This Nursing Fundamentals textbook is an open educational resource with CC-BY licensing developed for entry-level nursing students. Content is based on the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) statewide nursing curriculum for the Nursing Fundamentals course (543-101), the 2019 NCLEX-RN Test Plan, the 2020 NCLEX-PN Test Plan, and the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act.

This book introduces the entry-level nursing student to the scope of nursing practice, various communication techniques, and caring for diverse patients. The nursing process is used as a framework for providing patient care based on the following nursing concepts: safety, oxygenation, comfort, spiritual well-being, grief and loss, sleep and rest, mobility, nutrition, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, and elimination. Care for patients with integumentary disorders and cognitive or sensory impairments is also discussed. Learning activities have been incorporated into each chapter to encourage students to use critical thinking while applying content to patient care situations.

The Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN) project is supported by a $2.5 million grant from the Department of Education. This book is available for free online and can also be downloaded in multiple formats for offline use. The online version is required for interaction with adaptive learning activities included in each chapter.

Contents

• Preface
• Standards & Conceptual Approach
• Chapter 1 Scope of Practice
  • 1.1. SCOPE OF PRACTICE INTRODUCTION
  • 1.2. HISTORY AND FOUNDATION
  • 1.3. REGULATIONS & STANDARDS
  • 1.4. HEALTH CARE SETTINGS & TEAM
  • 1.5. NURSING EDUCATION AND THE NCLEX
  • 1.6. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS & ETHICS
  • 1.7. PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
  • 1.8. QUALITY AND EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
  • 1.9. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • I. GLOSSARY
• Chapter 2 Communication
  • 2.1. COMMUNICATION INTRODUCTION
  • 2.2. BASIC COMMUNICATION CONCEPTS
  • 2.3. COMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS
  • 2.4. COMMUNICATING WITH HEALTH CARE TEAM MEMBERS
  • 2.5. DOCUMENTATION
  • 2.6. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 2.7. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • II GLOSSARY
• Chapter 3 Diverse Patients
  • 3.1. DIVERSE PATIENTS INTRODUCTION
  • 3.2. DIVERSE PATIENTS BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 3.3. PATIENT’S BILL OF RIGHTS
  • 3.4. CULTURAL COMPETENCE
  • 3.5. HEALTH DISPARITIES
  • 3.6. CULTURALLY SENSITIVE CARE
  • 3.7. CULTURAL ASSESSMENT
  • 3.8. CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE CARE
  • 3.9. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 3.10. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • 3.11. SUPPLEMENTARY VIDEOS
  • III GLOSSARY
• Chapter 4 Nursing Process
  • 4.1. NURSING PROCESS INTRODUCTION
  • 4.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 4.3. ASSESSMENT
  • 4.4. DIAGNOSIS
  • 4.5. OUTCOME IDENTIFICATION
  • 4.6. PLANNING
  • 4.7. IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERVENTIONS
  • 4.8. EVALUATION
  • 4.9. SUMMARY OF THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 4.10. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • IV GLOSSARY
• Chapter 5 Safety Introduction
  • 5.1. SAFETY INTRODUCTION
  • 5.2. BASIC SAFETY CONCEPTS
  • 5.3. SAFETY STRATEGIES
  • 5.4. CULTURE OF SAFETY
  • 5.5. NATIONAL PATIENT SAFETY GOALS
  • 5.6. PREVENTING FALLS
  • 5.7. RESTRAINTS
  • 5.8. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN
  • 5.9. ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
  • 5.10. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 5.11. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • V GLOSSARY
• Chapter 6 Cognitive Impairments
  • 6.1. COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENTS INTRODUCTION
  • 6.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 6.3. ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
  • 6.4. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 6.5. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 6.6. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • VI GLOSSARY
• Chapter 7 Sensory Impairments
  • 7.1. SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS INTRODUCTION
  • 7.2. SENSORY IMPAIRMENTS BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 7.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 7.4. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 7.5. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • VII GLOSSARY
• Chapter 8 Oxygenation
