My Skills Test Experience - What the day was like

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I'm hoping others who have completed the skills test will post their experience here. Exactly what was your test experience like? In my state we take the written and the skills test on the same day but I know that is not always the case.

The more I practice and read the more questions I come up with. Here is one: when assisting with the bedpan do you place a waterproof pad underneath the bedpan? Seems logical to me but it's not included in the skills steps.

Help! How hard is this going to be? The closer I get, the more concerned I become. I want so much to succeed and I practice and read every day.

Marie

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Specializes in Acute Mental Health.

Hopefully theres a pad there already. If not, I'd place one just because it would be easier to change the pad than the bed. During testing, you may not have that option though. Good luck!

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i thought the written test was extremely easy. mine was not on the computer. the skills test went a lot faster than i thought. my test proctor was really nice and repeated any of the information that i had forgotten. she immediately put me at ease. now i'm just waiting on the results. where are you taking your test??

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About how long does it take to get your results?

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i thought the written test was extremely easy. mine was not on the computer. the skills test went a lot faster than i thought. my test proctor was really nice and repeated any of the information that i had forgotten. she immediately put me at ease. now i'm just waiting on the results. where are you taking your test??

My test is in Ohio. You say your test proctor repeated any of the information that you had forgotten? I thought they didn't talk to the person taking the test while it was going on.

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they don't answer questions during the written part of the test, but you are given a short scenario for each of the five skill sets during the clinical part of the test. i guess it depends on where you go for your test, but my proctor was extremely nice and explained everything. the process took about 5 hours, but most of it was waiting. it made for a long day but i definitely stressed myself out more than i should have. the results take anywhere from 24-72 hours. i took my test on tuesday and i still don't have results online yet.

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Wow in NC after we finished testing one of the portions of the exam, our proctor faxed our tests right on over to someplace and we received our results within a couple minutes.

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I read you are testing in Ohio, as an instructor I can tell you you are only tested on the steps in your red book. It doesn't mention the pad, so you don't need to use it. It you do and say forget to take it out, it also can not count against you.

Good luck on your test!

Laura RN:nurse:

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I read you are testing in Ohio, as an instructor I can tell you you are only tested on the steps in your red book.

Good luck on your test!

Laura RN:nurse:

Thanks, Laura! Today I practiced taking vitals on my daughter. She's finding all of this practice a little tiresome, I think. She sees me coming toward her with my watch (I've been timing all the skills to see how long it takes me) and she lets out a sigh - or runs for cover!

In Ohio, we don't have to do BP for the skills test. And although we've been told we have to learn to use the restraint vest, we will never use it in real practice. Abuse of the vest (or misapplication) has resulted in some injury/deaths.

Also, our skills list is just a handout. We never got a "red book"?

One of my problems is ME. I read the skills and try to improve them - like put things in logical order or add the waterproof pad for bedpan/output because I think it is what I would do in real life. I am making this more complicated.

I made up two lists: a BEGINNING list and and ENDING list. These lists outline everything to do at the start and at the end. The skill will be done in the middle.

When we take our actual skills test, we won't have a working sink. So that's raising questions in my mind. Do we just say, "now I would fill this basin with warm water"? (for any skill that would need water). How are we going to take the skills test without having water?

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The written part was very easy for me, the skills test I was really nervous. I just took my time and really concentrated on the skill and not so much that I was being tested. I swear it was like I blacked out for the 10 or whatever minutes I spent doing my skills. When they told me I passed I was really surprised :D

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go to www.hdmaster.com, the candidate handbook is there. Every step you will be judged on is listed.

Laura :nurse:

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