Nursing Skills Textbook

In late 2024, I was invited to assist a group of nursing academics as they co-authored an open-access educational resource, the Foundations of Nursing Skills: A Comprehensive Guide for the Australian Context. This online textbook was written to prepare nursing students for clinical practice in diverse healthcare settings. My initial role with the project involved creating graphics, guiding authors’ creation of interactive H5P elements, and altering the format of digital book elements.

As the project continues in 2025, I have adopted additional design tasks. These tasks have included updating or creating more complex graphics, reviewing the author’s drafted text, and creating other documentation tools or video H5Ps to provide a consistent visual style across all chapters. The project has also presented new opportunities for me to practise writing alt-text for the Pressbooks platform while concentrating on the licensing, accessibility, and educational accuracy of different visual media.

A key highlight for me during this project has been a positive collaboration between the library team, authors and other professionals. For example, in early 2025 I pitched the idea of updating the book’s photos to represent the Australian nursing context. The authors agreed to this idea and helped organise the appropriate settings, nursing equipment, and consenting volunteers who enthusiastically acted as nursing staff and patients on the day. I am grateful for the hard work of all collaborators, including local photographer Ben Green from GHMedia.

[Potential testimonial/s here from authors or librarians. 20- to 40-word comments are preferred.]

FIRST NAME SURNAME

Title

James Cook University

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A circular model of a nursing process containing five steps: Assessment, problem identification, planning interventions, implementing interventions, and evaluating outcomes. Each step is displayed as an equal portion in a donut shape with arrows that lead in a clockwise direction. Outside this donut is a secondary donut shape representing the subsections for each step. The subjective and objective sections are connected to the assessment step. Analyse, identify, and formulate sections are connected to problem identification. Goals, outcomes, and prioritise are connected to planning interventions. Collaborate, dependent, and independent are connected to implementing interventions. Finally, the sections reassess and revise or terminate are connected to evaluating outcomes.

Exemplar diagram created for a H5P in the nursing textbook. The cross-section diagram is of a wound affecting the epidermis and dermis layer. Labels identify an artery with thick walls in the dermis layer. Blood fills up part of the wound, and a label explains that bleeding begins to slow and clot within 60 minutes.

Example of work Eileen adapted for the nursing textbook. In the redesigned figure, a diagram showing from a woman’s body from her thighs up to her head. The diagram shows ribs and organs in the woman’s torso, including the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, stomach, and intestines. Four labels point to the body. The top left label points to the ribs and reads: Flatness – Bones (e.g., the clavicle, ribs, and sternum). The top right label points between a gap in the ribs to the lung and reads: Resonance or hyperresonance – Adult or child lungs. The bottom left label points to the liver and reads: Dullness – Dense organs (e.g., the liver, spleen, and heart). Finally, the bottom right label points to the intestines and reads: Tympany – Abdominal area (e.g., the intestines and stomach).

Airborne precautions figure designed for the nursing textbook. Two rows of numbered circles containing icons and text representing airborne precautions. The top row contains three steps taken before entering the room. From left to right, these steps include 1. Performing hand hygiene, 2. Putting on a N95 or P2 mask, and 3. Performing a fit check of the mask. The bottom row contains two steps taken on leaving the room. From left to right, these steps include 1. Disposing of mask and 2. Performing hand hygiene.

Example of complex flowchart adapted by Eileen for the nursing textbook. The redesigned image shows two processes for the body to return to temperature homeostasis. The top half of the flow chart is linked by blue arrows that move between six graphics and text from the centre to the left, then clockwise to the right and back to the centre. The bottom half of the flow chart is linked by pink arrows that move between six graphics and text from the centre to the left, then anticlockwise to the right and back to the centre. The centre contains a circle with text that reads: Temperature homeostasis (36.5°C–37.5°C). The top seven textboxes, connected by a blue arrow, read: 1. Body temperature is low. 2. Temperature receptors in hypothalamus stimulate heat-producing mechanisms. 3. Superficial arteries constrict, reducing heat loss to the air. Blood flow to the digestive system decreases. 4. Shivering increases aerobic respiration in the muscles, releasing heat. 5. Thyroid stimulates cells to increase metabolic heat production. 6. Body temperature increases. The bottom six textboxes, connected by a pink arrow, read: 1. Body temperature is high. 2. Temperature receptors initiate heat-releasing mechanisms. 3. Superficial arteries dilate, causing flushing and increasing heat loss to the air. Blood flow is not diverted away from the digestive system. 4. Sweating is initiated in skin through sweat glands. 5. Thyroid stimulates cells to decrease metabolic heat production. 6. Body temperature decreases.

These images have been shared with permission from the authors.
If you are looking for similar design or formatting assistance, please be in touch. I look forward to discussing your project.

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