Fundamentals of Nursing Flashcards: Master ADPIE and Core Skills

Q: What is covered in Fundamentals of Nursing?

Fundamentals of Nursing covers core knowledge and skills that form the foundation of nursing practice. Major topics include: The nursing process (ADPIE) Vital signs assessment Health assessment basics Infection control and standard precautions Safety and falls prevention Medication administration (six rights) Documentation and charting Therapeutic communication Patient hygiene and comfort measures Nutrition Fluid and electrolyte balance Oxygenation Wound care Professional ethics It is typically your first clinical nursing course, taken before Medical-Surgical Nursing. Its content appears on every subsequent nursing exam and the NCLEX.

Q: What are the 5 steps of the nursing process?

The five steps of the nursing process are Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation, remembered by the acronym ADPIE. Assessment involves collecting subjective and objective data about the patient. Diagnosis means identifying nursing diagnoses (human responses, not medical diagnoses). Planning involves setting SMART patient outcomes and selecting evidence-based interventions. Implementation is carrying out the care plan. Evaluation determines whether outcomes were met, and the cycle restarts if they were not. Assessment always comes first. This sequence appears repeatedly on the NCLEX.

Q: How do I study for my Fundamentals of Nursing exam?

Focus on active recall methods rather than passive re-reading. Here is an effective study strategy: Create flashcards for every key term, normal value, and procedure step covered in lecture. Use spaced repetition (FluentFlash or similar) to review cards daily rather than cramming. Practice applying the nursing process to clinical scenarios. Your exam will not just ask you to define ADPIE but to identify which step a given nursing action represents. Review your clinical skills checklist and mentally walk through each procedure. Complete practice questions in NCLEX format, as most Fundamentals exams use this style.

Q: What is the difference between standard and transmission-based precautions?

Standard precautions are baseline infection control measures applied to ALL patients regardless of diagnosis. They include hand hygiene, gloves for contact with blood or body fluids, and respiratory hygiene. Transmission-based precautions are added on top of standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections. There are three types: Contact precautions (gown and gloves for MRSA, C. diff) Droplet precautions (surgical mask for influenza, pertussis) Airborne precautions (N95 respirator and negative-pressure room for TB, measles, chickenpox) Always use standard precautions first, then add transmission-based precautions based on the specific pathogen.

Q: What are the six rights of medication administration?

The six rights of medication administration are: Right patient (verify with two identifiers: name and date of birth) Right drug (compare medication label to the MAR three times) Right dose (calculate and verify) Right route (oral, IV, IM, subcutaneous, etc.) Right time (within 30 minutes of scheduled time) Right documentation (chart immediately after administration) Many nursing programs now teach additional rights: right reason (verify the indication), right response (monitor for expected therapeutic and adverse effects), and right to refuse (patients can decline medication). Never use room number as a patient identifier.

By FluentFlash Research Team·Updated 2026-04-30

Fundamentals of Nursing is the gateway course that establishes every concept you will build throughout nursing school. It introduces the nursing process (ADPIE), patient assessment, medication administration, infection control, safety protocols, therapeutic communication, and professional ethics.

Mastering these fundamentals is essential. Every advanced nursing course assumes you can take vital signs correctly, perform hand hygiene per CDC guidelines, and apply the nursing process to any clinical situation.

The challenge is breadth. In one semester you encounter dozens of skills, hundreds of terms, and countless procedures. Passive reading cannot produce the retention you need. FluentFlash's AI-powered flashcards convert your Potter & Perry or Kozier textbook into active recall study sets. The FSRS algorithm ensures you review each concept at the moment you are most likely to forget it.

These flashcards organize around major Fundamentals units: nursing process, vital signs, infection control, safety, and medication administration. Every card is editable to match your program's expectations.

The Nursing Process, ADPIE

ADPIE is the systematic problem-solving framework that guides all nursing care. It stands for Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. Every nursing action you take in clinical practice, and every NCLEX question you answer, connects back to one of these five steps.

Assessment Comes First

You cannot diagnose, plan, or intervene without data. Assessment involves systematic collection of subjective data (patient reports) and objective data (vital signs, lab values, physical exam findings).

Nursing Diagnosis vs. Medical Diagnosis

Nursing diagnosis is distinct from medical diagnosis. It identifies human responses to health conditions. For example, "Risk for Falls" rather than "Osteoporosis." Diagnoses follow PES format: Problem related to Etiology as evidenced by Signs/Symptoms.

Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation

Planning involves setting SMART outcomes: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Implementation is carrying out the plan. Evaluation asks whether outcomes were achieved, and the cycle repeats. Flashcard drilling on ADPIE helps you identify which step a given action belongs to, one of the most common NCLEX question formats.

Term	Meaning
Assessment	First step of the nursing process. Systematic collection of subjective data (patient reports) and objective data (vital signs, lab values, physical exam findings). Must be completed before any nursing diagnosis or intervention.
Nursing Diagnosis	Clinical judgment about human responses to health conditions. Written in PES format: Problem related to Etiology as evidenced by Signs/Symptoms. Example: 'Impaired Gas Exchange related to fluid in alveoli as evidenced by SpO2 of 88% and crackles on auscultation.'
Planning, SMART Outcomes	Setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound patient goals. Example: 'Patient will ambulate 100 feet in hallway with a walker independently by discharge on post-op day 3.'
Implementation	Carrying out the nursing care plan. Includes direct care (administering medications, wound care), patient teaching, delegation, and documentation. All interventions must be evidence-based and within scope of practice.
Evaluation	Final step, determining whether patient outcomes were met. If outcomes are not met, reassess and revise the care plan. Evaluation makes the nursing process cyclical rather than linear.

Vital Signs and Normal Ranges

Accurate vital sign measurement and interpretation is the most frequently performed nursing skill. You must know normal adult ranges, pediatric variations, factors that influence each vital sign, and when to report abnormalities.

Why Vital Signs Matter

Temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation are assessed at every patient encounter. Understanding the physiology behind each vital sign helps you anticipate findings. Why does fever increase heart rate? Why does orthostatic hypotension occur? These connections deepen your mastery beyond memorization.

Key Variations by Site

Temperature varies by measurement site. Rectal readings run about 1 degree Fahrenheit higher than oral. Axillary readings run about 1 degree lower. Temporal readings are similar to oral. Always note the site in documentation.

Term	Meaning
Temperature, 97.8-99.1°F (36.5-37.3°C)	Core temperature varies by site: oral is standard, rectal is 1°F higher, axillary is 1°F lower, temporal is similar to oral. Fever (pyrexia) >100.4°F (38°C). Hypothermia <95°F (35°C). Fever increases metabolic rate 7% per degree Fahrenheit.
Pulse, 60-100 bpm (adult)	Tachycardia >100 bpm (fever, pain, anxiety, hemorrhage, hypoxia). Bradycardia <60 bpm (athletes, beta blockers, increased ICP). Assess rate, rhythm, and quality. Apical pulse is the most accurate, assess for a full minute if irregular.
Blood Pressure, <120/80 mmHg (normal adult)	Hypertension Stage 1: 130-139/80-89. Stage 2: ≥140/≥90. Hypertensive crisis: >180/120. Orthostatic hypotension: drop of ≥20 mmHg systolic or ≥10 mmHg diastolic upon standing. Wait 1-3 minutes before reassessing after position change.
Oxygen Saturation (SpO2), 95-100%	Measured via pulse oximetry. <95% indicates hypoxemia, assess respiratory status and notify provider. <90% requires immediate intervention (supplemental O2, position change, airway assessment). False readings: nail polish, cold extremities, poor perfusion, dark skin pigmentation.

Infection Control and Safety

Infection control is a pillar of nursing fundamentals and a major NCLEX content area. The chain of infection has six links: infectious agent, reservoir, portal of exit, mode of transmission, portal of entry, and susceptible host. Break any link to stop infection spread.

Standard Precautions Apply Universally

Standard precautions apply to ALL patients regardless of diagnosis. They include hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) use, safe injection practices, and respiratory hygiene. These protect you and your patients.

Transmission-Based Precautions

Transmission-based precautions are added based on the specific pathogen. Contact precautions prevent spread via direct contact. Droplet precautions prevent spread through respiratory droplets. Airborne precautions prevent spread through airborne particles. Patient safety also includes falls prevention, use of side rails, proper body mechanics, and fire safety (RACE and PASS acronyms). NCLEX frequently presents infection control scenarios and asks you to identify the correct nursing action.

