What do you learn in Fundamentals??

[newbie08]

I'm just curious what exactly you learn in Fundamentals of Nursing?? Is it how to use a stethoscope?? Or is it more about what you can and can't do as a nurse?? Or is it something else entirely??

Also, my orientation is August 14. In our letter, we were told that we would be going over the Nursing Student Manual. Is this something all nursing students learn about at orientation?? What is the Nursing Student Manual??

Thanks!!

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

The Nursing Student Manual is likely to be specific to your school. It will likely include what they expect from you re: behavior, uniform, code of ethics, attendance, etc. It will probably be very similar to the manual used in most other NS, although each school no doubt have their own pet "things".

Generally knowing how to use a stethascope, take blood pressures, etc is taught in some kind of a physical assessment class, although I guess this could be rolled into Fundamentals depending on your programme.

Fundamentals is basically the meat and bones of what nurses do, including clinical skills, as well as documentation, legal and ethical considerations etc.

I know you want to know everything NOW, but I am sure that your school will be able to fill you in on everthing you need/want to know when you arrive at orientation.

Good luck!

[premedturnednursing]

ours was a mixture of what you can and can't do as a nurse, an overview of body systems (like GI, cardio, etc.), a little bit of nursing theory, and A LOT of nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation)

It was a good course and I thoroughly enjoyed it!