During the nursing head-to-toe assessment, the nurse will be listening to the heart with a stethoscope. Auscultating the heart allows the nurse to assess the heart’s rhythm, rate, and sound of valve closure. The nurse will be assessing S1 and S2 while noting if there are any S1 and S2 splits or extra heart sounds […]
Clinical Nursing Skills and Techniques
Clinical nursing skills and techniques: Browse our article database below to find great tips and tutorials for a variety of nursing skills such as giving an injection, putting on sterile gloves, catheter insertion, and much more. These articles and included videos are written to help give practical advice and show common techniques to nursing students, as well as those interested in the nursing profession. These can be a great way to learn how common procedures are performed. If you would like to know more about nursing skills, visit our main nursing skills overview article. To view an individual skill, just browse the articles below.
Carotid Artery & Jugular Vessel Distention | Nursing Head-to-Toe Assessment
During the nursing head-to-toe assessment the nurse will assess the carotid artery and vessels of the neck for distention. This assessment is particularly important in middle-aged to older adults, especially those who have a history of cardiac disease. The nurse assesses for a bruit which can be a sign of atherosclerotic narrowing, the amplitude/contour of the […]
How to Check Vital Signs | Checking Vitals
Checking vitals is an essential skill nurses learn in nursing school. The vital signs assessment is performed routinely in all health care settings by both nurses and nursing assistants. Vital signs allow the nurse to know how well the patient is doing or responding to treatment. In this article, I will demonstrate how to check vitals […]
Achilles (Heel) Deep Tendon Reflex Assessment
As a nurse and nursing student, you will learn how to assess the deep tendon reflexes. In this article, I will discuss how to assess the achilles tendon reflex along with a video demonstration. The deep tendon reflex examination is part of the neuro assessment for the nursing head to toe assessment. This assessment is […]
Patellar (Knee) Deep Tendon Reflex Assessment
As a nurse and nursing student, you will learn how to assess the deep tendon reflexes. In this article, I will discuss how to assess the patellar tendon reflex along with a video demonstration. The deep tendon reflex examination is part of the neuro assessment for the nursing head to toe assessment. This assessment is […]
Biceps Deep Tendon Reflex Assessment
As a nurse and nursing student, you will learn how to assess the deep tendon reflexes. In this article, I will discuss how to assess the biceps tendon reflex along with a video demonstration. The deep tendon reflex examination is part of the neuro assessment for the nursing head to toe assessment. This assessment is usually […]
Brachioradialis Deep Tendon Reflex Assessment for Nurses & Nursing Students
As a nurse and nursing student, you will learn how to assess the deep tendon reflexes. In this article, I will discuss how to assess the brachioradialis tendon reflex along with a video demonstration. The deep tendon reflex examination is part of the neuro assessment for the nursing head to toe assessment. This assessment is […]
Triceps Deep Tendon Reflex Assessment for Nurses & Nursing Students
As a nurse and nursing student, you will learn how to assess the deep tendon reflexes. In this article, I will discuss how to assess the triceps tendon reflex along with a video demonstration. The deep tendon reflex examination is part of the neuro assessment. This assessment is usually conducted during the head-to-toe nursing assessment. […]
Tips for Drawing Blood | Nursing Students, New Nurses, & Phlebotomist
Are you having trouble drawing blood on patients? Need some tips on how to draw blood and be successful? I remember as a nursing student that I struggled with drawing blood. I always had trouble finding a vein and if I did find a vein I ended up missing it. However, after working as a […]
Question about Peri-care?
So this will probably seem like a really dumb question and that I’m over thinking things. I am a second-year nursing student and recently was assigned to a 91 year-old patient in the hospital, and I was helping her in the washroom. I know that we are taught to wipe from front to back to […]
How to Care for a Jackson-Pratt Drain as a Nursing Student & Nurse
This article will discuss how to care for a Jackson-Pratt Drain (JP Drain) as a nurse or nursing student. JP drains are commonly used in the health care setting. Therefore, it is important you know how to properly care for a patient with a Jackson-Pratt drain. What is a Jackson-Pratt Drain? A JP drain is a […]
What is F-DAR Charting? FDAR Charting Examples
As a nursing student and new nurse you will be required to chart in the FDAR format (the is usually the charting standard in most healthcare facilities) . So, what is F-DAR charting? What are examples of FDAR charting? FDAR stands for Focus (F), Data (D), Action (A), and Response (R ). It is a handy […]
What is the Best Way to Understand and Master a Patient’s Chart?
