Skills timing is a complex subject. A question I often hear is....how much time do I have to do the clinical skills. And the answer is...it depends! It depends on the skills you get. Some skills are short and will take less time to perform. Others are longer and will require more time. The combination…
Skill: All Question: Are you supposed to wash your hands before touching ANYTHING in the patient's room? Answer: No. When do you wash your hands? You wash your hands at the beginning of the skill to prevent the spread of germs from you to the patient. But you also wash your hands at the end of every skill…
Skill: All Question: Do you need a barrier to turn the faucet on? Answer: It depends...are your hands clean, or dirty? Rationale: Dirty hands (and gloves) can touch a dirty faucet all day long, but clean hands cannot (that's when you need a barrier). When you begin a skill you must wash your hands…
Skill: Making an Occupied Bed Question: What if the resident can't scoot to the middle of the bed? Answer: Check the care plan! Rationale: As CNAs, you do not plan care or make decisions. That is not in your scope of practice. If the patient can't scoot toward you before turning them, the nurse would have…
Background Screening I am often asked, “What if I have a criminal background? Can I still be a CNA?” The answer is…it depends. All CNA testing applicants have to have a Level 2 background screening done. This will display any arrests and/or convictions at both the state and national level. Florida-specific terms “Level 1 and…
Testing Tip: alcohol pad Respirations are easier to count if you place an alcohol pad on the patient’s abdomen. It's all about psychology! Why? Your eye is drawn to movement of a contrasting color. An alcohol pad packet is often a different color than the patient’s clothing or the sheet. This contrast in color makes…
Water temperature is subjective For all washing skills (hand and nail care, foot care, partial bed bath, peri-care, catheter care), you will need water for bathing. Before filling a basin with water to bring it to the bedside, you must check the water temperature with the inside of your wrist. The water should feel warm,…
Basins for washing Sometimes in healthcare, patients will need help with bathing and will not be able to get out of bed to shower. As CNAs, we need to know how to help these patients with their bathing needs. And that means learning how to properly use wash basins. Every patient is different Since all…
Close the Privacy Curtain For All Skills…Except One! Privacy Curtain Basics Providing privacy for skills is an essential component of patient care. It may not always make sense to you to close the privacy curtain for certain skills, but it must be done! I often hear questions like, “If we are walking a patient, why are…
Going up... Hospital beds are great! You can raise the bed higher to make it easier for you to do your skills…less bending equals less stress on your back! For the exam, you are more than welcome to raise a bed to a comfortable working height if you wish. BUT… IT IS AN AUTOMATIC FAIL…