What procedures do you learn?

VannVann2008 · Apr 10, 2011

I am not in nursing school yet (fingers crossed for the ADN acceptance this semester) but in my Nursing Assistant II class, we do feeding tubes, cleaning trachs, starting and discontinuing IVs. osteomy care, catheters, suctioning(trachs, nasal, oral), wound care and irriations, sterile fields, fecal impactions. This was a great class to get exposed to some of the skills we have to maybe preform in nursing school. Hope I get in.

Rob27, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

I don't mean this to sound rude, but if you even have the ask that question then it may not be the correct field for you.

mangopeach · Apr 10, 2011

I don't mean this to sound rude, but if you even have the ask that question then it may not be the correct field for you.

I totally disagree!!! and sorry but I find that answer totally ridiculous.

How would one know what nurses do on a daily basis if they haven't been exposed to it, or researched and ask questions - as the OP is doing right now?

A lot of people know that nursing is about caring for the sick - thats all they know. They don't know the actual day to day activities that nurses do until they actually do some research or get to shadow a nurse. They don't fully understand what "caring" means. I'm in my first semester of nursing school, 1 person already dropped out because they now realize that nursing is not for them after they have gotten to see what nurses really do on a day to day basis.

OP, you should probably ask this question in the main nurses section. Call your local hospitals and see if they have shadowing programs. You can shadow a nurse for a shift and see what he/she does. I did that last year and it was such a fantastic experience.

As far as skills, its like anything else. Practice, Practice, Practice. In time you will get better and your confidence will go up. I gave my first subq injection in clinicals this week. I was sooooo nervous. My patient could tell since my hands were shaking so badly, and he even joked about it which actually put me at ease. Later that day when I had to give a second shot, I was less nervous. I have many more skills to learn and I know that it will take time to build up my confidence. The more you do it, the better you will become.

Skills that we've learned so far this semester- my first semester

Vital Signs

Sterile Dry Dressing Change

Administering Oral Meds

Administering SubQ Meds

Primary IV

This week we will start Foley Catheters

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

You will be doing things like starting IV lines, administering IV medicines, IV fluids, and blood products, oral medicines, and giving medicines through different types of shots. You will also do NG tubes and Foley catheters. You will do dressing changes, care for different surgical drains (like chest tubes, JP drains, Penrose drains, hemovacs, etc), you will suction endotracheal tubes and take care of tracheostomy tubes and sites. You take vital signs, do EKGs, do assessments, and do tons of charting. You will also have to do CPR during cardiac arrests. Nursing can be a very difficult field to work in, but it is very rewarding, and if you are interested you should give it a try.

Rob27, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

I totally disagree!!! and sorry but I find that answer totally ridiculous.

Well everyone certainly is entitled to their own opinion, that is merely mine. I wouldn't expect everyone to agree. I am perfectly fine with you disagreeing with it.

So, let me tell you what I find ridiculous. That would be for someone to apply to a major that they know little or nothing about or what would be expected of them through-out the program as well as the actual career. I have no problem with someone doing research, because Lord knows that's very important. I just think it would have been wise to do it...you know...before actually applying for the program. Not after.

I just feel like Nursing is something that you need to be dedicated to. The fact that she/he is already questioning if she/he even wants to do it or not before the first day of class even begins tells me she/he may not be totally invested in it. This is why I said if she/he has to ask someone that could be in another country about if she/he should do it or not, it problably wouldn't be the best field for them.

The OP wants to know if there is a chance for her to become "squeamish".

There are actually girls I know that have this television show idea of what nursing is like, and that they will just be playing with babies all day. If you have to ask if that's nursing or not, then once again, you probably need to pick another career field.

Like I said, Only my opinion.

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

I am not squeamish, well shoot I guess that isn't entirely true, I have my things that gross me out, but they aren't blood and bodily fluids. I do however have a very sensitive sense of smell, like abnormally, freakishly sensitive accompanied with a pretty strong gag reflex,(yet I picked nursing, I know I know). I have managed to get this far though. I can go in the school bathroom and start heaving, but in the hospital in front of a patient it's like my mind knows I can not do that. It would highly embarrass them and make them feel bad, so I am able to "mind over matter it" so far. Not to say I haven't gone in the patients bathroom while taking care of a GI Bleed and dabbed a little Peppermint Oil under my nose in between episodes.

Some people might never be able to get over their squeamishness, but I think if you focus on controlling it you can do it.

amynye · Jan 21, 2018

"There are actually girls I know that have this television show idea of what nursing is like, and that they will just be playing with babies all day. If you have to ask if that's nursing or not, then once again, you probably need to pick another career field."

You may be the most sexist nurse ever....