CNA skills testing

[RNstudent15]

I'm about to finish my CNA class, and I'm preparing for my test and I was hoping to maybe get some advice on it. I'm not too terribly worried about the written portion, it seems pretty straight forward. But what does concern me is the skills portion. Not that I don't think I'm capable of completing the skills properly, but there's so much that goes in to the test taking portion that I'm getting worried. My teacher told me that we need to say as close to possible each step on the skill as we perform them, which is not that hard... but there are a few that I'm not sure if we need to actually do or just verbalize. Like maintain courteous interpersonal interactions at all times. Do I need to chit chat with the "patient" as I'm taking the test, or just verbalize it. Maybe I'm thinking too much about it.

Help? :)

[Ramcharger310, ASN, CNA, RN, EMT-B]

Well the instructor is right. Stay as close as to what is taught in the book. As for talking, I say a big YES!!! Talk to your Pt, tell them what you are going to do before you do it and don't forget to ask permission before starting a skill as a Pt/Resident has the right to refuse care.

As for communication, keep it simple. Something straight forward like "How are you doing today?" and "Are you in any pain?" "Oh, you are?...can you tell me where the pain is/type of pain/severity on a scale of 1-10?"

Remember, the CNA is the extra set of eyes and ears for the RN.

[Leonardsmom,LPN]

I agree talk to your patient, even if it is a dummy. When I took my skills test years ago I had an actual person for part of it and for one section, a partial bed bath a dummy. Talk them through what you are doing, patient interaction is one of the things that you are tested on during your skills portion. Take your time during the test and don't worry if you use all of the allotted time during the skills section. Better to take your time and make sure you do everything correctly than to fail and have to retake your test. A few other things depending on the set up of the room, when entering knock. When getting ready to do patient care if there is a curtain make sure that you close it, if there is not a curtain in the room verbalize that you would close the curtain for the privacy of the patient. I washed my hands each time before and after starting a procedure, after the second time of doing so my proctor told me that I didn't need to physically need to do so, but I did verbalize when I would wash my hands. When you finish that particular skill take a moment to think over everything that you did, if you remember that you forgot something say what you would have done. Once you tell the proctor that you are finished that is it, even if you remember a second later something that you should have done. Take your time and I am sure that you will do just fine :)

[RNstudent15]

Thank you guys so much! That's the only part I want sure about. Now I just need to practice :-)

[Lizzly]

what barb h said in the above post sounds right. Couldn't have said it better myself.

[Clouie19]

thank you Barb-H. will be taking my CNA cert. this summer.