MarkinAZ

That's too bad. It seems like more people fail the skills test than the board of nursing reports. I have two Bachelor's degrees, one in Business - Computer Information Systems. I can tell you my 400 level CIS classes were more demanding than any RN has ever said for their nursing program. And I failed the skills part. Try not to worry about it, easier said....I know. But the skills portion/clinical does not relate to taking written tests, as far as I've been told all of the exams in the RN programs are written to include the NCLEX.

Hi, I failed the vital signs; taking the pulse. I was wondering if any of you have any tips. I was thinking I could take the pulse several times to make sure I'm arriving at the same beats per minute each time. My handbook doesn't say anything about only being able to take the pulse once. So I thought, why don't I just count it as many times as I need to make sure I'm getting the same pulse each time. Any thoughts or tips? Thanks.

I tried to reply to your post. I don't know why it doesn't appear, maybe as was said in the last post, it was construed as giving legal advice. But let me try again and I'll rephrase without giving any legal advice. To preface I have a lot of attorneys in my family. I'm only going to speak for myself here. The only time I would contact an attorney is if I was really concerned about being sued or actually being sued. For myself, if I were put on administrative leave, I would not hire an attorney. Under the described circumstances, I would only hire an attorney if I were being sued or in my opinion wrongfully terminated & this kept me from finding employment elsewhere. Some lawyers offer free consultation. Again, I'm not offering you any legal advice, rather only stating what I would do. I hope your problem is resolved to your satisfaction.

I guess I will take the re-take the skills again. I passed the written with a 98%. It just seems like there is a big problem when so many fail the skills exam and yet they pass the written with ease.

I spoke with the company that administers the exam, Headmaster LLP, and they said the RN observer counted 39 x 2 = 78 for the pulse. I got 35 x 2 = 70. So I was out of the allowable range and therefore failed. The respiration rate I counted was 14. I feel that a pulse of 78 is a little high for someone with very normal respirations. The patient was very relaxed and the pulse felt more toward slow than fast. When I found out the skill I failed I thought if anything, the RN would have counted a pulse slower than 70 not above. Any thoughts? I'll pay the $80 and take the test again.

I know this is an old and tired topic. But sheeesh, why is it such a problem. The system of testing the skills is obviously flawed when you have such a discrepancy between candidates passing the written exam and so many failing the skills. Either the class needs to focus more on the skills and less on the written or some other alternative. I just found out today I failed my skills on one single issue; pulse. If someone practices a skill for 7 weeks and performs it in professional clinical settings satisfactorily and yet it is failed regularly on the exam there is a problem Houston. I counted all of the steps in the skills I was asked to perform; I scored 102 out of 105. And yet I failed. I know if I failed pulse, I failed a BOLDED step, but who is to say that the RN test observer is the end all say all? She's human too. Is she void of error? Is there any way to appeal or contest the results?

How is it that you were granted a waiver for the skills portion? Just curious.

Hi, I'm new to this site and I searched for this, so please forgive me if this info has already been discussed. I learned today that only Gateway Community College, in Phoenix, AZ has the LPN program anymore. I confirmed this with several schools so far to include PC and even the Maricopa skills center is not offering the program at this moment. I also looked into Yavapai CC in Prescott, and they do not have the LPN anymore. Does anyone know why the LPN program is being done away with in AZ. GWCC only has 3 cohorts at one time and there is now at least a one year waiting list - non-competitive. This is really getting frustrating as I was hoping to be able to work as an LPN during the 2year (at least) waiting period to enter the RN program. My dad said it's probably because AZ is broke and can't afford it, does anyone know for sure? Thanks.

Hey Dave thanks for the reply. I'll post on here what my instructor has to say and whatever else I come up with. My biggest problem with this is the one I've already mentioned, i.e. getting 102 of 105 things correct and yet still failing. The other is twofold, that is I will have to repeat this skill I failed and if we got different results the first time who is to say we won't get different results on a re-test. The other part of that is: the RN is a human and subject to error just as easily as I am. We all did these skills everyday for 7 weeks and during our clinicals.

So I've read all your comments and I think those of you who failed are being way too hard on yourselves. That includes me, I just got my results today and I failed the pulse part of vital signs. Really? REALLY? That is all I can think....The skills I was asked to do were peri-care, ROM hip/knee, brushing teeth, and vital signs (no Bp.) I just can't believe the RN failed me on a subjective skill as such. The result I counted was 35 beats for 30 seconds x 2 = 70/minute. I could feel the pulse fine, and I'm at a total loss how the RN could have got a different number, she counted on the opposite arm and I told her when I began and when I stopped. In AZ our exam goes through a company called Headmaster, and I know the last exam only two other guys failed, again on a subjective skill; blood pressure (both of them.) Does anybody know anything about appealing/contesting the results of the CNA skills exam? I can't help but notice that only males have failed from our school recently. If you include all the minor steps involved in my skills, there are 105 total steps, I got 102 of them right, and still failed??? How can this be? Any thoughts on how to appeal this? I'm in AZ and don't see anything in google searches about appealing or on the AZ Board of Nursing about it either. Thanks in advance.