Preface

This Nursing Fundamentals textbook is an open educational resource with a CC-BY 4.0 license developed for entry-level prelicensure nursing students. Content is based on the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) statewide nursing curriculum for the Nursing Fundamentals course (543-101), the 2019 NCLEX-RN Test Plan,[1] the 2020 NCLEX-PN Test Plan,[2] and the Wisconsin Nurse Practice Act.[3]

The project is supported by a $2.5 million Open Resources for Nursing (Open RN) grant from the Department of Education to create five free, open source nursing textbooks. However, this content does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

More information about the Open RN grant can be found at cvtc.edu/OpenRN. The first textbook of the Open RN textbook series, Nursing Pharmacology, received an OE Award for Excellence from OE Global. For more information, visit the 2020 OE Awards for Excellence site.

 

Award image for Open Textbook Award for Best OER 2021. Shows an arrow circling around an apple shaped image along with award text.
For more information, visit the 2021 OE Awards for Excellence site.

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We would love to hear if you have integrated some or all of this resource into your course. Please use this short survey to report student usage information every semester that is reported to the Department of Education. Please use this survey to provide constructive feedback or report any errors.

About this Book

Editors

  • Kimberly Ernstmeyer, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, APNP-BC
  • Dr. Elizabeth Christman, DNP, RN, CNE

Graphics Editor

  • Nic Ashman, MLIS, Librarian, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Developing Authors

Developing authors remixed existing open educational resources and developed new content based on evidence-based sources:

  • Leanne Anthon, MSN, RN, CNE, Madison Area Technical College
  • Dr. Lisa Blohm, PhD, RN, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
  • Barbara Brown, MSN, RN, Moraine Park Technical College
  • Dr. Elizabeth Christman, DNP, RN, CNE
  • Tami Davis, MSN, RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Kim Ernstmeyer, MSN, RN, CNE, CHSE, APNP-BC, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Dr. Allison Nicol, PhD, RN, CNE, Milwaukee Area Technical College
  • Dr. Valerie Palarski, EdD, MSN/ED, RN, Northcentral Technical College
  • Lynda Rastall, MSN, RN, CNE, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
  • Julie Sigler, MSN, RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College

Contributors

Contributors assisted in the creation of this textbook:

  • Jane Flesher, MST, Proofreader, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Deanna Hoyord, Paramedic (retired), Human Patient Simulation Technician and Photographer, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Theresa Meinen, MS, RRT, CHSE, Director of Clinical Education – Respiratory Therapy Program, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Vince Mussehl, MLIS, Open RN Lead Librarian, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Joshua Myers, Web Developer, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Meredith Pomietlo, Retail Design and Marketing Student, UW-Stout
  • Lauren Richards, Graphics Designer, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Celee Schuch, Nursing Student, St. Catherine University
  • Christina Sima, MSN, RN, Gateway Community College
  • Dominic Slauson, Technology Professional Developer, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Dr. Jamie Zwicky, EdD, MSN, RN, Moraine Park Technical College

Advisory Committee

The Open RN Advisory Committee consists of industry members and nursing deans and provides input for the Open RN textbooks and virtual reality scenarios:

  • Jenny Bauer, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin, Eau Claire, WI
  • Gina Bloczynski, MSN, RN, Dean of Nursing, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Angela Branum, Western Wisconsin Health
  • Lisa Cannestra, Eastern Wisconsin Healthcare Alliance
  • Travis Christman, MSN, RN, Clinical Director, HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s Hospitals
  • Sheri Johnson, UW Population Health Institute
  • Dr. Vicki Hulback, DNP, RN, Dean of Nursing, Gateway Technical College
  • Jenna Julson, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Nursing Education Specialist, Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin, Eau Claire, WI
  • Brian Krogh, MSN, RN, Associate Dean – Health Sciences, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
  • Hugh Leasum, MBA, MSN, RN, Nurse Manager Cardiology/ICU, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Eau Claire, WI
  • Pam Maxwell, SSM Health
  • Mari Kay-Nobozny, NW Wisconsin Workforce Development Board
  • Dr. Amy Olson, DNP, RN, Nursing Education Specialist, Mayo Clinic Health System Northwest Wisconsin, Eau Claire, WI
  • Rorey Pritchard, EdS, MEd, MSN, RN-BC, CNOR(E), CNE, Senior RN Clinical Educator, Allevant Solutions, LLC
  • Kelly Shafaie, MSN, RN, Associate Dean of Nursing, Moraine Park Technical College
  • Dr. Ernise Watson, PhD, RN, Associate Dean of Nursing, Madison Area Technical College
  • Sherry Willems, HSHS St. Vincent Hospital

