Common Drug Calculations Medication administration is a core competency for nurses in every clinical setting. The ability to perform accurate dosage calculations is a key skill required to safely dispense drugs. New technologies such as bar coding medication and smart...

Complications of Peripheral Intravenous Therapy When administering intravenous (IV) fluids or medications through a peripheral IV (PIV) site, institute preventive measures, be alert for signs and symptoms of complications, and know how to intervene if complications occur.

Cross-Cultural Nursing Considerations Within the practice setting, nurses inevitably provide direct care to patients of varied ages, races, ethnicities, and cultures.The historical one-size-fits-all approach in healthcare resulted in negative health disparities, mistrust of the...

Differentiating Delirium, Dementia, and Depression Elderly patients are at high risk of mood and cognitive impairments such as depression, delirium and dementia. Delirium is an acute, transient and reversible cause of brain dysfunction, usually triggered by one or more precipitating factors...

Digital Rectal Exam Digital rectal examination begins with a detailed health history, while ensuring patient privacy. Carefully observe nonverbal cues of pain or discomfort. Obtain consent for the examination and secure a chaperone. Order of examination is...

Discharge Planning for Patients with Diabetes Mellitus For patients with diabetes mellitus, effective discharge planning involves teaching patients the skills and knowledge needed to maintain blood glucose targets. The patient should be provided with a clear well-documented post discharge plan that is...

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a serious and complex condition in which coagulation and fibrinolysis are unusually triggered, resulting in continuous clotting, bleeding and/or thrombosis (Leung, 2023). DIC, also known as...

Enteral Nutrition in the Hospital Hospitalized patients who are not able to eat for extended periods of time require an alternative source of nutrition that can be provided in both enteral (intestinal) and parenteral (non-intestinal) liquid forms. This pocket card provides an...

Fundoscopic Exam A fundoscopy, also known as ophthalmoscopic, retinal, or funduscopic exam, is a test used to screen for eye disorders, injuries, and diseases. It can be one of the more challenging examination techniques performed during both routine physical...

General Assessment Focused general assessment begins with taking a detailed health history regarding constitutional symptoms. This examination involves a general survey of the patient, measurement of vital signs, and pain assessment.Optimal Patient...

Guide to Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), also known as vacuum-assisted wound closure (VAC), is a dressing system that continuously or intermittently applies negative pressure across the surface of wounds that are acute, chronic, complex, or...

Head to Toe Assessment Organization is key to a good comprehensive head to toe assessment. A systematic approach will maximize the patient’s comfort, avoid unnecessary position changes, and enhance clinical efficiency. In general, a head-to-toe approach is the...