The RN lab staff function as professional nurses in the Pre-licensure Division of the School of Nursing. 

Responsibilities

RN staff member instructs nursing students as they learn safe patient care through:

1. Clinical simulations
2. Student practice of interventions learned in procedure classes.
3. Procedure competency testing

Instruction

• Lab staff helps the students practice their skills after they have learned a specific skill in class.

Procedure

• The staff is to make themselves available to the students and offer help. Students are often shy about asking for help. Offer to talk them through the procedure and demonstrate the procedure.
• Encourage the students to not only memorize the steps, but to practice the skill several times.
• When instructing, refer to the procedure check list to maintain consistency with what they were taught in class and for testing purposes.
• Staff will need to know the skills being taught each week by reviewing the procedure checklists and or videos.

Patient Care Competency Testing:

• The Lab Staff tests the students on the skill that they have learned that week. 

Procedure

• Testing is done in the single patient rooms.
• Leave the wooden door open. This will help the students remember to close the curtain for privacy. Try not to be in a room alone with a student with a closed door that does not have a window in it.
• Take the grade card to testing and document on card about the points that were deducted for reference if needed in the future.
• Use student's procedure sheet to score. Write the student's score on their procedure check list. Use the Patient Care Competency grading rubric for grading guidelines.
• Initial student's small procedure booklet.
• Students may not ask questions during the test that would affect the outcome of the procedure.
• Instructors/Staff should not unnecessarily interrupt the students while they are performing the competency. If possible, clarification questions should be asked after the competency. This is to decrease the possibility of breaking the students' train of thought.
• Staff should help to keep the lab clean. 

Simulations

• The Lab staff will/may be assigned to assist the Simulation specialist implement clinical simulations.

Procedure

• Simulation Specialist will provide the RN with the simulation information and training.
• RN will implement the simulation.
• RN will be responsible for knowing how to operate the equipment for the simulations.

Other Lab projects:

• Special educational or Lab organizational projects as assigned by the Lab Manager.
• Staff Development / Continuing Education:
  
  Examples: Article reviews, in-services, DVD review. See Lab Manager for further ideas.
• Supervising student staff:
  • Senior nursing students work in the lab as lab assistants.
  • They are not to study while they are working in the Lab -Only if there are no students in the Lab and all the work is done. They may have a book with them in the wards, if they are still available for students.
  • Students have cleaning duties to do during their work hours, and have the responsibility to close the Lab. 

Indiana Wesleyan University is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by law, in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other administered programs, and all phases of employment, including hiring, promotion, demotion, treatment during employment, rates of pay or other compensation, and termination of employment. As an equal opportunity employer, Indiana Wesleyan University is committed to compliance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or other federal, state, or local laws or executive orders except as claimed in a filed religious exemption. Indiana Wesleyan University affirms its position as a Christian University of the liberal arts and asserts its rights to employ persons who subscribe to the intent, mission, and doctrinal position stated in the university catalog. The President, the Administrative Officers, and all persons who have hiring authority will maintain and implement personnel policies and practices to assure that affirmative action/equal opportunity is being actively implemented and that no employee or applicant for employment or promotion shall suffer any form of discrimination. Indiana Wesleyan University will take appropriate steps to provide reasonable accommodations upon request to qualified individuals with disabilities so long as doing so does not cause Indiana Wesleyan University an undue hardship.

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