Skills I learned Session 1 of Nursing Program
The ABSN program is 1 year, three semesters, and each semester is divided into two sessions. After session 1 (8 weeks), here’s what I can do.
✨Head to Toe Assessment
Performing the head to toe Assessment was a main priority this session. The first two weeks we covered clinical requirements and vitals signs, and each week after, we learned a new section. We started with respiratory, then cardiac, then skin, then neuro, and the final week we performed the HTT for our lab final.
✨Implement Falls, Skin, Aspiration, and Seizure Precautions
Assessing falls and skin breakdown is part of the assessment, but we spent so much time talking about the Morse Fall Scale and Braden Assessment, they felt like they deserved their own note
✨Maybe insert a Catheter?
We practiced lab skills on mannequins, so in theory, I can insert a male and female catheter and flush an IV, but I haven’t done it at clinical yet, so we shall see.
Two more finals until the session is officially over! ✌️
#nursingschool #semester1 #collegediary #nurse #healthcarestudent
Wow, what a whirlwind Session 1 of my ACCELERATED NURSING PROGRAM has been! It’s truly intense, but incredibly rewarding to see how quickly we're diving into core nursing skills. I remember walking in on day one feeling a bit overwhelmed, but now, just eight weeks later, I feel so much more confident in understanding the essential basics. One of the biggest takeaways from this first session was mastering the Head to Toe Assessment. It's more than just a checklist; it's about systematically gathering information competence to truly define health assessment in nursing. We broke it down week by week – from respiratory to cardiac, then skin, and neuro. I found myself thinking about all the tiny but crucial details, like learning to palpate frontal sinuses correctly. It’s all about building a comprehensive picture of the patient's health, which is so fundamental for any nurse. I can already see how this assessment forms the backbone of essential for living quick assessment in a clinical setting. Beyond the head-to-toe, a huge focus was on patient safety, specifically implementing fall, skin, aspiration, and seizure precautions. Learning the nuances of tools like the Morse Fall Scale and Braden Assessment wasn't just about memorizing criteria; it was about understanding the nurse skill requirements for proactive patient care. It really opened my eyes to the responsibilities we'll have. My instructors always emphasized that each week members learn one skill, practice it together, and end with a simple plan to implement during the week, and it's so true. This structured approach helps bridge the gap between theory and practice, even if we are still working with mannequins! Speaking of practice, that's where things get really interesting. We've spent hours in the lab practicing skills like catheter insertion and IV flushing. It’s one thing to read about nasogastric tube insertion nursing responsibilities or the steps for an intradermal injection, but it’s another thing entirely to physically perform these actions, even on a dummy. There’s a certain thrill (and a little bit of anxiety!) knowing that soon these will be real patients. We even had a session troubleshooting equipment, like what to do if a sphygmomanometer needle not moving – those practical tips are gold! Looking ahead, I know we still have so much to learn, from deeper dives into specific assessments like the NIHSS level 1 (I'm bracing myself for those Quizlets!) to understanding broader frameworks like the 14 basic needs nursing theory. This ACCELERATED pace means constant learning and adapting, but the journey to becoming a nurse feels more real than ever. It's truly exciting to see these basic nursing skills examples come to life. My advice to anyone starting an ABSN or any NURSING PROGRAM is to embrace every practice session and ask all the questions!
