Essential Nursing Skills

Clinical skills for caring

Maggie Nicol, BSc(Hons) MSc PGDipEd RGN, Director, Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, School of Community & Health Sciences, City University, London, UK
Carol Bavin, RGN, RM, Dipn(Lond), RCNT, Lecturer, St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery, City University, London, UK
Patricia Cronin, RGN, BSc(Hons), MSc(Nursing), DipN(Lond), Lecturer in Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland
Karen Rawlings-Anderson, RGN, BA(Hons), MSc(Nursing), DipNEd, Senior Lecturer, St Bartholomew School of Nursing & Midwifery, City University, London, UK
Elaine Cole, BSc, MSc, PgDipEd, RGN, Senior Lecturer Emergency and Trauma Care, City University, London, UK
Janet Hunter

As a nursing student you will have learnt lots of nursing theory and research - but how do you translate this into practice and apply it to the skills you need? Where do you start? What steps should be carried out and in what order? What should you do afterwards?

Essential Nursing Skills answers these questions for over 130 clinical skills. Each one is explained from start to finish, using a step-by-step approach, with clear illustrations and colour photographs to enhance understanding.

Small enough to carry with you and specifically designed and written to aid learning, this book is invaluable for nurses across all fields.

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Paperback, 432 Pages

Published: August 2012

Imprint: Mosby

ISBN: 978-0-7234-3694-2

1 Infection prevention and control
1.1 Standard precautions
1.2 Aseptic non touch technique (ANTT)
1.3 Hand washing 1.4 Use of masks
1.5 Use of aprons
1.6 Use of gloves (non-sterile)
1.7 Disposal of waste and care of equipment
1.8 Taking a swab
1.9 Isolation (barrier nursing)
2 Observation and monitoring
2.1 Temperature recording - oral & axillary
2.2 Electronic thermometer - oral & axillary
2.3 Temperature recording: Tympanic membrane thermometer
2.4 Cooling the patient
2.5 Pulse recording
2.6 Assessment of breathing and counting respirations
2.7 Blood pressure recording
2.8 Cardiac monitoring
2.9 Recording a 12-lead ECG
2.10 Assessment of level of consciousness
2.11 Weighing patients
2.12 Measuring waist circumference
2.13 Measuring height
2.14 Care of the patient having a seizure
2.15 Neurovascular assessment
2.16 Blood glucose monitoring
2.17 Pain assessment
2.18 Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and epidural analgesia
2.19 Assessment of the deteriorating patient
2.20 Measuring capilliary refill time
3 Resuscitation
3.1 Assessment of collapsed person and recovery position 3.2 Basic life support with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 3.3 Ward-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation 3.4 Automated external defibrillator (AED)
4 Vascular access and intravenous therapy
4.1 Venepuncture 4.2 Intravenous cannulation 4.3 Preparing an infusion 4.4 Changing an infusion bag 4.5 Regulation of flow rate 4. 6 Care of peripheral cannula site 4.7 Visual infusion phlebitis (VIP) score 4.8 Removal of peripheral cannula 4.9 Care of arterial line 4.10 Intravenous pumps and syringe drivers 4.11 Central venous catheters: care of the site 4.12 Central venous pressure measurement 4.13 Removal of central venous catheters 4.14 Care of long term central venous catheters
5 Blood transfusion
5.1 Blood transfusion 5.2 Care and management of a transfusion
6 Nutrition and hydration
6.1 Nutritional assessment
6.2 Assisting adults with eating and drinking 6.3 Nausea and vomiting 6.4 Subcutaneous fluids (hyperdermoclysis) 6.5 Nasogastric tube insertion 6.6 Nasogastric feeding 6.7 Care of gastrostomy site 6.8 Feeding via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)/radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG)
7 Medicines management
7.1 Storage of medicines 7.2 Self-administration of medicines 7.3 Drug calculations 7.4 Principles of administration of medicines 7. 5 Oral route 7.6 Nasogastric route 7.7 Controlled drugs 7.8 Subcutaneous injection 7.9 Intramuscular injection 7.10 Intravenous drug administration 7.11 Instillation of nose drops/ nasal spray 7.12 Instillation of ear drops 7.13 Instillation of eye drops or ointment 7.14 Topical application 7.15 Vaginal preparations 7.16 Administration of suppositories 7.17 Respiratory route - metered dose inhaler 7.18 Variable dose intravenous infusions
8 Elimination
8.1 Observation of faeces 8.2 Obtaining a specimen of faeces 8.3 Administration of an enema 8.4 Assisting with a bedpan 8.5 Assisting with a commode 8.6 Assisting with a urinal 8.7 Monitoring fluid balance 8.8 Observation of urine 8.9 Application of a penile sheath 8.10 Urinalysis 8.11 Midstream specimen of urine 8.12 Catheter specimen of urine 8.13 24-hour urine collection 8.14 Early morning urine specimen 8.15 Female catheterisation 8.16 Male catheterisation 8.17 Urethral catheter care 8.18 Care of suprapubic catheter 8.19 Emptying a catheter bag 8.20 Continuous bladder irrigation 8.21 Bladder washout/lavage 8.22 Catheter removal 8.23 Stoma care 8.24 Changing a stoma bag
9 Peri-operative Care
9.1 Wound assessment
9.2 Aseptic dressing technique
9.3 Removal of skin closures: sutures/staples
9.4 Wound drainage
9.5 Changing a vacuum drainage bottle
9.6 Removal of wound drain
9.7 Topical negative pressure wound therapy
9.8 Peri-operative care
10 Patient hygiene
10.1 Assisting with a bath or shower
10.2 Bed bath
10.3 Oral assessment
10.4 Mouth care for a dependent patient
10.5 Facial shave
10.6 Washing hair in bed
10.7 Eye care
10.8 Caring for fingernails and toenails
10.9 Last offices
11 Respiratory care
11.1 Assessment of breathing and counting respirations
11.2 Positioning the breathless patient
11.3 Face masks and nasal cannulae
11.4 Humidified oxygen
11.5 Use of nebuliser
11.6 Peak expiratory flow rate
11.7 Pulse oximetry (oxygen saturation)
11.8 Observation of sputum
11.9 Obtaining a sputum specimen
11.10 Oral suctioning
11.11 Care of a tracheostomy
11.12 Tracheal suctioning
11.13 Insertion and management of chest drains
11.14 Chest drain removal
11.15 Non-invasive ventilation
12 Reduced mobility
12.1 Principles of moving and handling
12.2 Risk assessment of pressure ulcers
12.3 Prevention of pressure ulcers
12.4 Complications of immobility
12.5 Fitting anti embolism stockings
12.6 Falls prevention

Essential Nursing Skills

Clinical skills for caring

Contents