Term	Meaning
Standard Precautions	Applied to ALL patients. Include hand hygiene (before and after every patient contact), gloves for contact with blood/body fluids, gown if clothing may be soiled, mask/eye protection if splash risk. Based on the principle that all blood and body fluids are potentially infectious.
Airborne Precautions	For pathogens that remain suspended in air: tuberculosis (TB), measles, varicella (chickenpox). Requires negative-pressure room and N95 respirator (fit-tested). Mnemonic: 'My Chicken Fried TB' (Measles, Chickenpox, TB).
Contact Precautions	For pathogens spread by direct or indirect contact: C. diff, MRSA, VRE, scabies. Requires gloves and gown upon room entry. Dedicated patient equipment. C. diff requires soap and water hand washing (alcohol gel is not effective against spores).
Six Rights of Medication Administration	Right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time, right documentation. Many programs add: right reason, right response, right to refuse. Check the MAR three times before administering. Two patient identifiers required (name + DOB, not room number).

Documentation and Therapeutic Communication

Nursing documentation serves as a legal record of care, a communication tool among the healthcare team, and the basis for reimbursement. The principle is clear: "If it wasn't documented, it wasn't done." Fundamentals courses teach charting by exception, narrative notes, and SBAR communication (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation).

Focus Charting and DAR Format

Focus charting uses the DAR format: Data, Action, Response. This structured approach ensures complete documentation and makes care handoffs clearer and safer.

Therapeutic Communication Is Your Primary Tool

Therapeutic communication is equally critical. It is your primary tool for building rapport, assessing patient concerns, and providing emotional support. Use open-ended questions, reflection, paraphrasing, silence, and offering self. Avoid non-therapeutic responses like giving advice, false reassurance, asking "why," or changing the subject. NCLEX frequently presents communication scenarios and asks you to identify therapeutic versus non-therapeutic responses.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is covered in Fundamentals of Nursing?

Fundamentals of Nursing covers core knowledge and skills that form the foundation of nursing practice. Major topics include:

The nursing process (ADPIE)
Vital signs assessment
Health assessment basics
Infection control and standard precautions
Safety and falls prevention
Medication administration (six rights)
Documentation and charting
Therapeutic communication
Patient hygiene and comfort measures
Nutrition
Fluid and electrolyte balance
Oxygenation
Wound care
Professional ethics

It is typically your first clinical nursing course, taken before Medical-Surgical Nursing. Its content appears on every subsequent nursing exam and the NCLEX.

What are the 5 steps of the nursing process?

The five steps of the nursing process are Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation, remembered by the acronym ADPIE.

Assessment involves collecting subjective and objective data about the patient. Diagnosis means identifying nursing diagnoses (human responses, not medical diagnoses). Planning involves setting SMART patient outcomes and selecting evidence-based interventions. Implementation is carrying out the care plan. Evaluation determines whether outcomes were met, and the cycle restarts if they were not. Assessment always comes first. This sequence appears repeatedly on the NCLEX.

How do I study for my Fundamentals of Nursing exam?

Focus on active recall methods rather than passive re-reading. Here is an effective study strategy:

Create flashcards for every key term, normal value, and procedure step covered in lecture.
Use spaced repetition (FluentFlash or similar) to review cards daily rather than cramming.
Practice applying the nursing process to clinical scenarios. Your exam will not just ask you to define ADPIE but to identify which step a given nursing action represents.
Review your clinical skills checklist and mentally walk through each procedure.
Complete practice questions in NCLEX format, as most Fundamentals exams use this style.

What is the difference between standard and transmission-based precautions?

Standard precautions are baseline infection control measures applied to ALL patients regardless of diagnosis. They include hand hygiene, gloves for contact with blood or body fluids, and respiratory hygiene.

Transmission-based precautions are added on top of standard precautions for patients with known or suspected infections. There are three types:

Contact precautions (gown and gloves for MRSA, C. diff)
Droplet precautions (surgical mask for influenza, pertussis)
Airborne precautions (N95 respirator and negative-pressure room for TB, measles, chickenpox)

Always use standard precautions first, then add transmission-based precautions based on the specific pathogen.

What are the six rights of medication administration?

The six rights of medication administration are:

Right patient (verify with two identifiers: name and date of birth)
Right drug (compare medication label to the MAR three times)
Right dose (calculate and verify)
Right route (oral, IV, IM, subcutaneous, etc.)
Right time (within 30 minutes of scheduled time)
Right documentation (chart immediately after administration)

Many nursing programs now teach additional rights: right reason (verify the indication), right response (monitor for expected therapeutic and adverse effects), and right to refuse (patients can decline medication). Never use room number as a patient identifier.