Finding a radial pulse when you have carpal tunnel

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Hi Everyone!

I'm new to this forum. My name is Gwen and I live in upstate NY. I have gone to LPN school but I have failed my boards (I want to take them again). But I took another position at my job as a CNA trainee to help get myself motivated to study again for my boards. Anywhoo.....from the time I left nursing school and now, I have developed carpal tunnel in both of my hands with my left being worse then my right. So today in class we were practicing radial pulses and I was trying to find someone's pulse. I found it fine no problem but after hold my hand in the same position made my hand go numb and I could no longer feel the pulse. We are supposed to count it for a full minute for our state certification even though I know once I get on my floor, I will be allowed to use the vitals machine. My teachers are concerned that if the examiner selects that skill for me, that I could fail if my count is not within the allowed window. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!!!! I'm scared, I don't want to fail another state test because of my hands.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Good Morning and welcome to allnurses!

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I would call the testing place, anonymously, and ask what accommodations could be made and what you would need to do to qualify. Good luck.

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