Most Difficult CPNE Skill...

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Hello all, I was wondering if those who have taken the CPNE can share what the most difficult skills they had to perform while being tested?

And, if they have ever been through a DHEC survey were someone watches them, is this what the CPNE feels like?

Thanks in advance!:wink2:

i would imagine the wound station and just like i thought i am having trouble packing this wound. i find little parts of the gauze touching the skin and am working real hard to fill the entire wound bed up. if i a having trouble at home with this i can just imagine what it will be like when i'm under fire...

you can leave about 1/8 - 1/4 inch around not covered, txsq. you do not have to cover every mm out the the edge.

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The wound is tough, but the IV drip station gave me many more headaches than expected. It seemed like the flow got faster as I closed the roller clamp!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.
You can leave about 1/8 - 1/4 inch around not covered, txsq. You do NOT have to cover every mm out the the edge.

Texas,

I agree with Sue, my wound packing was not at all that close to the edge. It happened so fast, I just kinda layed it in there and there was quite an bit of red/pink on the edges and they said "I passed".

The problem I had with this station is I packed the wound fine and went to grab the 4x4 to put over it and dropped both of them on the floor in the process. I looked at the CE and he looked at me as if he wanted to say"What are you going to do now?". I shook my head in disbelief and ripped the sterile gloves off, proceeded to get another 4x4.

I pushed the boat out of the way and opened the 4x4 without contaminating the field, put on my sterile gloves, and finished the process. He said "Congratulations you passed"! I was sweating bullets for a few minutes.

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Specializes in pediatric, geriatric.

I am confused by this statement on an earlier post.

"I screwed up on the dressing change station and had to repeat the next day. Once I tossed the soiled dressing into the paper bag, I only folded the paper bag twice--not the critical three times which would have prevented the earth from ending."

I thought for the wound station that we picked up the dressing into our glove, turn the glove inside out around it and into the trash can. What is this statement about a paper bag and folding it three times?

Can someone please explain further?

THANKS!

BJ

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I am confused by this statement on an earlier post.

"I screwed up on the dressing change station and had to repeat the next day. Once I tossed the soiled dressing into the paper bag, I only folded the paper bag twice--not the critical three times which would have prevented the earth from ending."

I thought for the wound station that we picked up the dressing into our glove, turn the glove inside out around it and into the trash can. What is this statement about a paper bag and folding it three times?

Can someone please explain further?

THANKS!

BJ

This poster tested a long time ago.

:)

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

thank you ..problem solved...i just need to work on controling my hands and should have this down.

you can leave about 1/8 - 1/4 inch around not covered, txsq. you do not have to cover every mm out the the edge.
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thank you ..problem solved...i just need to work on controling my hands and should have this down.

work from the inside out, over the wound, and you won't get your fingers onto skin and contaminate your gloves.

:)

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Specializes in pediatric, geriatric.

Thanks for clearing it up!

I thought maybe I was missing something!

BJ

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Specializes in ER; CCT.
I am confused by this statement on an earlier post.

"I screwed up on the dressing change station and had to repeat the next day. Once I tossed the soiled dressing into the paper bag, I only folded the paper bag twice--not the critical three times which would have prevented the earth from ending."

I thought for the wound station that we picked up the dressing into our glove, turn the glove inside out around it and into the trash can. What is this statement about a paper bag and folding it three times?

Can someone please explain further?

THANKS!

BJ

Sorry, I should have placed in context--dated a bit. I took CPNE back in 1993. Back then it was $800 if that gives you a little idea of how long ago. Anyway, the dressing station was on a mannequin and the bio hazzard waste where you tossed the soiled dressing was represented by a paper bag. If you used more than your soiled hand for tossing--you failed. If you did not fold the paper bag upper portion three times--you failed.

Although its been a while since I took, I remember in quite vivid detail what happened after I only folded the upper part of the bag twice. The examiner said, "Stop what you are doing" with the same intonation that you would hear on an episode of COPS where the guy says, "Get on the ground..DO IT NOW!" Then the examiner summoned over the clinical coordinator. I knew I was toast, but didn't know why. When the clinical coordinator came over with her associate, all three looked at the bag as the examiner trimuphently pointed at my dasdardly doing. The coordinator looked down at a prewritten statement and started reading it to me like a Miranda warning, indicating that I had failed the station and had to retake the next evening.

Even though I passed both of my patients the next am and afternoon, all I could think about was that stupid paper bag. I passed the next evening. Thankfully, they don't fail you for nervousness. 10 of the original 19 had already failed the CPNE. I was shaking like a parkinson patient on crank during the skill with three examiners watching me.

I'd really like to see one--just one of those putrid idiots at Georgia Board of Nursing take the CPNE.

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