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…
Dentures 101 CNAs are not generally required to take a patient’s dentures out or put them in. This is a safety measure for both the CNA and the patient. Why? Because trying to “pop” denture plates from the lower jaw (where they will be held in place by denture paste) causes the CNA to place downward…