Reviewers

  • Emily Adams, MSN, RN, CNE, Arizona Western College
  • Ava Alden, Nursing Student, St. Catherine University
  • Dr. Caryn Aleo, PhD, RN, CCRN, CEN, CNEcl, NPD-BC, Pasco-Hernando State College
  • Dr. Kimberly A. Amos, PhD, MS(N), RN, CNE, Isothermal Community College
  • Sara Annunziato, MSN, RN, Rockland Community College
  • Megan Baldwin, MSN, RN, CNOR, MercyOne Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Jenny M. Bauer, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Mayo Clinic Health System, Northwest Wisconsin
  • Lisa Bechard, MSN, RN, Mid-State Technical College
  • Ginger Becker, Nursing Student, Portland Community College
  • Jolan Berg, MSN, RN, Madison Area Technical College
  • Nancy Bonard, MSN, RN-BC, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine
  • Valerie J. Bugosh, MSN, RN, CNE, Harrisburg Area Community College
  • Dr. Sara I. Cano, PhD, RN, College of Southern Maryland
  • Katherine Cart, MSN, MA, RN, Blinn College
  • Travis Christman, MSN, RN, HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s Hospitals
  • Pasang Comfort, Nursing Student, Portland Community College
  • Lenore Cortez, MSN, RN-C, Angelo State University
  • Dr. Catina Davis, DNP, RN, Tidewater Community College
  • Dr. Gerrin Davis, DNP, MA, CRNP, FNP-C, Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville
  • Dr. Andrea Dobogai, DNP, RN, Moraine Park Technical College
  • Stacy Svoma Doering, MAEd, RDMS, RVT, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Jessica Dwork, MSN-ED, RN, Maricopa Community College
  • Dr. Maria Motilla Fabro, DNP, APRN-Rx, FNP-BC, Kaua’i Community College
  • Dr. Rachael Farrell, EdD, RN, CNE, Howard Community College
  • Kathleen Fraley, MSN, RN, St. Clair County Community College
  • Kailey Funk, MSN, RN, Madison College
  • Kristin Gadzinski, MSN, RN, Lakeshore Technical College
  • Amy Gatton, MSN, CNE, Nicolet Area Technical College
  • Carla Genovese, MSN, RN-BC, CCRN, Flathead Valley Community College
  • Kerry L. Hamm, MSN, RN, Lakeland University
  • Melissa Hauge, MSN, RN-BC, Madison College
  • Sharon Rhodes Hawkins, MPA, MSN/ed, RN, Sinclair Community College
  • Camille Hernandez, MSN, RN, ACNP/FNP-BC, Hawai’i Community College
  • Kristine Sioson Holden, MSN, RN, Prince George’s Community College
  • Lexa Hosier, Nursing Student, St. Catherine University
  • Katherine Howard, MS, RN-BC, CNE, Middlesex County College
  • Jenna Julson, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, Mayo Clinic Health System, Northwest Wisconsin
  • Lindsay A Kuhlman, BSN, RN, HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital
  • Erin Kupkovits, MSN, RN, Madison Area Technical College
  • Julie Lepianka, MSN, RN, CNE, Moraine Park Technical College
  • Tamella P. Livengood, MSN, FNP-C, Northwestern Michigan College
  • Kathy L. Loppnow, MSN, RN, WTCS Health Education Director
  • Dawn M. Lyon, MSN, RN, St. Clair County Community College
  • Dr. Lydia A. Massias, EdD, MS, RN, Pasco- Hernando State College
  • Dr. Jamie Murphy, PhD, RN, State University of New York, Delhi
  • Angela Ngo-Bigge, MSN, RN, FNP-C, Grossmont College
  • Dr. Tennille O’Connor, DNP, RN, CNE, Pasco- Hernando State College
  • Dr. Lilleth D. Okossi, DNP, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, Bergen Community College
  • Dr. Amy Olson, DNP, RN, Mayo Clinic Health System, Northwest Wisconsin
  • Jane Palmieri, MSN, RN, Portland Community College
  • Laurie E. Paugel, MSN, RN, Nicolet College
  • Dr. Grace Paul, DNP, RN, CNE, Glendale Community College
  • Krista Polomis, MSN, RN, Nicolet College
  • Mary Pomietlo, MSN, RN, CNE, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
  • Cassandra Porter, MSN, RN, Lake Land College
  • Rorey Pritchard, EdS, MSN, MEd, RN-BC, NPD, CNE, CNOR(E), Allevant Solutions, LLC
  • Dr. Regina Prusinski, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC, BC FNP, Otterbein University
  • Jen Renstrom-Dallman, MSN, RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Sharon Rhodes Hawkins, MPA, MSN, RN, Sinclair Community College
  • Dr. Debbie Rickeard, DNP, BScN, BA, RN, CNE, CCRN, University of Windsor, Canada
  • Dr. Julia E. Robinson, DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, GCNS-BC, Palomar Community College
  • Ann K. Rosemeyer, MSN, RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College
  • Callie Schlegel, Nursing Student, St. Catherine University
  • Celee Schuch, Nursing Students, St. Catherine University
  • Chassity Speight-Washburn, MSN, RN, CNE, Stanly Community College
  • Dr. Carmen Stephens, DNP, RN, MS, University of Colorado-Anschutz Medical Campus
  • Dr. Suzanne H. Tang, DNP, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, PHN, Rio Hondo College
  • Forum Tihara, MSN, RN, Madison Area Technical College
  • Jacquelyn R. Titus, MS, RN, Pasco Hernando State College
  • Amy L. Tyznik, MSN, RN, Moraine Park Technical College
  • Heidi VandenBush, MSN, RN-BC, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
  • Jennie E. Ver Steeg, MA, MS, MLS, Mercy College of Health Sciences
  • Dr. Nancy Lynn Whitehead, PhD, APNP, RN, Milwaukee Area Technical College
  • Dr. LaDonna Williams, DNP, RN, Lord Fairfax Community College
  • Julie Woitalla, MSN, RN, Central Lakes College

