Nursing Faculty Resources: PN130L Skills

An overview of infection control procedures for all clinical support staff. The video covers the importance of preventing nosocomial infections, the chain of infection, and preventing infection by handwashing, cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization. The latest CDC guidelines on Standard Precautions are integrated throughout, plus the video provides procedures for Transmission-Based Precautions for airborne, droplet and contact contamination. Updated to include the CDC's new hand hygiene guideline. (Medcom c. 2003. 20:17 min)

Healthcare workers often come in contact with microorganisms that can cause infectious diseases. Therefore, it is your responsibility to protect the health and safety of all those you care for—as well as your co-workers and yourself—by learning and practicing effective infection control skills to help prevent the spread of these microorganisms. This program teaches new nursing assistants the important skills necessary for controlling the spread of infectious disease. (Medcom, c. 2021. 17:32 min)

This instructional video, produced by Medcom, Inc., is about how to measure a person's height. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 2 mins

This instructional video, produced by Medcom, Inc., is about measuring weight using a standing balance scale. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 3 mins

This instructional video, produced by Medcom, Inc., is about using a chair scale to measure body weight. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 1 min

This instructional video, produced by Medcom, Inc., is about measuring weight using a wheelchair scale. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 1 min

This instructional video, produced by Medcom, Inc., is about how to measure a person's body mass index. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 1 min

Provides instruction on patient and solution preparation, and demonstrates enema administration techniques. (Medcom, c. 2005. 18:18 min)

This program is for enterostomal therapy nurses, wound, ostomy and continence nurses, and others who will be caring for patients following ostomy surgery. There is no doubt that a colostomy or ileostomy can be a life-changing event. It will be your job not only to care for the stoma, but for the emotions of the person who must adjust to this new fact of his life. In this program we will briefly review the digestive system and some of the different kinds of ostomies, the main medical conditions that may lead a surgeon to create an ostomy, post-operative and daily care for an ostomy and how this may differ for different sorts of ostomies. We will also discuss helping the patient prepare for discharge and the rest of their new life. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2012), 21 mins

From time to time the nursing assistant will need to collect stool and urine specimens, measure urinary output and provide other forms of assistance with elimination. These important tasks, not only assist the physician in monitoring an individual's condition, but also help to maintain physical comfort and emotional well-being. Medcom’s Nursing Assistant program on elimination, specimen collection and urinary care has been revised to be more concise and easier to understand by clearly identifying each of the three stages of a procedure: preparation, the procedure itself, and completing care. In addition, this program has been updated to demonstrate the performance of nursing assistant skills as described by the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP™). (Medcom, c. 2021. 19:50 min)

Many residents will have urinary catheters or ostomies. To provide proper care to these residents, nursing assistants must have specific knowledge and skills needed to provide care. This program demonstrates the techniques used for ostomy and catheter care that will help the nursing assistant maintain resident health, hygiene and prevent infection. Objectives: After watching this program viewers should be able to: - Properly Empty a Urinary Drainage Bag - Provide Daily Catheter Care - Change an Ostomy Bag. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 17 mins

This program discusses and demonstrates the selection and use of gloves, and sterile technique, including creating a sterile field and performing a sterile procedure. (Medcom, c. 2016. 16:46 min)

Cuts, abrasions, and lacerations heal quickly and, most often, without medical attention. Yet, sometimes wounds are more complex or serious. In these cases, it is important to seek medical and nursing care to ensure proper healing. This course is designed to provide healthcare professionals with detailed information on the different types of wounds, as well as risk factors, assessment tools, and prevention strategies for each type. This is the third course in the four-part Wound Care series, and it is designed to instruct nurses and other healthcare professionals with detailed information on how to properly assess and document wounds. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2017), 23 mins

One of the fundamental goals of healthcare professionals is to heal wounds, prevent complications associated with wounds, and preserve the ability to function. This course, the first in the four-part Wound Care series, is designed to instruct nurses on the physiological phases of wound healing, and the different types of wounds. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2014), 16 mins

