Nursing Skills Laboratory

Students:

Welcome to the Nursing Skills Laboratory.

The Nursing Skills Lab has been designed to provide a supportive and caring environment for students to demonstrate and practice nursing skills. Nursing students will learn psychomotor, critical thinking and physical assessment skills necessary for clinical nursing. This simulated patient laboratory will allow the students the opportunity to become familiar with equipment and techniques in a non-threatening environment that simulates the clinical nursing environment.

The Skills Lab is an extension of the classroom lecture for Techniques for Therapeutic Interventions (NURS 301) and provides a clinical arena where students can put into practice principles and techniques essential for good nursing care. Students are expected to come fully prepared to participate in each laboratory period. You are expected to complete assigned readings, view assigned tapes, and answer all study guide questions and to participate in all laboratory practice sessions. It is required that you wear your white lab coats over professional street clothes and name badges. You may wear your Nursing Student scrubs with appropriate shoes. All book bags need to be left in your lockers. Please no food or drink in the computer room or the lab. Class attendance is critical for success in this class. Please notify me as soon as possible if you are unable to attend class. You are responsible for all notes and handouts that are given during lecture.

Shonte’ Hutson, MPA, Assistant Director, is an invaluable source of information and is instrumental in the organization and running of our wonderful Clinical Skills Laboratory. There will be several Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTA’s) in the lab to assist you in your mastery of clinical nursing skills. They will be available daily to help supervise, monitor, to demonstrate skill activity and will be responsible for skill check-offs.

The goals of the Clinical Skills Laboratory are that students will leave with a greater understanding of how to perform various techniques and to help reduce anxiety in your upcoming clinical assignments. Please remember that we do not expect perfection - that can only be accomplished by repetitive practice of an individual technique. But we do expect a strong level of commitment to learning and competence of the required clinical nursing skills.

Please feel free to call me or any other member of our wonderful staff for any questions you might have. We are cheering for you to have a very successful semester and have a great desire to help make this happen.

Sally H. Whitaker, MSN, ARNP, BC
Clinical Director of Nursing Skills Laboratory