This course provides a thorough review of critical nursing concepts and practical skills for both students and practicing nurses. It begins with basic nursing procedures, including temperature measurement (oral, rectal, ear, axillary, skin, temporal), hand hygiene, and vital signs assessment. Pediatric nursing topics include congenital heart defects like Tetralogy of Fallot, Ventricular and Atrial Septal Defects, and Transposition of the Great Arteries, with interventions and NCLEX-focused care. Maternity nursing is covered through fundal height measurement, fetal circulation, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia/eclampsia, and labor assessments. Critical care topics include ARDS, shock types (hypovolemic, cardiogenic, septic, neurogenic, anaphylactic), preload/afterload management, and pharmacologic interventions such as dopamine, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, loop, thiazide, and potassium-sparing diuretics. Skills in mobility devices (crutches, cane, walker) and surgical care (T-tube, tube feeding) are included. The course also reviews lab interpretation (CBC, CMP, PT/INR, aPTT, D-Dimer), disaster triage, and COVID-19 management. By the end of this course, nurses will have a comprehensive understanding of assessments, treatments, pharmacology, and critical thinking skills necessary for safe, effective care and NCLEX success.