Wound assessment is more than just looking at the lesion. It is a holistic approach to care that identifies systemic, psychosocial, and local factors that may precipitate a wound or impede its healing. This course, the second in the four-part Wound Care series, is designed to instruct nurses and other healthcare professionals with detailed information on how to properly assess and document wounds. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2014), 25 mins

This instructional video, from the Wound Care series produced by Medcom, Inc., is about the physical examination of patients with wounds. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2014), 7 mins

This instructional video, from the Wound Care series produced by Medcom, Inc., describes the common causes of venous wounds and the risk factors involved. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2014), 1 min

This program has been updated to reflect practice change regarding inflation of catheter retention balloons prior to insertion of an indwelling urethral catheter. While this was once standard practice and remains common, it has become controversial and is no longer performed in many facilities.This update of Medcom's classic basic skills program demonstrates and describes the process for performing a urethral catheterization. Both intermittent straight catheters and indwelling retention catheters are shown and discussed. The need for patient education and patient support during catheterization is emphasized. The techniques for performing catheter care and removal of a catheter are also shown and discussed. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2010), 27 mins

An update of a classic Medcom Basic Skills program, "Basic Oxygen Administration" provides an overview of administering oxygen to patients in clinical and home settings. It demonstrates the use of both high and low flow delivery devices including: .Nasal cannulas .Simple masks .Venturi masks .Non-rebreather masks .Oxygen concentrators. (Medcom, c. 2019. 20:17 min)

Describing the anatomy of the airway, this program demonstrates oropharyngeal suctioning techniques and both open and closed in-line endotracheal suctioning techniques used to remove accumulated secretions. It also illustrates proper placement of the oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways.(Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2018), 21 mins

This is indicated for patients who exhibit excessive secretions in the lower airway. Nurses pass a catheter into the trachea and mainstem bronchi. Learn tips and techniques on how to perform the procedure. Medcom, 2018. 5 min.

This update of Medcom's classic suctioning course provides healthcare professionals with demonstrations of the fundamentals of airway suctioning. Now in a more convenient two-part format, this series demonstrates current practices and techniques to provide nurses with an understanding of nasotracheal, oropharyngeal and both open and closed in-line endotracheal suctioning, and the indications for the use of each. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2012), 1 min

This update of Medcom's classic suctioning course provides healthcare professionals with demonstrations of the fundamentals of airway suctioning. Now in a more convenient two-part format, this series demonstrates current practices and techniques to provide nurses with an understanding of nasotracheal, oropharyngeal and both open and closed in-line endotracheal suctioning, and the indications for the use of each. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2012), 7 mins

This update of Medcom's classic suctioning course provides healthcare professionals with demonstrations of the fundamentals of airway suctioning. Now in a more convenient two-part format, this series demonstrates current practices and techniques to provide nurses with an understanding of nasotracheal, oropharyngeal and both open and closed in-line endotracheal suctioning, and the indications for the use of each. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2012), 2 mins

This update of Medcom's classic suctioning course provides healthcare professionals with demonstrations of the fundamentals of airway suctioning. Now in a more convenient two-part format, this series demonstrates current practices and techniques to provide nurses with an understanding of nasotracheal, oropharyngeal and both open and closed in-line endotracheal suctioning, and the indications for the use of each. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2012), 1 min

This program demonstrates and describes techniques for observing Transmission-Based Precautions, including a demonstration of proper techniques for donning personal protective equipment. Objectives: After completing this course, the learner should be able to: Identify the three categories of Transmission-Based Precautions. Identify the restrictions that Transmission-Based Precautions can require and understand the adverse effects these restrictions can have on patients. Implement strategies for rearranging care so that restricted patients feel less isolated. Identify specific situations that require the use of contact precautions, as well as those that require droplet precautions and airborne precautions. Use and dispose of personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks and gowns in the proper manner. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2016), 11 mins

Planning and preparing to provide care in the event of a bioterrorism attack or other emergency is a critical part of working in any healthcare environment. But planning is more than knowing where emergency supplies and exits are. Planning also involves ensuring that healthcare workers know how to keep safe, both physically and mentally. This includes having the families of healthcare workers be prepared for disasters. Studies have shown that providing care to disaster victims is impaired when healthcare workers are concerned about their own families' safety. This program is designed to help healthcare workers prepare themselves at work, at home and in the community at large, to respond to bioterrorism and other emergencies.

