Does your school do this?

MIA-RN1, RN · Sep 28, 2005

well, what if you take a CNA class somewhere else and then go to school?

At my school, we don't have to be CNA's and we are not eligible to become them either, but I know that the skills can be pretty scary and overwhelming at first. You might want to try it and just see how you do, like I said, maybe somewhere else for the CNA.

As far as practicing on unwitting 'victims'..er I mean patients...I have found after a year and a quarter of clinicals, that so far nearly every patient has enjoyed having a student nurse because they get TONS of attention. Especially the LTC folks, they loved having one-on-one nurses, even if we weren't very good at transfers or if it took three of us to change a pair of briefs. (One to hold the pt, one to clean the pt, and one to run in and out of the room getting supplies we forgot to bring in with us lol)

EMTtoRN · Sep 29, 2005

No, we are not required to be CNA's or take a course through the progam. Although I would think that our first semster deals mostly with all CNA skills.

Our school has a 5 week CNA class for nursing students who lack the CNA designation. The course is intense. Here is the problem. I am not a visual learner. Skills are shown one time and one time only. A typical class may have 8 to 10 skills demonstrated. We are given a test on the skill in the same class session or the next day.
Failure to pass the skill results in 2 opportunities to test during the next class session. Of course, this means that you will not be able to practise the skills learned that day because you would be busy trying to pass the skill you failed.
At the end of 5 weeks, a final skills test is done. You are expected to be an expert at this time. Let me explain that you cannot practise anywhere in the school except for 2 hours a week. Two excellent tutors are available, but of course they are busy.
At the end of 5 weeks, you go into the hospital where in my opinion, we practice on poor victims who have no idea how little we know. There is no way I plan to practice on people, so this is the end of my nursing days. Medical records has never looked so good!

truern · Sep 29, 2005

At the end of 5 weeks, you go into the hospital where in my opinion, we practice on poor victims who have no idea how little we know. There is no way I plan to practice on people, so this is the end of my nursing days. Medical records has never looked so good!

Maisie, everybody has to do a procedure "live" on a patient for the FIRST time...it's how we've all learned. I really don't understand how else you think skills are learned??

hanex · Sep 29, 2005

helo peeps,

do u have any vcds on nursing procedures & skills? do u know where i could buy them? tnx

Catys_With_Me · Sep 29, 2005

Our school has a 5 week CNA class for nursing students who lack the CNA designation. The course is intense. Here is the problem. I am not a visual learner. Skills are shown one time and one time only. A typical class may have 8 to 10 skills demonstrated. We are given a test on the skill in the same class session or the next day.
Failure to pass the skill results in 2 opportunities to test during the next class session. Of course, this means that you will not be able to practise the skills learned that day because you would be busy trying to pass the skill you failed.
At the end of 5 weeks, a final skills test is done. You are expected to be an expert at this time. Let me explain that you cannot practise anywhere in the school except for 2 hours a week. Two excellent tutors are available, but of course they are busy.
At the end of 5 weeks, you go into the hospital where in my opinion, we practice on poor victims who have no idea how little we know. There is no way I plan to practice on people, so this is the end of my nursing days. Medical records has never looked so good!

I'd suggest you don't quit quite yet. Give yourself a chance. You'll find that the amount of time they're giving you in the lab will be adequate and you should go home and practice as much as you want to really get it down in your head. You don't have to have perfect lab conditions to be able to practice a skill. Plus you should know that even if you had the perfect lab set-up open 24-7 with amazing tutors at your beck and call that you would still not know exactly what you were doing until you'd had a chance to practice (as you call it) on real people. I can't think of ANYTHING I ever learned and practiced in the lab that prepared me 100% for doing it with the patient. There's just no way to perfectly replicate the experience. But trust me, when you get to clinical you'll have your instructor with you the first time or more and you will find that the skills you feel like you're barely touching on in the lab will click with you fairly quickly. And also, if you're going to be doing your clinical in a long term care facility you will be amazed at how receptive patients will be to your "practicing" on them. They love the attention, the interaction, the conversation... they love being a part of your learning experience, often say things like "that's okay honey, you take your time, that's how you learn" and since they're quite used to many of these procedures will often give you tips themselves on how you can do a better job! Have faith, go with it. It will really be okay!

Maisie · Sep 29, 2005

Maisie, everybody has to do a procedure "live" on a patient for the FIRST time...it's how we've all learned. I really don't understand how else you think skills are learned??

I don't mind the skills and I know that someone will have to be the first person. What I have a problem with, is being show something once and not getting to practice until I have a live person.

For example, We were told how to shave a person. We did not demonstrate the skill, just talked about it. Would you want me to use a razor for the first time on a person?

mariedoreen · Sep 29, 2005

I don't mind the skills and I know that someone will have to be the first person. What I have a problem with, is being show something once and not getting to practice until I have a live person.
For example, We were told how to shave a person. We did not demonstrate the skill, just talked about it. Would you want me to use a razor for the first time on a person?

We did this too. What are you going to practice on? You can go through the motions on a mannekin, but it still won't even be close to doing it with a real person. When we were in LTC clinical we handled it like this: with patients we could communicate with we informed them that one of our skills was shaving, that we had discussed it in lab and read through the procedure several times but had not had the opportunity to actually do it yet and "would you mind helping me do it with you?" No one said no, and actually you wouldn't believe the way their eyes lit up. They loved being a part of our education. And my patient was awesome with me, he talked me through it, told me what to watch for, seemed to love giving me all kinds of tips.

I understand your initial apprehension, but we're all trying to tell you there's another way to look at this. Those who've been through the CNA class and nursing clinicals for LPN and RN are trying to reassure you that if you study your skills, practice whatever you can in the lab (when possible) and then go over and over the steps at home (this really, really does help) and then do it in clinical with your instructor it's going to go fine.

Give it a chance.

Race Mom, ASN, RN · Sep 29, 2005

Well....

Since you already know that shaving will be one of the tested skills, do it NOW! There has to be some willing person in your life that will let you practice on them, before you even take the course.

Might be a good idea to find out if you can get a list of all of the skills that will be tested now, so that you can research on how to perform. Surely you could find another nursing student that can help you, if they can remember some or most of the tested skills.

I know that in our 1st semester clinicals, shaving a man is a checked-off skill, so thanks for metioning it...I'm going to shave my hubby on Sunday!! But i wouldn't dare let him shave my legs!! Are you kidding??? He would surely cut me! But, if he needed it to get through nursing school, he could just buy me a 6 pack and to the tub we'd go! You would be suprised to learn how many people out there would be willing to help you.

Lisa

Maisie · Sep 29, 2005

I have never liked razors, not even for myself. My husband has voluntered. but I love his face the way it is:) . I think I'll just use a balloon if it comes to that.