If you desire a career that involves helping the sick or injured, registered nursing may be your calling. Becoming a registered nurse (RN) is a challenging but rewarding path. Every moment of your workday is devoted to helping your patients. You will feel fulfilled in your heart and your career, and will have constant opportunities to grow — both professionally and personally.

There are many types of nurses, each with different roles and responsibilities. A nurse may work as a primary caregiver to patients, in an emergency room, or even as part of a surgical team. They may work with children, the elderly, or any age in between. No matter where your path may go in the future, you must start at step one. You must be well-versed in the fundamentals of nursing – the basic principles and procedures required in the nursing field.

If you are considering becoming a nurse, you may have already considered the core values of nurses today. But what about the fundamentals of nursing, and what will be required of you during your coursework? Read on, as we break down these fundamentals of nursing that you must know before launching this new and exciting career.

Four Fundamentals of Nursing

1. Assessment Once a patient checks into a hospital or healthcare facility, a nurse must perform an assessment to understand the circumstances of the patient and the patient’s condition. This initial assessment can be a matter of life or death in some circumstances, especially when it comes to performing a diagnosis. Which leads us to our next nursing fundamental…
2. Diagnosis Once the assessment is complete, a simple diagnosis may be given to the patient. A nurse may need to interview the patient for further information, to be able to diagnose the patient properly. A doctor may follow up and confirm the nurse’s diagnosis officially, but the nurse is often the one sharing the assessment and diagnosis to the doctor ahead of time.
3. Care Plan Once the diagnosis is given, a nurse must come up with a plan on how to care for the patient. That plan must be consistent with the assessment and its aligning diagnosis.
4. Medical Intervention If a patient needs further diagnosis or assessment, a nurse may be able to call upon the services of a doctor. This assures the patient that the initial medical attention has the support of another medical professional.

Fundamentals in Nursing Covered at Goodwin

Of course, these aforementioned fundamentals of nursing will be covered at a competent, credible nursing school. At Goodwin University, for example, we offer the following nursing courses to help hone students’ basic nursing skills. These will prove valuable for aspiring nurses now, and once they are unleashed onto the hospital floor.

Nursing 100 – Nursing Skill Development
This course offers fundamental skills for nursing practice. It focuses on human beings and their responses to the environment. There is special focus on:

• Basic communication skills
• Client physical and psychosocial assessment
• Specific nursing skills related to nursing interventions

Additionally, clinical experiences are provided in the nursing lab and in non-acute client care settings.

Nursing 110 – Adults and the Wellness Continuum I
This course offers students experiences in the care of adult patients. The focus here is on adults with health problems related to:

• Nutrition
• Fluid and electrolyte balance
• Oxygenation
• Elimination
• Cardiac function
• Surgical procedures

Nursing 210 – Families and the Wellness Continuum
This course introduces students to the concept of family-centered care. The focus here is on nursing care provided through the childbearing stages of life. Students learn to use the nursing process to:

• Promote and maintain health
• Prevent altercations in healthcare status
• Restore clients to previous levels of wellness

Nursing 220 – Integration of Nursing Practice: Adults with Complex Health Problems
The culminating course teaches students about care for adult patients experiencing complex health issues. Some of these health issues relate to:

• Neurological health
• Sepsis
• Cancer
• Multi-system failure
• Mental Health
• Trauma

Bioterrorism and emergency preparedness are also covered in this course.

Learning the Fundamentals of Nursing

A degree from a career-focused nursing school instills the knowledge and skills required for successful nurses of the future. It also helps them throughout their careers, which can be incredibly rewarding and fulfilling.

These fundamentals of nursing are the basic, day-to-day duties that a nurse must perform for his or her patients. There are many other tasks involved in a nurse’s work day, particularly depending on the type of nursing level, but these are the basics that must be mastered — at all levels — in order to save lives. The important work of a nurse, from assessment to diagnosis, can be the difference of life and death. It is critical that nurses today be equipped with the right set of skills to master their practice.

If you are interested in pursuing a rewarding career in nursing, reach out to Goodwin University today. Call 1-800-889-3282 or visit us online to request more information.