UPDATED OVERVIEW: This program has been updated to include instructions that feeding tubes, administration sets, and syringes used for enteral feeding should have ENFit connectors that are incompatible with lines and syringes with Luer lock or other kinds of connectors. This will prevent errors of misconnecting a feeding tube to another line that will deliver the wrong medication or substance.

Overview: Advances in treatment and technology have made enteral feeding tubes common in a wide range of healthcare settings. As a result, familiarity with enteral feeding tubes and their use and care is a useful skill for all healthcare providers. To begin this process, this course identifies the various feeding tubes and their components.

Objectives: After completing this course, the learner should be able to: Describe gastrostomy tubes and their components. Describe jejunal tubes and their components. Describe nasogastric tubes and their components. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 12 mins

Updated Overview: This program has been updated to include instructions that feeding tubes, administration sets, and syringes used for enteral feeding should have ENFit connectors that are incompatible with lines and syringes with Luer lock or other kinds of connectors. This will prevent errors of misconnecting a feeding tube to another line that will deliver the wrong medication or substance. Overview: From acute care to long term care, enteral feeding tubes are found in a broad range of healthcare settings. Healthcare providers, from surgeons to nursing assistants, must be familiar with a wider variety of enteral feeding tubes than ever before. This second in a three-part series on enteral feeding tubes, focuses on administering formula and medication using the various types of tubes. Objectives: After completing this course, the learner should be able to: Describe precautions to take when administering formula using enteral feeding tubes. Describe and utilize the three different methods of administering feeding-tube formulas: bolus feeding, intermittent feeding and continuous feeding. Explain the four ways to verify tube placement. List the “five rights” of safe medication administration. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 9 mins

Updated Overview: This program has been updated to include instructions that feeding tubes, administration sets, and syringes used for enteral feeding should have ENFit connectors that are incompatible with lines and syringes with Luer lock or other kinds of connectors. This will prevent errors of misconnecting a feeding tube to another line that will deliver the wrong medication or substance.

Series Overview: Advances in treatment and technology have made enteral feeding tubes common in a wide range of healthcare settings. As a result, familiarity with enteral feeding tubes, and their use and care is useful skill for all healthcare providers. This series provides the information nurses and other healthcare professionals need to identify various types of enteral feeding tubes, and demonstrates general guidelines and techniques for their care and use.

Overview: Enteral feeding tubes technology has also brought more design and feature options, increasing the complexity of feeding tubes. As a result, familiarity with enteral feeding tubes, and their use and care, is a useful skill for all healthcare providers. This program presents general guidelines and techniques for care and troubleshooting procedures for enteral feeding tubes.

Objectives: After completing this course, the learner should be able to: List the steps required to properly clean and maintain various types of enteral feeding tubes. Identify and address signs of irritation or infection at the tube entry/exit site. List steps required to flush feeding tubes. Describe how to perform weekly maintenance on the balloon of a balloon gastrostomy tube. List the steps in the Daily Maintenance Checklist. Describe troubleshooting various problems that can occur with enteral feeding tubes, including patient distress, pain, tube leakage, dislodgment and clogging of tubes. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2013), 14 mins

Nurses must help patients find meaning at the end of life, focusing on living [while] acknowledging death... What we as professionals do during this end-of-life period matters greatly to those whom we touch." Focusing primarily on the supportive and spiritual aspects of terminal care rather than on the physical aspects, this program discusses advance directives (living will, health care surrogate designation, do not resuscitate order); the end-of-life care plan, a way of addressing a person's future wishes and concerns while taking into account the benefits and burdens of potential treatment options; the holistic and interpersonal role of nurses in providing palliative care; and approaches to integrating a patient's personal spirituality into treatment during the end-of-life period. In addition, aspects of physiological dying, such as terminal dehydration, are touched upon. (Medcom, c. 2002. 34:18 min)

This program will present techniques for the administration of topical medications, suppositories and inhalants. (Cypress, CA: Medcom, 2017), 24 mins