So.... What skills did you have on your exam???

Denture cares, transferring a patient from wheelchair to bed, feeding, Heimlech maneuver, feeding, and of course handwashing.

Denture cares -- got me because I didn't line the sink with paper towels.

Transferring -- in Iowa, where I live, if you can fit two fingers in the gait belt it's an automatic fail. Our instructor always joked, "If you can hear ribs cracking, it isn't tight enough." Luckily for me, the faux-resident I had my skills test on had just had surgery so I was allowed to let it loose!

With a choking resident OR a falling resident, make sure you either say "HELP!" in a loud voice or just tell your evaluator that you would be yelling "help." You will get no points for the entire skill if this isn't done -- luckily for me, I just said "She's choking!" in a loud voice, and the evaluator was nice enough to excuse it as the real thing, but probably shouldn't have, technically.

And before you do test out, make sure you know what the rules are like as you're testing. When we did our skills, if we forgot to do a step, all we had to do was mention that we forgot it while we were still in the testing area. It was pretty nice! I was nervous so I would forget little things (especially like calling the resident "honey" or "sweetie" which you're not supposed to do) and then remind the evaluator of the correction. And always pull that privacy curtain!

That's probably more info than you wanted, but I've been telling every future aide these things since I passed my test!

Well, in Oklahoma we have five known skills that will be on the test.
1. ROM
2. Transfer w/ gait belt.
3. BP, T,P,R
4. Partial bed bath
5. Handwashing

As for the rest, the examiner decides!! I got dental care, transport to a w/c, and position pt. on side. It wasn't as bad as I thought once I got started on the skills. It's the time before that is bad- all that worrying I did for nothing. Remenber, if you forget a step in the process, just say I forgot to do this and correct it. You will do fine.


Kim

In Indiana we had four skills to perform. We picked cards to determine what we did.

I did:

handwashing (requirement)

ROM

backrub

denture care

hand washing, ROM on lower extremities, passing ice water, ambulation, and I think bed change

I did hand washing, pulse/respirations, partial bed bath, oral care, ambulation.


For hand washing you just verbally go through it each time. I'm going to wash my hands, gather my supplies, knock on the door...etc."

You're not alone! I feel the exact same way.

Hi,

In NYC:

I had ROM to lower extremity, dressing the resident and pulse and resp. Of course, handwashing and yes I actually washed my hands before I started each skill. Also, make sure you give the resident the call bell and lower the resident's bed to it's lowest position after each skill.

Now, I start my part time job at the end of the month before I start LPN school in Sept.

Good luck to those who are preparing for their state exam.

I just wanted to say good luck with your exam! I take my skills exam I think on Aug 24th or 27th, and I'm extremely nervous.