Fundamentals of Nursing

The Fundamentals of Nursing tackle components of nursing that are pervasive in every other field and application of nursing. Questions relating to topics found in this domain can be found in all parts of the PNLE. This also contains a portion of the PALMER domain, e.g., history, legal aspects, values, communication, etc. It also contains topics on care across the lifespan (growth and development) (though these aren’t quite finished yet).

Learning the fundamentals basically a highly recommended prerequisite to learning the other domains of nursing, although not learning about these will not preclude you from prioritizing those topics first—it is highly relevant and providential in improving your knowledge of nursing management.

Ratings?

Ratings are based on a very limited sample size of lecturers who have rated a topic’s relevance to the board exam from the options “Low Priority” (1), “Nice to Know” (3), and “Must Know” (5).

Chapter	Topic	Rating	Status
Historical and Contemporary Nursing Practice	Eras of Nursing	1.0	✅
Historical and Contemporary Nursing Practice	Early Hospitals and Nursing Education	1.7	✅
Historical and Contemporary Nursing Practice	Scope of Nursing Practice (Definitions of Nursing)	3.0
Historical and Contemporary Nursing Practice	Nursing as a Profession	3.0
Historical and Contemporary Nursing Practice	Roles of the Nurse	3.7	✅
Historical and Contemporary Nursing Practice	Theoretical Foundations of Nursing	2.3
Legal Aspects of Nursing	The Nursing Act of 2002 (R.A. 9173)	4.3
Legal Aspects of Nursing	Patients’ Bill of Rights	4.0	✅
Legal Aspects of Nursing	Liabilities in Nursing (Crimes and Torts)	4.5	✅
Values, Ethics, and Advocacy	Nursing Code of Ethics	5.0	✅
Values, Ethics, and Advocacy	Bioethical Principles in Nursing	4.0	✅
The Nursing Process	Assessment	4.0	✅
The Nursing Process	Diagnosis	4.0	✅
The Nursing Process	Planning	4.0	✅
The Nursing Process	Implementation and Evaluation	4.0	✅
The Nursing Process	Documentation	4.0	✅
Communication in Nursing	The Communication Process	2.3	✅
Communication in Nursing	Modes of Communication	3.0	✅
Communication in Nursing	Therapeutic Communication	5.0	✅
Health Promotion and Maintenance	Definitions of Health	2.3
Health Promotion and Maintenance	Health Promotion Models	3.0
Health Promotion and Maintenance	Models of Health and Wellness	2.3
Health Promotion and Maintenance	Health Belief Models	2.3
Health Promotion and Maintenance	Health Education	3.0
Lifespan Development	Concepts of Growth and Development	5.0
Lifespan Development	Growth and Development Theories	4.0
Lifespan Development	Promoting Health from Conception Through Adolescence	4.0
Lifespan Development	Promoting Health in Young and Middle-Aged Adults	4.5
Lifespan Development	Promoting Health in Older Adults	4.0
Vital Signs	Body Temperature	3.0	✅
Vital Signs	Pulse	3.0	✅
Vital Signs	Respirations	3.5	✅
Vital Signs	Blood Pressure	3.5	✅
Vital Signs	Oxygen Saturation	3.5	✅
Vital Signs	Pain	3.0
Health Assessment	General Survey	2.3	✅
Health Assessment	Integument	3.0	✅
Health Assessment	Head	3.0	✅
Health Assessment	Neck	2.3
Health Assessment	Thorax and Lungs	3.7
Health Assessment	Cardiovascular and Peripheral Vascular Systems	3.7
Health Assessment	Breasts and Axillae	2.3
Health Assessment	Abdomen	3.0
Health Assessment	Musculoskeletal System	2.3
Health Assessment	Neurologic System	3.7
Health Assessment	Female Genitals and Inguinal Area	2.3
Health Assessment	Male Genitals and Inguinal Area	2.3
Health Assessment	Anus	2.3
Asepsis and Infection Prevention	Chain of Infection	3.0	✅
Asepsis and Infection Prevention	Body Defenses Against Infection	2.3
Asepsis and Infection Prevention	Personal Protective Equipment	3.0
Asepsis and Infection Prevention	Precaution Procedures	3.5
Diagnostic Testing	Blood Tests	3.7
Diagnostic Testing	Visualization Procedures	3.0
Diagnostic Testing	Aspiration and Biopsy	4.0
Medication Administration	Medication Orders	2.3
Medication Administration	Systems of Measurement	1.7
Medication Administration	Routes of Administration	2.3
Medication Administration	Routes for Opioid Delivery	2.3
Medication Administration	Safe Medication Administration Practices	3.5
Medication Administration	Oral Medications	1.7
Medication Administration	Nasogastric and Gastrostomy Medications	3.5
Medication Administration	Parenteral Medications	4.5
Medication Administration	Inhaled Medications	2.3
Medication Administration	Irrigations	3.0
Skin Integrity and Wound Care	Types of Wounds	2.3
Skin Integrity and Wound Care	Pressure Injuries	3.5
Skin Integrity and Wound Care	Wound Healing	3.5
Perioperative Nursing	Types of Surgeries	2.3	✅
Perioperative Nursing	Preoperative Consent	4.0
Perioperative Nursing	Intraoperative Phase	3.5
Perioperative Nursing	Nursing Roles During Surgery	4.5
Perioperative Nursing	Immediate Postanesthetic Phase	5.0
Perioperative Nursing	Postoperative Recovery and Convalescence	4.5
Psychosocial Health	Sexuality	1.7
Psychosocial Health	Stress and Coping	3.0
Psychosocial Health	Loss, Grieving, and Death	4.5
Physiologic Health	Activity and Exercise	3.5
Physiologic Health	Sleep	3.5
Physiologic Health	Sensory Alterations	3.5
Physiologic Health	Nutrition	4.0
Physiologic Health	Urinary Elimination	4.5
Physiologic Health	Fecal Elimination	4.5
Physiologic Health	Oxygenation	5.0
Physiologic Health	Circulation	5.0
Physiologic Health	Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Balance	4.5
Nursing Skills	Vital Signs Taking	3.0	✅
Nursing Skills	Hand Washing	3.5
Nursing Skills	Donning and Doffing PPE	3.5
Nursing Skills	Implementing Seizure Precautions	3.0
Nursing Skills	Applying Restraints	3.7
Nursing Skills	Bathing Patients	2.3
Nursing Skills	Bed-making	1.7
Nursing Skills	Massage	1.7
Nursing Skills	Obtaining Capillary Blood as Specimen	3.0
Nursing Skills	Obtaining Sputum as Specimen	3.5
Nursing Skills	Obtaining Urine as Specimen	3.0
Nursing Skills	Obtaining Stool as Specimen	3.0
Nursing Skills	Obtaining Wound Drainage as Specimen	3.5
Nursing Skills	Preparing and Administering Medications	3.5
Nursing Skills	Patient Transfer	4.0
Nursing Skills	Blood Transfusion	4.5	✅
Nursing Skills	Oxygen Therapy	5.0
Nursing Skills	Postural Drainage	3.5
Nursing Skills	Inserting a Catheter	5.0
Nursing Skills	Performing an Enema	4.5
Nursing Skills	Suctioning	5.0

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Fundamentals of Nursing

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