In CNA class...required to take blood pressure of 100 people!!!

[CarolinaGirl1112]

I'm in a fast-track CNA program at my local community college. It is a little under 5 weeks long, and we go to school full-time 4 days per week. I just found out from a class that's slightly ahead of us that we are going to be required to take the blood pressure of 100 people. My question is, where the heck am I supposed to find them? I work from home, I don't go to church, I'm not involved in any community activities, I don't have any kids in school so I can't schmooze with parents at a baseball game or something. I only have about 5 family members nearby, and one close friend, and that's it! Also, a blood pressure cuff was not on the list of required materials for the class...we were only required to get an analog watch and a stethoscope...so this is MORE money I'm going to have to shell out. Money I don't have.

I'm really worried about this because I'm taking the class very seriously and I've been studying like crazy for the tests, I just wasn't expecting to be given that kind of assignment. Should I go door-to-door in 97 degree heat offering to take the blood pressure of my neighbors? Should I set up a table outside my local grocery store and put a sign on it that says "FREE blood pressure readings!" I know it sounds silly, but I'm totally at a loss about what to do. Any suggestions?

[pinkstethoscope]

I would ask your teacher. In my CNA class we had to do 50, but we were allowed to do the same people's multiple times. I would imagine that you will get time in class to do your fellow classmates?

[sunshine100]

Hmm, we just did blood pressures on each other.

[Kitsey]

In my CNA class we didn't even learn how to take blood pressure. At the LTCF where I work we don't even take vitals.

[lillymom]

Do you not have to have clinicals for your CNA classes and how is it even possible to not take a BP in a LTCF? Who does take the BP's? Every CNA course in my state requires clinicals so it is easy to get BP's. If not maybe you could go to a local nursing home and ask administration if you could take some BP's and shadow.

[Kitsey]

@Lillymom-yes, we had clinicals for my CNA class. They were held at the facility where I now work. Going into the class I thought that we would learn to take BP, and was surprised to learn that it's not taught because it's not required for the state test. For clinicals we did pulse and respiration on our residents, but that was just learning for state test purposes. I've worked at my facility almost 4 months and only recall seeing nurses taking a BP a couple of times. We CNAs do not do any BP/pulse/respiration.

[lillymom]

Oh Okay. Every facility around here requires full vitals on all pt's on at least a daily basis so it just seemed a little strange to me. We are also tested on full vitals in my state and they are very strict. It is strange how some states vary so much in requirements.

[K_girl]

In my CNA class we didn't even learn how to take blood pressure. At the LTCF where I work we don't even take vitals.

We learned how to take VS in the CNA class I took but it was at the very end of the program. We didn't take vitals in clinicals either.

The facility that I will be working in doesnt allow CNAs to take vs. They leave that to the nurses.

[KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN]

@Lillymom-yes, we had clinicals for my CNA class. They were held at the facility where I now work. Going into the class I thought that we would learn to take BP, and was surprised to learn that it's not taught because it's not required for the state test. For clinicals we did pulse and respiration on our residents, but that was just learning for state test purposes. I've worked at my facility almost 4 months and only recall seeing nurses taking a BP a couple of times. We CNAs do not do any BP/pulse/respiration.

That's odd..!!! :eek:

[Thujone]

wow I only had to take 9 other peoples combined vitals, but if all else fails just fabricate, as long as you actually know how to do the procedure correctly then there is no harm done.

[rn/writer, RN]

wow I only had to take 9 other peoples combined vitals, but if all else fails just fabricate, as long as you actually know how to do the procedure correctly then there is no harm done.

No, please don't fabricate.

Contact your local fire department and see if the EMTs will help you out. I know the departments I used to be on would have been happy to lend their arms for something like this. And, who knows, you may make some friends and pick up some pointers.

[Thujone]

No, please don't fabricate.

Contact your local fire department and see if the EMTs will help you out. I know the departments I used to be on would have been happy to lend their arms for something like this. And, who knows, you may make some friends and pick up some pointers.

This is a very good point here, but I personally think the chances of you actually finding 100 different people are slim unless you have a butt load of class mates, or set up shop outside a store and offer free BP readings :-P.