A step-by-step guide to 50 of the most common nursing skills and procedures.

Common Abbreviations - Wendy Wright and Fiona Everett
Useful Prefixes and Suffixes - Wendy Wright and Fiona Everett
Infection and Prevention Control - Rose Gallagher
Hand-washing
Using hand sanitiser
When to remove your gloves and why
Clinical Measurement - Caroline Dobson and Trevor Simpson
Fundamental steps for all clinical measurements
Respirations
Pulse/heart rate
Manual blood pressure
Measuring body temperature
Pain Assessment - Ann Kettyle
Undertaking a pain assessment
Aseptic Technique and Specimen Collection - Rose Gallagher
Principles of asepsis
Common steps for the collection of all types of specimen
Taking a wound swab
Collecting a faeces specimen
Collecting a urine specimen
Collecting a sputum sample
Taking a throat swab
Skin Integrity - Alexandra Carlin
Principles of wound care
Removal of clips/sutures
Safe Movement of People - Michelle O'Reilly and David Best
Movement guidelines
Emergency Care - Sara Morgan
Head tilt chin lift
Jaw thrust
Using an oropharyngeal airway
Recovery position
Paediatric life support
Dislodging an obstruction to the airway
Medicines Administration - Carol Hall, updated by Christina Roulston
Administering medication (oral or topical route)
Administering a subcutaneous injection
Administering an intramuscular injection
Recording administration and outcome
Assisting People with their Nutritional Need - Kate Goodhand and Jane Ewen
Nutrition-related skills
Weighing a patient
Assisting a patient to eat and drink
Passing a nasogastric tube
Maintaining a nasogastric tube
Removing a nasogastric tube
Caring for a PEG (pertcutaneous endoscopic gastronomy)
Stoma care
Peripheral vascular cannula care
Assisting People with their Elimination Needs - Mairead Collie, David J. Hunter and Valerie Foley
Common steps for all elimination-related skills
Assessing bowel function
Assisting a patient to use a bedpan, urinal or commode
Performing catheter care
Emptying a patient's catheter bag
Urinalysis
Assisting Patients with their Hygiene Needs - Catherine Delves-Yates
Common steps for all hygiene procedures
Bathing a person in bed
Assisting a patient with a wash (out of bed)
Shaving
Teeth-cleaning
Trimming nails
Washing a patient's hair in bed
Care after Death - Maria Parry
Care after death
Appendix 1: Commonly Used Medication and Side Effects - Wendy Wright and Fiona Everett
Appendix 2: Normal Laboratory Values - Wendy Wright and Fiona Everett
Appendix 3: Hand-washing technique
References