CNA Certification question

para · Jan 18, 2007

I'm really worried about my CNA class. We are in the second week and have already learned how to move a pt from one side of the bed to the other and we have also learned the dangle proceedure for sitting pt's up in bed. My worry comes in where my instructor is TERRIBLE at communication and she didn't even know the proceedure herself. I was reading my book over the weekend, mainly the skills you need to know to pass the test, and we learned them in different ways than the book says to do it. I'm worried that I'll get dinged on that and not pass since we're not doing it like the book.
Has anyone else ran into this problem? :sofahider This has got to be the worst class I have ever taken in my life. I have a terrible instructor with a HUGE communication problem (english is her second language).
:smiley_ab I've already had problems with her and we've butted heads.

I am sorry your instructor is not helpful in teaching you.I have not taken the class yet, but I have been watching the free CNA videos offered here http://deptets.fvtc.edu/nursing/index.htm . I think Lesson 59 Transfer Techniques shows dangling and other transfer techniques .The videos are old, but for me they are helpful for me to preview the class. I hope this helps and good luck!!!

casi, ASN, RN · Jan 19, 2007

Is the book a textbook or a state guide? Check into the state test and see what their procedures are. A lot of times books vary from what your state tested on.

And what kind of things are different? Are they small steps that wouldn't really matter or are they the big things?

peridotgirl · Jul 24, 2007

I'm sorry to say that your instructor hasn't been of much help and there's a communication barrier. I say to more than likely follow what the books says and see if you can emulate the procedure. Also, I found that videos are often helpful when in doubt. Here's the link:

http://deptets.fvtc.edu/nursing/index.htm Also, see what your state tests on. A lot of the times, the steps are slightly different than what you are being tested on. Just remember that during your CNA test don't forget the really important steps such as handwashing, quailty of life, donning gloves, providing privacy, and promoting the pt's safety and rights. I hope this helps. And I wish you the best of luck.

zooz · Jul 24, 2007

I can't really give you any more advice other than what the others already have, but I wanted to let you know that I went through the same problem with my instructor (minus the language problem). It's not that she was doing anything in a way that might harm someone, she was just doing it how she would do it and not how the textbook and state wanted it done.

I'm in clinicals now, so I won't have labs/skills practice with her again, but I'm trying to do everything by the book so I won't mess up for my state test. O

I really feel for you. Being new to all this, I was completely frustrated with the whole thing. Try to hang in there! Go over the procedures for skills in your textbook and state testing guide (if your state has one) on your own as much as possible and practice at home if you have a willing subject. Good luck!

Edit: Well, I guess I should start checking the dates on these posts, huh? LOL

greysa32 · Jul 28, 2007

i know i have the same thing with blood pressure we did it one time for 20min thats it i don't think i have it down.

amanda1229 · Jul 31, 2007

I had a similar problem. I did wonderfully in the class, with all of our tests I always had the highest scores and knew all of the textbook answers for terminology and assumed I'd do really well with labs and clinicals, which was the second half of the class for us (I took it in high school for free, so it took a full two semesters). However, when we started doing labs and clinicals, our instructor was in and out of the hospital a lot for heart problems, and we were often stuck watching movies on the ebola virus or bird flu! I'm surprised they still let us go through with the class!

Because of this I felt MAJORLY unprepared. At labs, we sat around and practiced blood pressure and gossiped -- we had no instructor often. At clinicals, ALL WE EVER DID was feed residents, I was so annoyed. I still passed the final test (the high school final exam) with a great score, but I was so afraid to go on to the actual state boards that I just pushed them off, thinking I'd have to retake the class all over again! I was really stupid, I wasted a year that could've been great experience.

My boyfriend's sister is the MDS coordinator at a LTCF, and his family always pushed me to just test out and see if I got it, and then improve if I didn't, but I couldn't do it. I really just wanted to work somewhere, pick up the skills, and then test out. I was hired on the spot at the LTCF that she worked at, and within a month I was a CNA! Plus, when you're there for three months, they'll reimburse you for the CNA test.

Just go along with it, learn whatever you can, and take my route if you have to -- I learned a lot more from the LTCF BY FAR than what I learned from my class. Also, like others said, there's free videos all over the net.

AmberL, BSN · Aug 1, 2007

I agree with everything that was said. I didn't have those kinda problems but I have some advice, my written test was basically common sense and when doing the skills test, we could tell the examiner if we messed up on something and she would let us start over or just say ok and not count it against us.

amanda1229 · Aug 1, 2007

I agree with everything that was said. I didn't have those kinda problems but I have some advice, my written test was basically common sense and when doing the skills test, we could tell the examiner if we messed up on something and she would let us start over or just say ok and not count it against us.

I agree with this, too! The skills test was really easy. Some of the answers on ours (it's multiple choice) were laughable, even. I wouldn't worry about the written segment.

As for the skills, AmberL is right. When I did denture care, I did everything right but forgot to line the sink with paper towels. I finished the skill and said, "Oops! I was supposed to do line it," and she said it would count. For our test, as long as you're in the testing area, you can correct yourself on any skill that you've done.

Remember this one, it got a lot of people in my class: If your resident is choking or falling, you have to yell "HELP" or at least say "YELLING HELP" to your instructor. I had the heimlech as a skill, and I said, "Someone, she's choking!" outloud, and she was nice enough to excuse it because I didn't say "help."

ETA: In our state, if you can fit two fingers under a gait belt on your resident during the test, it's an automatic fail. Does this go for everywhere?