RNSG 1105 Nursing Skills 1
Course Description:
RNSG 1105 NURSING SKILLS I (1-0-4).
Study of the concepts and principles essential for demonstrating competence in the
performance of nursing procedures. Topics include knowledge, judgment, skills, and
professional values within a legal/ethical framework
Prerequisites: MATH 1332 or MATH 1314 or MATH 1342; BIOL 2305 and BIOL 2102;
and BIOL 2420 or BIOL 2421.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course the student should be able to:
1. Describe concepts and principles that are basic to the safe performance of
nursing skills
2. Demonstrate competence in the performance of nursing procedures.
3. Communicate clearly the English language in speaking, reading and writing
during performance and evaluation of nursing procedures and simulated
nurse-patient interactions.
Module 1 – Introduction to RNSG 1105
1. Professionalism
2. Legal/ethical standards
3. ACC organizing framework
4. Skills: Cognitive, interpersonal, technical
5. The nursing process: Subjective/objective data, Assessment, Planning,
Nursing Diagosis, Implementation, and Evaluation
6. Procedures preparatory to skills
Module 2 - Medical asepsis/infection control
1. Chain of infection
2. Definition of medical asepsis: Hand-washing
3. Standard precautions
4. Category Specific Isolation precautions
a. Airborne
b. Droplet
c. Contact
d. Protective
5. Donning apparel
6. Infection control: Management of equipment
Module 3 – Communication and Documentation
1. Therapeutic nurse-patient relationship
2. Guidelines for healthcare communication
3. Documentation
Module 4 - Restraints
1. Definition and purposes
2. Types: Mechanical; chemical; environmental
3. Ethical/legal Guidelines
4. Complications and Safety
5. Documentation
Module 5 - Body mechanics; activity and mobility
1. Principles of body mechanics
2. Moving/transferring
3. Positioning
4. Ambulation
Module 6 - Range of motion
1. Principles
2. Types: Active; passive, active-assisted
3. Guidelines
4. ROM of major joints
Module 7 - Bedmaking
1. Concepts
2. Types: Unoccupied, occupied, surgical
3. Procedures
Module 8 - Personal hygiene
1. Bathing
a. Purpose
b. Types: Cleansing, therapeutic
c. Procedure
2. Perineal care
a. Procedure: Men; women
3. Elimination
a. Bedpan; urinal
b. Condom catheter
c. Procedures
4. Oral care
a. Assessment
b. Brushing
c. Denture care
5. Hair care
a. Grooming/Brushing/Combing
b. Shampooing
6. Shaving
7. Foot/nail care
8. Ear care
9. Eye care
10. Antiembolic prevention
a. Purpose
b. Assessment
c. Interventions: Exercise; stockings, sequentual compression devices
Module 9 - Vital signs
1. Body temperature
a. Temperature regulating systems: Radiation, conduction, evaporation,
convection
b. Temperature ranges
c. Methods of measuring: Rectal, axillary, tympanic, oral
d. Procedures
2. Pulse
a. Principle of cardiac output
b. Characteristics of pulse:
i. Rate, rhythm, quality, equality
ii. Factors affecting pulse
iii. Peripheral pulses
iv. Apical pulse
c. Procedures
3. Respirations: External, internal
a. Respiratory control
b. Characteristics of respirations:
i. Rate, rhythm, depth,effort
ii. Sounds: stridor, wheeze, stertor
iii. Patterns: Hyperventilation, hypoventilation, Cheyne-Stokes,
Kussmaul
c. Procedure
4. Blood pressure: Systolic, diastolic
a. Physiology: Cardiac output, peripheral vascular resistance, blood
volume, viscosity, elasticity
b. Factors affecting BP
c. Definition of hypertension, hypotension
d. Method of assessment
e. Procedure
Module 10 - Assisting the patient to eat
1. Preparation for mealtime
2. Assisting the patient to eat
3. Safety
4. Diets: Clear liquid, full liquid, soft, regular, diabetic, cardiac, low salt,
kidney, liver, gastrointestinal
Module 11 - Intake and output; height/weight
1. Purpose of assessment: I&O; height/weight
2. Method of measurement of I&O
3. Fluid intake and output items
4. Documentation
5. Guidelines for measurement of height and weight
Module 12 - Enema
1. Definition, purpose, mechanism of action
2. Type:
a. Cleansing /Soapsuds
b. Hypotonic/Hypertonic/Isotonic
c. Retention
3. Complications
4. Procedure
Module 13 - Respiratory assistive devices; oxygen therapy
1. Purpose of respiratory assistive devices
2. Interventions to maintain normal respirations:
a. Positioning, Turn, cough, and deep breath (T,C,DB),
b. incentive spirometer, percussion, postural drainage, oxygen therapy
3. Oxygen safety
4. Oxygen delivery: Flow meter, humidification, nasal cannula, face mask:
simple, partial rebreather, non-rebreather, Venturi
5. Oxygen saturation and pulse oximetry
Module 14 - Thermal therapy
1. Physiological response to heat and cold
a. Vasoconstriction
b. Vasodilation
c. Rebound phenomenon
2. Therapeutic uses of heat and cold
3. Contraindications
4. Complications
5. Guidelines and safety
Module 15 - Specimen collection
1. Urine specimens: Clean-catch, Sterile, 24 hour specimen, culture
2. Sputum specimens: culture, AFB
3. Stool specimens: Hemoccult, ova and parasites