new nursing assistant teacher

VickyRN, MSN, DNP, RN · Nov 16, 2011

Hello! I'm a new NA teacher in a 3-week school. Are there any others like me out there that have any advice to offer? My main question is how to be able to get all the students tested for all their skills before going to clinicals (it seems there is a time crunch)? And how to do this in a way that the ones not being tested are still making good use of their time? Some of them tend to not practice their skills as I've asked them to do while they're waiting, but be talking to other students. I have been criticized for this happening. Thanks in advance!

Congratulations on your new job! :nurse: Just as in any job, there is a learning curve with this new position, so cut yourself some slack. Some strategies I employ with my foundation lab to keep the students busy during check-off or performance eval time are the following: assign skill stations or specific tasks for students and give them a list of items to complete, give them a test to complete with items that they must look up from their lab textbook, or give them an article with CE exam (on such relevant subjects as bathing a patient, taking a blood pressure, etc) and require them to complete the CE either individually or as a small group sitting at a table. Best wishes to you and keep us posted :)

conscientiousnurse · Nov 16, 2011

Thanks for your reply! Maybe something like having the other students sign off that they actually are practicing a certain number of skills, and bringing this paper to me at the end of the day. Giving them an assignment like that is one thing; enforcing that they actually do it is harder.