Mastering the Art of Injections

On Monday, Level 1 students in Big Bend Community College’s Registered Nursing program learned how to administer injections.

Learning how to safely administer injections is one of several pivotal benchmarks in the nursing students’ progress towards becoming an RN. According to Guadalupe Villa, “It was really intimidating at first, but practicing and learning in this group setting has been really helpful and made me more confident.” Many students agree with Guadalupe and also share that experiencing the challenges and successes together as a cohort is one the best parts of being part of BBCC family.

Instructors at BBCC work really hard to make sure that students have the support needed to progressively master skills. Specifically, before students are allowed to use their new skills on real patients, they often have to go through a rigorous learning process. First, students will practice their skills on simulated skin (task trainer). This is followed by practice on a simulated patient (each other). At this point, the students will be asked to complete a “skills check-off” where they must demonstrate their skills in a very realistic (high fidelity) setting. Once students pass their skills check-offs, they are allowed to use that skill in the clinical setting under the supervision of faculty.  

This progressive training builds skills and it builds connections. This group of students will invest hours of time in studying, nursing labs, and simulation labs in order to graduate as RNs in two years. During this time, they will develop strong skills, lifelong friendships, and many memories!