Licensing/Terms of Use

This textbook is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY) license unless otherwise indicated, which means that you are free to:

  • SHARE – copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
  • ADAPT – remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially

The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

  • Attribution: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if any changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
  • No Additional Restrictions: You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
  • Notice: You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation.
  • No Warranties are Given: The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.

Attribution

Some of the content for this textbook was adapted from the following open educational resources. For specific reference information about what was used and/or changed in this adaptation, please refer to the footnotes at the bottom of each page of the book.

Content that is not taken from the above OER or public domain should include the following attribution statement:

Ernstmeyer, K., & Christman, E. (Eds.). (2021). Open RN Nursing Fundamentals by Chippewa Valley Technical College is licensed under CC BY 4.0.


  1. NCSBN. (n.d.). 2019 NCLEX-RN test plan.https://www.ncsbn.org/2019_RN_TestPlan-English.htm
  2. NCSBN. (2019). NCLEX-PN Examination: Test plan for the national council licensure examination for practical nurses.https://www.ncsbn.org/2020_NCLEXPN_TestPlan-English.pdf
  3. Wisconsin State Legislature. (2018). Chapter 6: Standards of practice for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. Board of Nursing. https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/441

License

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Nursing Fundamentals Copyright © by Chippewa Valley Technical College is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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