile), IV insertion/venipuncture, trach suctioning/care, suctioning an ETT, central lines, foley cath insertion, NG tube insertion, how to swaddle an infant (lol OB)...as well as scenarios with mannequins which helps us hone on our assessment and critical thinking skills.