1. IntroductionCharles Docherty and Jacqueline McCallum:
2. Mandatory skills
2.1. William McDonald: Communication
2.2. Valerie Ness: Moving and Handling
2.3. Ken Taylor: Therapeutic Management of Aggression and Violence
2.4. Claire McGuinness: Infection prevention and control
2.5. Elizabeth Simpson: Resuscitation
2.6. Claire McGuiness and Valerie Ness: Administration of medicines
3. Maintaining a safe environmentJayne Donaldson and Valerie Ness:
3.1. Falls prevention and risk assessment
3.2. Skin assessment
3.3. Pain assessment
3.4. Neurological assessment
3.5. Early warning signs for critical illness
4. CommunicatingWilliam McDonald:
4.1. Verbal and nonverbal communication skills
4.2. Listening and observation skills
4.3. Engaging skills
4.4. Interviews and questioning
4.5. Written communication
4.6. Telephone communication
4.7. The context in which communication occurs
5. BreathingJacqueline McCallum and Ellen Malcolm:
5.1. Assessment of breathing
5.2. Positioning the patient to facilitate breathing
5.3. Using oxygen therapy to facilitate the patient's breathing
5.4. Observation of cough and sputum
6. Eating and drinkingJacqueline McCallum and Bridget Reade:
6.1. Nutritional assessment
6.2. Assistance with eating
6.3. Providing special diets
6.4. Caring for a patient suffering from vomiting or nausea
6.5. Fluid balance
7. EliminatingMary Ballentyne and Valerie Ness:
7.1. Assessment
7.2. Urinalysis
7.3. Catheter care
7.4. Assisting patients to use bedpans, commodes and urinals
7.5. Collecting stool specimens and testing for faecal occult blood
8. Personal cleansing and dressingCharles Docherty, Kirsteen Lang and John Timmins:
8.1. Skin care
8.2. Showering and bathing
8.3. Washing a patient in bed
8.4. Shaving
8.5. Hair care
8.6. Eye care
8.7. Mouth care
8.8. Dressing
8.9. Wound assessment
8.10. Aseptic technique
8.11. Removal of sutures, staples and clips
8.12. Total patient care
9. Controlling body temperatureElizabeth Simpson, Valerie Ness, Claire McGuiness and William McDonald:
9.1. Assessing body temperature
9.2. Facilitating the control of body temperature
10. MobilizingValerie Ness and John Murray:
10.1. Patient assessment
10.2. Recognizing and preventing the major complications of immobility
10.3. Recognizing and selecting common handling aids
10.4. Practical handling of bedbound patients
10.5. Positioning the patient in a chair
10.6. Performing a range of motion exercises
10.7. Managing more complex mobilizing needs
11. Working and playingPeter Johnstone:
11.1. Assessing developmental stage for play
11.2. Selecting suitable play and recreational activities for patients
12. DyingLinda Loftus:
12.1. Communication with the patient and relatives
12.2. Communication skills in assessing the patient with advanced disease
12.3. Oral care
12.4. Assessment and management of pain
12.5. Last offices

Charles Docherty, Senior Lecturer in Nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University. He provides strategic direction to practice-based learning in the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Community Health. He has published on the acquisition of clinical skills in simulated environments and his doctoral studies focused on how mentors assess nursing students' clinical performance.

Jacqueline McCallum, Lecturer in Adult Nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University. She teaches modules in clinical skills, adult nursing and critical care. She specialises in skills and simulation education, including the use of actors and 'mid-fidelity' simulators as patients. Having spent eleven years as a cardiac nurse, Jacqueline has written numerous articles on cardiac and critical care nursing, as well as skills acquisition.