  • 8.1. OXYGENATION INTRODUCTION
  • 8.2. OXYGENATION BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 8.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 8.4. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 8.5. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • VIII GLOSSARY
• Chapter 9 Infection
  • 9.1. INFECTION INTRODUCTION
  • 9.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 9.3. NATURAL DEFENSES AGAINST INFECTION
  • 9.4. INFECTION
  • 9.5. TREATING INFECTION
  • 9.6. PREVENTING INFECTION
  • 9.7. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 9.8. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 9.9. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • IX GLOSSARY
• Chapter 10 Integumentary
  • 10.1. INTEGUMENTARY INTRODUCTION
  • 10.2. INTEGUMENTARY BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 10.3. WOUNDS
  • 10.4. PRESSURE INJURIES
  • 10.5. BRADEN SCALE
  • 10.6. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 10.7. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 10.8. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • X GLOSSARY
• Chapter 11 Comfort
  • 11.1. COMFORT INTRODUCTION
  • 11.2. COMFORT BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 11.3. PAIN ASSESSMENT METHODS
  • 11.4. PAIN MANAGEMENT
  • 11.5. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 11.6. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 11.7. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XI GLOSSARY
• Chapter 12 Sleep and Rest
  • 12.1. SLEEP & REST INTRODUCTION
  • 12.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 12.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 12.4. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 12.5. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XII GLOSSARY
• Chapter 13 Mobility
  • 13.1. MOBILITY INTRODUCTION
  • 13.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 13.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 13.4. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 13.5. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XIII GLOSSARY
• Chapter 14 Nutrition
  • 14.1. NUTRITION INTRODUCTION
  • 14.2. NUTRITION BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 14.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 14.4. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 14.5. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XIV GLOSSARY
• Chapter 15 Fluids and Electrolytes
  • 15.1. FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES INTRODUCTION
  • 15.2. BASIC FLUID AND ELECTROLYTE CONCEPTS
  • 15.3. INTRAVENOUS SOLUTIONS
  • 15.4. ELECTROLYTES
  • 15.5. ACID-BASE BALANCE
  • 15.6. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 15.7. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 15.7. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 5.8. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XV GLOSSARY
• Chapter 16 Elimination
  • 16.1. ELIMINATION INTRODUCTION
  • 16.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 16.3. URINARY TRACT INFECTION
  • 16.4. URINARY INCONTINENCE
  • 16.5. URINARY RETENTION
  • 16.6. CONSTIPATION
  • 16.7. DIARRHEA
  • 16.8. BOWEL INCONTINENCE
  • 16.9. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 16.10. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 16.11. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XVI GLOSSARY
• Chapter 17 Grief and Loss
  • 17.1. GRIEF AND LOSS INTRODUCTION
  • 17.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 17.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS TO GRIEF
  • 17.4. PALLIATIVE CARE MANAGEMENT
  • 17.5. NURSING CARE DURING THE FINAL HOURS OF LIFE
  • 17.6. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS AT END OF LIFE
  • 17.7. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 17.8. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XVII GLOSSARY
• Chapter 18 Spirituality
  • 18.1. SPIRITUALITY INTRODUCTION
  • 18.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 18.3. COMMON RELIGIONS AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
  • 18.4. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 18.5. SPIRITUAL CARE OF SELF
  • 18.6. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
  • 18.7. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XVIII GLOSSARY
• Chapter 19 Care of the Older Adult
  • 19.1. CARE OF THE OLDER ADULT INTRODUCTION
  • 19.2. BASIC CONCEPTS
  • 19.3. APPLYING THE NURSING PROCESS
  • 19.4. LEARNING ACTIVITIES
  • XIX GLOSSARY
• Answer Key
• Appendix A: Sample NANDA-I Diagnoses
• Appendix B: Template for Creating a Nursing Care Plan
• Appendix C: Sample Abbreviated Care Plan for Scenario C