How do clinicals work in the CNA program?

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Is each potential CNA assigned to a nurse or CNA at the hospital (or nursing home, etc) and shadow them....or what? I'm starting the CNA program next week and am just curious....

Specializes in Utilization Management.

When I did CNA clinicals, we were each assigned to a CNA. We shadowed for a day just to get an idea of their routine and then the rest of the time we took over their duties.

we were with the LVN and she showed us on a patient what to do, we then were paired up and assigned a patient. we did various things and showed the nurse. pretty easy.

Specializes in LTC.

We got paired up with another CNA student and then every day we were assigned to follow a CNA or 2 around and try to get some skills practice in.

Ditto. I was paired with another na.

Just completed my CNA clinicals wednesday night...we have a checklist of skills that we are required to learn in order to pass the state exam - we practiced each of those skills under the supervision of our RN clinical instructor...spent three shifts in a local assisted living/ltc - we did everything from taking vital signs to helping with showers to feeding to bedbaths, etc.....the CNA's on the shifts we were on were very glad for the extra hands and were quite willing to "show us the ropes" so to speak. This particular facility doesn't have any residents with catheters, and doesn't use bedpans, so we didn't get to "practice" those two skills.

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