Competency Testing

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We are getting ready for competency testing on September 22nd. What skills do your schools use for competency testing? We get three chances to pass these before we are out of the program.

We have to do one medication administration and one sterile technique or procedure. If you are on your third try there are 2 instructors watching you and you must be passed by both instructors.

I heard last year only one person did not pass after three tries. We don't know til we walk in for testing what we are going to have to do.

The options are:

Any medication procedure. (IV, IM, insulin, po meds, etc.)

Foley Catheter, Sterile dressing changes, Trach Care.

I will be glad when these are over. I am going in to practice lab over the next few weeks to refresh my skills.

Just wondering if these skills are similar over the other RN programs.

I'm in my first semester of school and we have competency testing as well. Right now we're doing pharmacology and we have competency test in dosage calculations that we do on the computer. From what they told us, I think there will a competency test in each course we take.

Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.
Originally posted by jjbaby

We are getting ready for competency testing on September 22nd. What skills do your schools use for competency testing? We get three chances to pass these before we are out of the program.

We have to do one medication administration and one sterile technique or procedure. If you are on your third try there are 2 instructors watching you and you must be passed by both instructors.

I heard last year only one person did not pass after three tries. We don't know til we walk in for testing what we are going to have to do.

The options are:

Any medication procedure. (IV, IM, insulin, po meds, etc.)

Foley Catheter, Sterile dressing changes, Trach Care.

I will be glad when these are over. I am going in to practice lab over the next few weeks to refresh my skills.

Just wondering if these skills are similar over the other RN programs.

mine was similar as well. we did the insert IV and set up fluids, IM, SQ, NG tube feeding set up and NG tube insertion, foley catheter, sterile dressing, trach care, insertion of an airway tube (by mouth) for Emergency situations, as well as full neuro, cardiac and respiratory assessments and a math exam.

fun fun fun

Wow! We have compentency the same week as well!

We have to do vital signs and interview techniques... They also give you three tries as well...

Good luck everyone!!!

good luck to all of you!!!

This semester, we are doing competencies in vital signs, bed making, giving a bed bath and massage, and I can't remember what else!

Heidi

Specializes in Oncology, Hospice, Research.

Get used to competency testing because it will be with you all of your professional career! ;)

Most employers for RN jobs today will give some type of competency test (usually hands on) and most give you some type of entry level math test. Some make them a requirement of getting the job and others use them as a baseline to know how much training you need.

I went in to drop off an application at one job and they said, do you have time to meet one of our interviewers? I said sure and I was taken to the skills lab where the interviewer had me start an IV (on a dummy), set up a sterile field, pass an NG tube, plus a few other clinical tasks AND take a math test. I guess I did ok b/c they offered me a job. I have had other competency exams but always with some warning.

One tip as you are doing yours for school: read over the procedure in your book or manual the night before and if you can, outline the steps on a note card. When you have to do it for class, say your steps out loud as you do them.....I am washing my hands, I am getting out my supplies.... etc. A lot of teachers will coach you verbally as you do this and that helps a lot plus it breaks the tension if you can do it with a bit of humor!

Good luck!:nurse:

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