How to train for the clinical CNA exam?

nclady31 · Apr 25, 2009

I'm not sure which state you are in. I just took my test on Wednesday and passed. The biggest help for me was a small book I found at the local community college. It had every skill we could be tested on and was essentially the checklist the instructors have with the critical steps in bold. I practiced, practiced, practiced and also I made sure I knew exactly which supplies I needed for each skill. When you take the test again, try to relax, think through the skill and know that you know the material. Good luck! Pull curtain, use gloves!

texastaz · Apr 25, 2009

None that I know of. A tip however when practicing - talk out loud. I lived alone when I took the exam-had no one to practice on so I would pretend. Example: Knock, Knock - Hi Mrs Jones I my name is Devil Cheeks and I am here to assist you after I wash my hands. ----- Now that I have washed my hands I am going to draw your curtain to provide you with privacy before I preform peri-care. I am assembling the items I need first and then I will put my gloves on ok? so on................so on...........

The talking helped key down my nervousness, reinforced my physical movements - and without anticpatting it I got Praise Praise Praise for communication from my Instructor and Tester.

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2009

I'm not sure which state you are in. I just took my test on Wednesday and passed. The biggest help for me was a small book I found at the local community college. It had every skill we could be tested on and was essentially the checklist the instructors have with the critical steps in bold. I practiced, practiced, practiced and also I made sure I knew exactly which supplies I needed for each skill. When you take the test again, try to relax, think through the skill and know that you know the material. Good luck! Pull curtain, use gloves!

We had a book too which was practically our Bible during class! Just like yours it was on the 24 skills we could be tested on during the exam. I took my CNA course at a privately owned school so in order to take the test our instructor required us to come in for 4 days and go over every single skill before the exam on Saturday. I honestly dont think we would have passed without that test prep. Since it was 7 of us & we were all familiar with each other from class, it further put us at ease during the test. My advice to you is to go over every skill & time yourself. You only get 25 min. to complete the 5 skills so that's 5 minutes a skill. Handwashing should only take one, so you have 4 extra minutes. Another definite is one from the measurement portion(weight,bp,pulse,respirations,urinary output). Also I think the best thing I can recommend to you is talk your way through the skill. Our instructor told us to do that & it honestly helps b/c I noticed that the proctor didn't really look at us when we were performing our skills that much b/c we were talking it out. If we were silent I'm sure she would have looked at every single thing we were doing & critiqued it. Good luck on your exam! Just be calm & you'll do fine

LPNDebbie · Apr 30, 2009

We also had a book but I played CNA at home with a make believe patient in my bed. I wrote all my skills on index cards, turned them upside down and picked them at random so I would not know which skill I would practice until I looked at the card. The same way the test was given. If I messed up on a skill, I would re-do that step so that it stuck in my head. I was so comfortable during the test because I was very familiar with the skills I passed it with flying colors.

rose2012 · Dec 29, 2010

I wrote all my skills on index cards, turned them upside down and picked them at random so I would not know which skill I would practice until I looked at the card.

Okay, but aren't there like 90 skills you can be tested on? I haven't taken the CNA course, so I'm not sure which skills to focus on. I just finished my first semester of an ADN program and am seriously in need of a part-time job, so I'm hoping to get my CNA license to get at least some cash flow during the next year and a half of school and also to get some work experience in the hospital. Worried about finances...

UpstateNyDollCna · Dec 30, 2010

I think for the clinical part, to practice you should just do the skills instead of reading about them in the book, it became second nature to me after actually doing it so many times, practice every chance you get like at home on your kids or spouse.

rose2012 · Dec 30, 2010

Well, no kids or spouse to practice on, unfortunately, but perhaps I can go through the motions and pretend. A friend of mine was going to do this with me but has changed her mind because she got weekend clinical for next semester; this will give her two weekdays off, which will allow her to save enough money in childcare that she no longer needs to work.

Ev1987 · Dec 31, 2010

There are nurse aide handbooks for every state. I studied videos on youtube, as well.

BabyGirlx3 · Jan 3, 2011

Practice at home with someone. youtube has videos showing the skills too. I use to watch them all the time to kept "reminding" myself everything. I know here we didn't have to do the skills in order, but just to do them right.. Which made it less stressful. So just try to remember everything in the skill. Good luck!

Labunnie · Oct 30, 2011

just study the videos on you tube to get a general idea of how to do things, but every facility is different, so when you get to the testing center, make sure you communicate with other people that are waiting to take the test there and ask them what's the correct way "THEY" do things there. i was a challenger, and the only non-student to take my written and practical there, and yes i passed with flying colors. It's like getting trained on the job, you need to take every bit of information in as fast as possible!!! if someone tells you, hey we wash our hands for urinary drainage bag 3 times, or we put two paper towels in the sink for dentures....KNOW THAT and LEARN IT fast!!, bc you don't have much time to transition from the stuff you learn on youtube to what is actually required of you by that facility. Although i'm sure the training does help, but it is extremely possible to pass as a CHALLENGER! you just need to be one of those people that catch on quick!!

jjic3982 · Oct 30, 2011

Who is testing you, Pearson VUE or Red Cross? I have a post explaining the differences if you would like to search for it. But anyways, GOOD LUCK I WISH YOU THE BEST!