One of the things that are most daunting to learn as a nursing student or new nurse is how to understand all the material in a patient’s chart. The patient’s chart contains so much material and figuring out what is important for you to do your job as a nurse can be confusing. I recently […]
How to Use an A.E.D. in CPR on an Adult & Child | Automated External Defibrillator
When you take a CPR certification course (or re-certify) you have to demonstrate proper usage on how to use A.E.D. device. An A.E.D. device is an external defibrillator that will deliver an electrical shock to a victim’s heart to reset it. A victim’s heart rhythm would need to be “reset” if they were in a […]
Common Reasons People Miss Veins When Starting IVs & Drawing Blood
Most new nurses find that starting IVs and drawing blood can be a difficult task to perform at first. When I was a new nurse I had difficulty finding a vein to draw blood from and to start an IV in, and if I did find a vein I often missed it. This caused frustration […]
How to Complete a Nursing Care Plan for Clinical Exam
Hello Registered Nurse RN. Your website and Youtube videos are awesome, they are easy to follow and very helpful. I need help with care plans and am unsure where to post this to get your help, I could not find a place to ask, but if you can offer some advice for me for next week. […]
How to Take a Pulse | Taking a Pulse Clinical Nursing Skills
Patients may need to have their pulses taken for a variety of reasons. The most common reason patients have their pulses taken is because they have a medical illness, such as heart disease. Nurses must keep a record of their patients’ pulse rate to make sure that they are in good enough condition to take […]
How to Take a Blood Pressure using the Two-Step (2-Step) Method
The two-step method for taking a blood pressure is similar to the one-step manual blood pressure method, but requires that you take the blood pressure by feeling the brachial artery and then using a stethoscope. So, in a sense you will be taking the blood pressure twice using the same arm but with two methods. The 2-step […]
How to Take Blood Pressure Manually | Clinical Nursing Skills
Learn how to take a manual blood pressure! As a nurse it is essential you know how to take a manual blood pressure. The manual blood pressure reading is obtained with an aneroid sphygmomanometer, blood pressure cuff, and stethoscope. Once obtained, the nurse records it with the systolic reading (this is the first sound heard) […]
How can I start an IV without Rolling the Vein or Missing it?
I have a question about starting IVs. First off I would like to say thank you for the video on how to find a vein. I actually found this site from YouTube and so glad I did. Sarah you are awesome! I am reviewing all of your video through your channel, especially the dosage and […]
Tips for Drawing Blood
Question regarding drawing blood. Hello, my name is Nirut. I am a phlebotomist in training and I am planning to attend the nursing school, but right now I am having a hard time to keep my hand from shaking when drawing blood and I afraid that if this continue to goes on I won’t be fit […]
How to Start an IV | Starting an IV Clinical Nursing Skills
Registered nurses (RNs) learn in nursing school the nursing skill on how to start an IV. A nurse must learn the skill of starting an IV. This particular skill can help patients maintain their health so that they can get on with their lives after receiving medical treatment. Learning how to start an IV properly can extend […]
How to Set Up for an IV | Preparing to Start an IV
Before you start an IV, you have to collect and set-up your supplies. When you are new at starting IVs, gathering your supplies and knowing what to do with it can be challenging itself. There are some tips and tricks we want to share with you on how to set-up for an IV that may […]
How to Put on a Tourniquet When Drawing Blood or Starting an IV
As a nurse, you’ll be placing tourniquets on patient’s arms for tasks such as drawing blood, inserting IVs, and more. Therefore, it’s important to learn how to put on a tourniquet properly. The best method to start a tourniquet is to use the simple rubber tourniquet band provided in the IV gauge kit or blood drawing kit. […]
Different Types of IV Gauge Needles: 18, 20, and 22 Gauge Needles
One of the of the important things to know when starting an IV is the proper needle size to use. IV needles are sized by gauges, and the smaller the gauge number, the bigger the needle will be. In this article and video, I’ll discuss the three most common IV gauge needles you’ll encounter as a nurse: 18 […]
How to Find Veins When Starting an IV
One of the important skills you’ll be doing as a nursing student or new nurse is starting IVs. A lot of nursing students are very nervous when they insert their first IV, because finding veins can be difficult. If you don’t find the vein properly, you can miss it completely, causing frustration and pain to […]
What are Your First Semester of Clinicals in Nursing School Like?
What are your first semester of clinicals in nursing school like? That’s a great question that most nursing students ask. Nursing school clinicals are a great learning experience. They give you a taste of what nursing will be like and will help you realize if this is what you want to do with your life. […]
PICC Line Care | PICC Line Dressing Change Clinical Nursing Skills
Many patients require the use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) as they continue to heal. Doctors, nurse practitioners (or physicians assistants) insert PICC lines for patients who need IVs for a certain amount of time. These long lasting IVs are much better for patients than the traditional IVs. Nurses must make sure that the […]
How to Give an Enema | Enema Administration Clinical Nursing Skills
Nurses may have to give an enema as part of their nursing responsibilities. It is important nurses learn how to give an enema properly to prevent too much patient discomfort. Enema administration is virtually painless as long as an experienced nursing professional gives the enema with good nursing skills. The process is important for patients who need […]
Nursing Clinicals | What are Clinicals in Nursing School?
Clinicals: Overview and Definition Nursing Clinicals: What are clinicals in nursing school? That’s a great question many nursing students have upon being accepted into nursing school. You get clinical experience while you are in nursing school. Whether you are studying to be a LPN or RN, you have to go through nursing clinicals. At most […]