Ohio STNA Skills Test - Question

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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This is a very specific question regarding the Ohio STNA Skills Test.

Of the 24 skills that STNA's must learn, there are only a handful that specifically state to WEAR GLOVES at some point during the procedure.

What I need to know is this: we learned to wash our hands first, then to put on the gloves. However, many of the skills require us to adjust the height of the bed, gather equipment, pull the privacy curtain, etc. Do we do all of this AFTER we've put the gloves on? Or do we wash our hands, then gather equipment, etc., and THEN put the gloves on?

I'm not sure if the effect of the gloves would be contaminated by touching the bed, equipment, etc. before performing patient care. Also, it seems to me that if you wash your hands first, then gather equipment, you wouldn't be putting the gloves on just-washed hands.

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I'm in ohio and my test is tomorrow actually, and these are the steps i was given to begin any of the skills:

1)knock

2)introduce yourself/identify the patient

3)wash hands

4) explain the procedure

5)gather equipment

6)pull curtain

7) perform and talk

so i take that to mean that you'd put on your gloves after you gather the equipment and stuff. don't take that as 100% though, but i think thats how its done. good luck on your test!!!

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Good luck on YOUR test tomorrow!

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Specializes in Med Surg, Telemetry, BCLS.

Well? What is the true answer to these questions? Can any one advise?

Also, how did your tests go? Hope you did well! CONGRATULATIONS!

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I passed. This is what I did. I did the intro thing: knock, call out patient's name ("Mrs. Smith?" e.g.), "Hi, my name is.......and I'm going to assist you with....... First, I'm going to wash my hands and then I'll gather my equipment (including gathering gloves)." Then after gathering equipment, pull the curtain, adjust the bed rails and bed height as needed. And THEN PUT ON THE GLOVES and perform the skill.

To me there is a flaw in this system because the gloves are not being put on just-washed hands and I think this would be the ideal. However, the gloves are sterile and you don't want to wear them while you are gathering the equipment, pulling the curtain, adjusting the bed, as this could definitely contaminate the gloves.

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Congratulations :)

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.

Washing hands should be done just prior to touching patient. You have to wash again after gathering supplies. Otherwise what is even the point of washing your hands.

This is what makes the most sense to me.

1)knock

2)introduce yourself/identify the patient

3) explain the procedure

4)gather equipment

5)pull curtain

6)wash hands

7) perform and talk

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Specializes in Med Surg, Telemetry, BCLS.

Yes I agree. Many of the steps they advise "don't make sense". It appears that one would contaminate their hands after gathering supplies, etc.

So washing at the beginning after introduction and then after getting supplies would be in order. Then washing again after finishing the skill.

What's odd is that between the instructors, the testing manual, online test and practice videos, everyone has a different opinion...

THANK YOU AGAIN for answering !

And CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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The system is not perfect. Ideally, you should probably wash your hands:

1. BEFORE gathering linen from clean linen storage. Otherwise you'd be contaminating the linen you are taking into the resident's room with anything picked up since you last washed your hands.

2. BEFORE gathering equipment in the patient's room. Otherwise you'd be contaminating everything you gather with germs on the doorknob.

3. BEFORE performing patient care which should be just before putting on the gloves.

4. AFTER performing patient care.

FOUR TIMES. Not practical nor possible during a busy day.

From my experience (limited, for sure) what I witnessed was nursing assistant's breezing in and out of patient's rooms and not washing hands every time.

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.
However, the gloves are sterile...

Congrats on passing your test, but just so y'all know boxes of gloves stored in pts rooms are not sterile, and CNAs/STNAs can't do sterile procedures. I know, just a smalltypo, but I like da englash langauge ;)

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Specializes in Med Surg, Telemetry, BCLS.

Well, I PASSED!

Amazing...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. However on the written exam they did have some really strange questions that I still can't find in the book. I'm told I have the questions right, but still, if they'd use correct ENGLISH on the exam, I think many more students would perform better.

Now it's onward to complete my nursing degree...2 years to go! :up:

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Congrats on passing, I am taking my test on Feb 6

Keta

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