Critical Elements for Skills Assessment
Health and Illness I – Nursing G130
Assessing Blood Pressure by Auscultation - Skill 2-7
1. Perform hand hygiene prior to assessing the patient’s blood pressure.
2. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least two identifiers.
3. Correctly measuring the systolic and diastolic blood pressure within + 4
mm Hg accuracy.
Physical Assessment
1. Refer to the ** items on the physical assessment form as those are the
critical elements needed to pass the assessment.
PO Medication Assessment – Skill 5-1
1. Check the MAR against the MD’s original order to verify that the order
was correctly transcribed.
2. Consider and perform the “Rights of Medication Administration”.
3. Check the chart for patient allergies.
4. Perform hand hygiene upon entering medication room.
5. Perform the first two medication checks (1st check – Check the
medication label when you reach for and select the medication from the
cassette or drawer. 2nd check – Double check the medication selected
from the cassette or drawer to the MAR).
6. Go to patient’s room and perform hand hygiene.
7. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least 2 identifiers. Item 15.
8. Question patient about and verify any allergies.
9. Explain the purpose and action of each medication you are
administering. Item 16.
10. Perform the 3rd check – Check the medication against the MAR at the
patient’s bedside before administering it.
11. Administer the medication. Items 16-23.
SQ Medication Assessment – Skill 5-7
1. Check the MAR against the MD’s original order to verify that the order
was correctly transcribed.
2. Consider and perform the “Rights of Medication Administration”.
3. Check the chart for patient allergies.
4. Perform hand hygiene upon entering medication room. Item 3.
5. Perform the first two medication checks (1st check – Check the
medication label when you reach for and select the medication from the
cassette or drawer. 2nd check – Double check the medication selected
from the cassette or drawer to the MAR prior to preparing it).
6. Go to patient’s room and perform hand hygiene.
7. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least 2 identifiers. Item 15.
8. Question patient about and verify any allergies. Explain the purpose
and action of each medication you are administering. Item 17.
9. Perform the 3rd check – Check the medication against the MAR at the
patient’s bedside before administering it.
10. Perform all steps of the injection. Items 20-35.
11. Follow safe needle recapping handling according to OSHA (never recap
used needle, one handed needle scoop to recap unused needle).
IM Medication Assessment – Skill 5-8
1. Check the MAR against the MD’s original order to verify that the order
was correctly transcribed.
2. Consider and perform the “Rights of Medication Administration”.
3. Check the chart for patient allergies.
4. Perform hand hygiene upon entering medication room. Item 3.
5. Perform first two medication checks (1st check – Check the medication
label when you reach for and select the medication from the cassette or
drawer. 2nd check – Double check and compare the medication selected
from the cassette or drawer to the MAR prior to preparing it.)
6. Go to patient’s room and perform hand hygiene.
7. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least 2 identifiers. Item 15.
8. Inquire about and verify patient allergies. Explain the purpose and
action of each medication you are administering. Item 17.
9. Perform 3rd check – Check the medication against the MAR at the
patient’s bedside before administering it.
10. Perform all steps of the injection. Items 20-35.
11. Follow safe needle recapping handling according to OSHA (never recap
used needle, one handed needle scoop to recap unused needle).
Inserting a Nasogastric Tube – Skill 13-8
1. Verify the medical order for insertion of an NG tube. Gather
equipment, including selecting the appropriate NG tube. Item 1.
2. Check the patient’s chart for allergies.
3. Go to patient’s room and perform hand hygiene. Item 2.
4. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least 2 identifiers. Item 3.
5. Inquire about and verify patient allergies. Explain the procedure to the
patient, including the rationale for why the NG tube is needed. Answer
questions the patient has before proceeding. Item 4.
6. Perform all steps of the procedure. Items 6–18.
Medication Administration Via Gastric Tube – Skill 5-2
1. Check the MAR against the MD’s original order to verify that the order
was correctly transcribed.
2. Consider and perform the “Rights of Medication Administration”.
3. Check the patient’s chart for allergies.
4. Perform the first two medication checks (1st check – Check the
medication label when you reach for and select the medication from the
cassette or drawer. 2nd check – Double check and compare medication
selected from the cassette or drawer to the MAR).
5. Gather equipment.
6. Check the chart for patient allergies. Items 1 & 2.
7. Perform hand hygiene. Item 3.
8. Prepare medications, verifying the ability to crush tablets or open
capsules. Items 6-10. (If you need to crush pills, wait until 3rd check
done at bedside before crushing.)
9. Proceed to patient’s room and perform hand hygiene. Item 16.
10. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least 2 identifiers. Item 17.
11. Verify patient allergies with patient (inquiry and checking allergy band).
Explain the purpose and action of each medication you are
administering. Item 18.
12. Perform the 3rd check of the three medication checks (3rd – check the
medication with the MAR at the bedside. If pills need to be crushed,
proceed to crush using pill crusher after completing 3rd check).
13. Perform all steps of the procedure. Items 21-32.
Female Urinary Catheterization Skill
1. Refer to the check-list as posted in Canvas. All items are critical
elements. Procedure must be completed in 15 minutes.
Changing an IV Solution Container & Administration Set Skill 15 – 2
1. Verify order and check chart for patient allergies.
2. Consider and perform the “Rights of Medication Administration”.
3. Perform the first two medication checks (1st check – Check the IV label
when you reach for and select the IV fluid. 2nd check – Double check
and compare the IV fluid selected to the MAR).
4. Gather additional IV tubing equipment if necessary. Item 1.
5. Go to patient’s room and perform hand hygiene and provide privacy.
6. Identify the patient (i.e. name, DOB, identification record number) using
at least 2 identifiers.
7. Assess IV site and check IV tubing expiration date/time.
8. Perform 3rd check – Check the IV solution against the MAR at the
bedside before administering it.
9. Maintain aseptic technique when opening sterile packages and IV
solution. Item 7.
10. Perform all steps of changing the IV solution container. Items 8-13.
11. Perform all steps of changing the IV solution container and
administration set. Items 15-20
12. Regularly return to check flow rate and observe IV site for infiltration
and/or other complications at least hourly and prn sooner.
13. Ask the patient to report if he/she is experiencing any pain or discomfort
related to the IV infusion. Item 25.
Administering a IV Piggyback (IVPB) Intermittent IV Infusion of Medication Skill
5 – 12
1. Check the MAR against the MD’s original order to verify that the order
was correctly transcribed.
2. Consider and perform the “Rights of Medication Administration”.
3. Check the patient’s chart for allergies.
4. Perform hand hygiene upon entering medication room.
5. Perform the first two medication checks (1st check – Check the
medication label when you reach for and select the medication from the
cassette or drawer. 2nd check – Check and compare the medication
selected from the cassette or drawer to the MAR prior to preparing it).
6. Gather additional IV equipment as needed.
7. Perform hand hygiene upon entering patient’s room and provide privacy.
8. Identify the patient using a minimum of 2 methods (first and last name,
DOB, identification number on the ID band).
9. Assess the IV site for the presence of inflammation, infection, and/or
infiltration. Item 19.
10. If IVPB tubing is already present, check expiration date of tubing.
11. Perform 3rd check – Check the medication against the MAR at the
patient’s bedside before administering it.
12. Perform all steps of the procedure. Items 20-32.
13. Return to check flow rate and observe IV site for infiltration and/or other
complications within 10 -15 minutes after starting infusion, and at least
hourly thereafter. Ask the patient to report if he/she experiences any
pain or discomfort related to the IV. Item 32.