NCLEX-RN Medical Surgical Nursing

Medical Surgical Nursing is the largest content area on the NCLEX. Many students feel overwhelmed and anxious with the amount of content they need to review. I hear over and over "it feels like a mountain to climb" and that it can be challenging to figure out where to start studying.

To help you relieve some of the stress we organized the concepts, you should absolutely know, into manageable chapters.

At the end of this course, you will have learned the essential concepts, principles and clinical skills of Medical Surgical Nursing and how to apply that knowledge to practice. As you know the NCLEX is a knowledge application test for entry level nurses.

First, we will start with a review of basic concepts of Next-Generation NCLEX, Case Studies and New Question Types. Followed by Management of Patient Care, including Principles of Prioritization, Delegation, Patient Safety and Infection Control.

Then, we will continue with Fundamentals of Nursing - ER Nursing, Fluids and Electrolytes, Acid Base Balance and Shock.

This course will also discuss the most frequently asked Medical Surgical Disorders, Diagnostic Tests, Lab Values and Clinical Skills with the corresponding nursing care.

Finally, you will learn how to apply this knowledge to NCLEX style questions.

This course is for you if:

• who wants to pass the NCLEX on the first try
  
• who studied nursing outside of the US
  
• who failed one or more times
  
• who needs a refresher course

Course Curriculum:

Management of Care

• Prioritization of patient care, Delegation, Leadership, Documentation, Ethical and Legal issues in Nursing, Patient Safety.

Safety and Infection Control

• Patient Safety, Fire Safety, Chemical Safety, Ergonomics, Infection Control (Standard precautions, Droplet precautions, Airborne precautions, Contact precautions), Disaster Nursing.

Fundamentals of Nursing & Cardiac Disorders

• Emergency Nursing, Fluids and Electrolytes, Acid Base Imbalance, Shock.

Cardiovascular Disorders

• Cardiac Assessment, Cardiac Diagnostic Tests, EKG Basics, Dysrhythmias, Angina vs. MI, Heart Failure, Heart Surgery, Vascular Disorders, Hypertension, Cardiac Meds.

Respiratory Disorders

• Respiratory Assessment, Respiratory Diagnostic Tests, Pneumonia, TB, COPD/Asthma, Chest Trauma, Chest Tubes, Tracheostomy, Mechanical Ventilation.

GI Disorders

• Gastrointestinal Assessment, Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Tests, GERD, Peptic Ulcers, Gastric Surgery, Diverticular Disease, Crohn’s vs. Ulcerative Colitis, Colostomy vs. Ileostomy, Enteral Feeding, Peritonitis, Intestinal Tubes, Appendicitis, Peritonitis, Intestinal Obstruction, Gastric Tubes, Hernias, Liver function and diagnostic tests, Hepatitis, Cirrhosis, Esophageal Varices, Cholelithiasis, Pancreatic Cancer.

Oncology

• Warning signs of Cancer, Guidelines for Early Cancer Detection, Oral Cancer, Lung Cancer, Laryngeal Cancer, Stomach Cancer, Hodgkin’s, Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Oncological Emergencies, Radiation/Chemo Therapy.

Endocrine Disorders

• Endocrine Assessment, Addison’s vs. Cushing’s, Hypothyroidism vs. Hyperthyroidism, Hypoparathyroidism vs. Hyperparathyroidism, Diabetes Mellitus.

Renal Disorders

• Renal Assessment, Renal Diagnostic Tests, Acute vs. Chronic Renal Failure, Peritoneal Dialysis vs. Hemodialysis, Urinary Tract Infection, Renal Calculi, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy, Bladder Cancer/Ileal Conduit.

Musculoskeletal & Connective Tissue Disorders

• Musculoskeletal System, Osteoporosis, Paget’s Disease, Sprains, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Fractures, Acute Compartment Syndrome, Fat Embolism Syndrome, Cast Care, Traction, Crutch Walking, Total Knee Replacement, Total Hip Replacement, Lupus, Gout, Rheumatoid Arthritis vs. Osteoarthritis, Lyme disease.

Eyes/Ears Disorders

• Cataracts, Glaucoma, Retinal Detachment, Macular Degeneration, Care of patient with visual impairment, Hearing Loss, Meniere’s Disease, Care of patient with hearing impairment.

Neurological Disorders

• Neurological Assessment, CVA/Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Increased Intracranial Pressure (IICP), Spinal Cord Injury, Autonomic Dysreflexia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Myasthenia Gravis (MG), Bell’s Palsy, Parkinson’s Disease.

Integumentary Disorders

• Pressure Ulcers, Burns, Herpes Zoster, Psoriasis, Latex Allergy.