Revised 8/2020

NSG 106 - Competencies for Nursing Practice (2 CR.)

Course Description

Focuses on the application of concepts through clinical skill development. Emphasizes the use of clinical judgment in skill acquisition. Includes principles of safety, evidence-based practice, informatics and math computational skills. Prepares students to demonstrate competency in specific skills and drug dosage calculation including the integration of skills in the care of clients in simulated settings. Provides supervised learning experiences in college nursing laboratories, clinical/community settings, and/or simulated environments. Lecture 1 hour. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 4 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to teach novice students the basic nursing skills needed to care for clients in the clinical setting.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites: MTE 1-5 and BIO 141 and BIO 142 or BIO 231 and 232. ENG 111, PSY 230, SDV 101 or 100

Co-requisites: BIO 150 or BIO205, NSG 100 and NSG 130, NSG 200

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

  • Demonstrate the use of therapeutic communication, caring behaviors and client self-determination in the implementation of clinical skills in the lab setting.
  • Report patient safety issues and risks related to skill completion in a laboratory setting.
  • Demonstrate clinical judgment in the performance of nursing skills.
  • Demonstrate professionalism and professional behaviors.
  • Compute drug dosage calculations with 90% accuracy.
  • Perform required skills safely and accurately.
  • Identify the principles of safe medication administration.
  • Identify the safety practices necessary for medication preparation and administration.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Safety
    • Fall precautions
    • Restraints
  • Infection
    • Hand hygiene
    • Personal protective equipment
    • Sterile gloving and sterile fields
  • Mobility
    • Proper body mechanics
    • Patient transfers
    • Patient positioning
    • Use of assistive mobility devices
    • Range of motion
  • Functional Ability
    • Hygiene care
  • Tissue Integrity
    • Wound care
    • Removal of sutures and staples
    • Heat and cold application
  • Elimination
    • Insertion and maintenance of urinary catheter
      • Anatomical alterations that impact catheter insertion such as genital mutilation
    • Bladder irrigation
    • Bed pan, urinal, and commode
    • Intake and output
    • Specimen collection
    • Enemas
    • Rectal tubes
    • Colostomy appliances
  • Gas Exchange
    • Coughing and deep breathing
    • Incentive spirometry
    • Oxygen delivery equipment
    • Artificial airways
    • Suctioning: oral
    • Specimen collection
  • Nutrition
    • Feeding clients
    • Aspiration precautions
    • Nasogastric (NG) tube care, insertion and care, irrigation, and suction
    • PEG tube care
    • Enteral feedings via NG or PEG
    • Blood glucose monitoring
  • Pharmacology Principles
    • Medication Administration
    • Drug Dosage Calculations: conversions, oral and parenteral dosage calculations
    • Conversion
    • Medication orders and abbreviations
    • Solid and liquid dose calculations
    • Syringe measurements
    • Reconstitution
    • Safe dose range: (across the lifespan)
    • Injectable mediation calculations
    • Insulin calculations
    • Heparin subcutaneous calculations
    • Military time
    • Weight based oral and injectable calculations
    • Administration of oral, topical, and parenteral medications (Subcutaneous, intramuscular, intradermal)
    • Needle safety