i want to die i failed my cna exam

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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Im such an idiot i want to die i passed the written but i failed the skills and i failed on one of the easiest ones radial pulse

I hate myself so much i cant belave how stupid i am i have been studying everyday like crazy

I get even more upset when i see people who never paticipated in class always sleeping or on the phone and they passed but me well i practiced everyday paid attention in class and im the retart who failed

And my dream was to become a R.N yeah right im too stupid to even pass the cna i could never be that

I want to crawl in a hole and just die

Hey Dave thanks for the reply. I'll post on here what my instructor has to say and whatever else I come up with. My biggest problem with this is the one I've already mentioned, i.e. getting 102 of 105 things correct and yet still failing. The other is twofold, that is I will have to repeat this skill I failed and if we got different results the first time who is to say we won't get different results on a re-test. The other part of that is: the RN is a human and subject to error just as easily as I am. We all did these skills everyday for 7 weeks and during our clinicals.

I spoke with the company that administers the exam, Headmaster LLP, and they said the RN observer counted 39 x 2 = 78 for the pulse. I got 35 x 2 = 70. So I was out of the allowable range and therefore failed. The respiration rate I counted was 14. I feel that a pulse of 78 is a little high for someone with very normal respirations. The patient was very relaxed and the pulse felt more toward slow than fast. When I found out the skill I failed I thought if anything, the RN would have counted a pulse slower than 70 not above. Any thoughts? I'll pay the $80 and take the test again.

Try not to dwell on it too much. If you get pulse again when you retest, do it twice to make sure you get the correct number. I always count for a full minute, rather than 30 seconds times 2. That way if it's irregular you get the exact number. An average respiration doesn't guarantee an average pulse. You can have a fast pulse, but average respirations. I do :) You will pass next time for sure.

I felt the same way. A couple weeks ago I also took my skills test and I failed. I passed the written. I failed bc she said I did not say I was checking the bed brakes while doing Ambulation with a walker. I could have sworn I said it though. I passed all my other skills which was mouth care, applying a TED hose, changing an occupied bed, and handwashing. I was so upset I cried also but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that failed. :cry: I thought wow if I cant even pass this... how am I going to be a RN?? I still need to reschedule my test. Hopefully I pass the second time. I was extremely nervous!

That's too bad. It seems like more people fail the skills test than the board of nursing reports. I have two Bachelor's degrees, one in Business - Computer Information Systems. I can tell you my 400 level CIS classes were more demanding than any RN has ever said for their nursing program. And I failed the skills part. Try not to worry about it, easier said....I know. But the skills portion/clinical does not relate to taking written tests, as far as I've been told all of the exams in the RN programs are written to include the NCLEX.

Specializes in none.

Hey you don't need anyone to beat you, you're beating yourself up pretty well. So you fail the test, nothing to kill yourself over. Being a CNA is no prerequisite to being an RN or LPN or any other type of a nurse.

Specializes in ER, Med-surg.

When I first did it I passed the written and failed the skills. I failed catheter care, I wasn't taught how to do it in my training program. My brother also failed his skills tests, his was weighing a patient. I can't believe he failed weighing a patient! I told him to study up and do it again, but he was so discouraged, he refused. The difference between he and I was that I studied and retook the test while my brother gave up and never tested again. Don't feel too bad! Study your butt off, practice your skills on everybody, and retest. You can do it!

Agreed. Don't beat yourself up, MarkinAZ. You failed a skill that requires no education--aside from 10sec of instruction.

Next time, just count for the full minute.

Only appeal I know of is to retake the test - here in CA, you have to pay to retake it, but you have 3 tries to get it before having to retake the class. And...lots of people fail on the simple stuff. Class before ours - 9 people failed on bedpan. Our class - mostly VS of some sort (BP, Radial pulse, counting respirations) or infection control. One of my carpoolers got nailed on removing her gown - touched the outside of the sleeve with an ungloved hand.

Good news is if you have to retake the test, I know of exactly one person that had to do it 3 times and she wasn't in my class. Nearly everyone gets it the second time around, and as you say it's 99% nerves that causes you to fail.

----- Dave

I failed for the same exact thing!!! After the test they told me I did very well and I was really thorough. But they had to fail me for touching the outside of the sleeve of my gown?! It's ridiculous! Did you guys go to American Red Cross?

Hugs!! Pulses and BP are hard! I had a classmate who was a former CNA and still had to test twice before he passed.

Just took mine too and the exact same thing happen. 6 point away and radial pulse too. I got so nervous that I forgot my number once I was done :{ But Iam smart and so are you! Just keep trying and practice that skill in case you get it again. Don't give up Iam trying to be an RN and I honestly thought I would pass but Oh well I will try again and Hopefully this time I pass. GODD LUCH OT YOU

Specializes in hospice.

Another necro-thread.....This is from 2011!

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