What have you failed the CNA skills exam for?

Specializes in Hospice, LTC.

I'm taking my CNA skills exam again on Saturday and am really nervous again.

My first time taking the skills exam I did everything perfect, EXCEPT for when brushing the person's teeth I only raised the head of the bed 50 degrees, not 60! and I asked how do you guys measure the degrees? and they only do it by sight.

I got really easy skills too (brushing teeth, ROM, and weight). Now I'm nervous I'll get hard skills ... I'm horrible at blood pressure ...

I was wondering what are some stuff other people have failed the test for?? this way I will know what not to do too .

What Members Are Saying (AI-Generated Summary)

Members are discussing their experiences with taking the CNA skills exam, sharing stories of both success and failure. They are providing examples of common mistakes that can lead to failing the exam, such as not following bolded steps, improper use of restraints, and not documenting correctly. Some users are seeking advice on how to improve their skills and prepare for the exam.

24 Answers

Specializes in Geriatric.

Here were some the reasons people in my school's last class didn't pass, and the person who didn't pass today:

- For feeding, giving the patient the wrong tray [there were two trays with similar names]

- Telling the proctor you couldn't find the pulse [the person was alive, they had a pulse--it became the joke in our class]

- Doing an upper body bed bath and using soap in the patient's eyes, and also leaving the resident's chest totally exposed.

- Taking blood pressure and not putting the stethoscope on the pulse, but putting it in your pocket instead. This person eventually got it right, said she was nervous. Don't know about that...

My skills were putting resident in supine position, nail care, and respirations.

I took my CNA class at Adult Education. The price was $550 for everything and it was an intensive class. We started in June and finished Thursday, with the exam today.

--Nobhill

My "fail" sounds fairly simple and it was...the gait belt/transfer. I pretty much knew how to do complete the skill but my nerves just got the best of me. I used to have trouble putting on the gait belt and would try and put it on backwards. Even in my skill re-test I still was still backwards with the belt but as I talked myself through the skill my test proctor understood that my verbal directions were correct and had me calmly repeat the skill and I did it!

I have a friend whose patient failed hers because she put the bedpan on the wrong way because she let the test admin build up her head and then wasn't watching what she was doing and put it on wrong. and the funny thing is the test admin asked her if she wanted to double check something.

One girl fed her "patient" lying flat in the bed, didn't raise the head. Another girl had output measurement and she held it up in the air instead of setting it on a flat surface. THEN, she poured the "urine" down the sink. A guy messed up on pulse. That's all I can think of for now.

FYI: to the poster who asked about how they measure degrees, our beds actually have a gauge on them.

Specializes in Med Surg.

I passed mine 100% the first time around! I was really nervous to, but just pretend that the evaluator is not there and slow down and take your time. in iowa, you have 45 minutes to do all of your skills. I thought I took along time and ended up have 30 minutes left. my skills were oral care, rom, dressing, pulse and respirations, and bed to chair transfer. things that I know they mark down for that are easy mess ups are like not raising the bed, not explaining the procedure to the patient, not providing privacy (pull the curtains, cover the patient up etc.), not lowering the bed when your done, not putting up bed rails if the pt is suppose to have them, not placing the call light with them, not doing hand hygiene... the only major offense I can remember right now is if you have to transfer the pt and you incorrectly use the gait belt or you put it on to lose. if you just relax and think through each step you will do fine! good luck!:D

I passed the first time, but the person I was working with failed. They had to transfer me from the bed to the wheelchair. Both the bed & wheelchair weren't locked and they transferred me without shoes on!!

Well i passed on the first time but I think depending on the state in which you live the rules can be strict in ny this girl field in weight she forgot to write lbs at the end. But I would say keep practicing I even believe there is a site for the test skills.

We had vest restraints on our test! This was about 4 years ago, though. And the first facility I worked at used them once in a while! They've (the state) really cracked down on the use of restraints over the last few years though.

Anyway. I passed my test, but a girl in my class failed because she got a partial bedbath, raised the bed all the way up and put down the siderail, THEN walked away and went into the bathroom. Safety hazard = automatic failure here.

I failed because after I scrubbed my nails on my palms, I washed my hands more instead of directly rinsing them. I would have passed otherwise, I got an 84. My teacher said that this was a critical element in hand washing. I had no idea that it was!

Specializes in Student Nursing Assistant.

I am a high school student in a nursing program at my trade school and I do not do very well with skills any tips or suggestions? 

Sorry Nurse Assisting program

Anyone know if you miss a portion of a bold step whether you still fail or not? One of my skills was to position the patient to their left side. I did every step fine but knew I was forgetting something and just couldn't place what it was. A bold step on that skills is to "place support devices such as pillows, wedges, blankets, etc., to maintain correct body alignment and protect bony prominences, under head, right arm, behind back, and between knees." I placed a folded pillow behind back, a pillow under head and a pillow under knees that was situated to also support the patients ankles. However, I could not remember to put a pillow under the right arm, I went blank on this. However, I did place the patients arm on top of the blanket that she was covered with -- would this be counted against me since the bold step technically allows me to protect bony prominences with a blanket as well? I am having an anxiety attack waiting on these results--any opinions would be helpful. I'd just rather know either way and be done with the anxiety of waiting. I know I completed all the other skills fine, but this one has me really worried.

Your state might be different, I don't know, but here in NC if you miss a bolded step it is an automatic fail. Sorry~!

+ Join the Discussion