Claire Boyd - Care Skills for Nurses

CARE SKILLS
FOR NURSES

Student Survival Skills Series

Survive your nursing course with these essential guides for all student nurses:

Calculation Skills for Nurses
Claire Boyd
9781118448892

Medicine Management Skills for Nurses
Claire Boyd
9781118448854

Clinical Skills for Nurses
Claire Boyd
9781118448779

Care Skills for Nurses
Claire Boyd
9781118657386

This edition first published 2014
2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Boyd, Claire, author.
Care skills for nurses / Claire Boyd.
p. ; cm. (Student survival skills series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-118-65738-6 (pbk.: alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-118-65734-8 (mobi) ISBN 978-1-118-65736-2 (epub) ISBN 978-1-118-65737-9 (epdf) ISBN 978-1-118-75738-3 ISBN 978-1-118-75766-6
I. Title. II. Series: Student survival skills series.
[DNLM: 1. Nursing CaremethodsHandbooks. WY 49]
RT41
610.73dc23

2013024791

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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Cover image courtesy of Visual Philosophy
Chapter opener image: iStockphoto.com/kokouu
Cover design by Visual Philosophy

Preface

This book is designed to assist the student healthcare worker in 12 aspects of nursing that may be utilised in the hospital or community setting. It is designed to give a quick, snappy introduction to these skills in a non-threatening manner, allowing the reader to gain a brief understanding and overview. The aim is then to build on these skills.

Care and compassion are the two central themes running through this book, and due to their importance in the healthcare environment they are also the subject of the first chapter, which emphasises the importance of these key skills.

The book talks about patients but often uses the community terminology of service user as well. The paediatric nurse has not been forgotten, with information throughout incorporating this branch of nursing.

The book incorporates many exercises to check understanding, and is presented in a simple to follow step-by-step approach, ending with Test Your Knowledge exercises to relate learning to practice. The aim of this book is to start the individual on a journey through many healthcare-related exercises to help build confidence and competence: from day one to qualification, and beyond.

It has been compiled by quotes and tips from student nurses themselves: it is a book by students for students.

Claire Boyd

Bristol

May 2013

Introduction

Hello, my name is Claire and I am a Practice Development Trainer in a large NHS trust. I began my nurse training many years ago now, but still remember my first day on the wards and how scary it felt. In my very first placement I was sent to the neighbouring ward for a long stand. Thinking this was some sort of medical equipment, I duly obliged. I asked for the long stand and then waited, and waited, and waited, before realising I had been had and the brunt of my new co-workers joke. It seems that with increasing workloads many of us have lost our sense of humour, and according to recent press reports our capacity to care.

In my time as a nurse, if I was caring for a patient with a specific medical condition that I did not understand I would go to the university library to collect a book on the subject: no worldwide web at that time! Many of these books were informative, but they were too large and went into too much detail; in short, they were far too in-depth. I wanted a book I could carry around with me, to dip into, to gather the basic facts.

How I would have liked a small, snappy and clearly written book to help me to gain the information I needed, on the topics that I wanted to know about, enabling me to build my understanding. It is worth remembering, however, that although books can give the theory, the care aspect of nursing comes from within.

This book contains common nursing care activities that you may be required to perform, giving you the basics for use in your clinical placements. It treats those we are giving the care to the patients and service users in a holistic, compassionate and caring manner.