If you are nervous about taking your CNA training exam, you’re not alone. Many individuals who are beginning their new careers as certified nursing assistants take the CNA exam and fail it the first time. This can be not only disheartening, but can cause additional stress and wasted time, since you’ll have to wait a period of time after failing the exam to retake your CNA exam.
If you want to ensure that you will pass your CNA exam the first time, there are a couple of things you can do. The first, of course is to be sure you are familiar with all of the material you have learned in your CNA training manual and supplementary information. A quality CNA training class will go over the exam, breaking it down into sections to be sure there aren’t any areas of confusion. Before signing up for a particular training program, it is wise to enquire whether CNA exam preparation will be a part of the training.
Your CNA exam will have two sections, a written exam with multiple choice questions as well as a hands on, or clinical portion of the CNA exam. During the clinical portion you will be asked to perform certain medical procedures that you have learned. Today we are going to cover the clinical portion of the CNA exam and provide you with some tips that will boost your confidence and help you to pass this section of the exam with ease.
Keys to Passing the Skills Demonstration Portion of Your CNA Training Exam
In order to pass the demonstration portion of your CNA training exam, there are a few key points you’ll need to keep in mind. First of all, during each demonstration of a particular procedure, the individuals who will be grading you are looking for you to perform a set of steps, completed in the correct order. As long as you are familiar with the procedures, have the steps memorized in order, and perform them in a confident manner, you will do fine.
You will be required to perform between three to five skills during the clinical portion of your CNA exam. Some of the skills you may be tested on include the following:
- How to provide a bed pan to a patient
- How to strip and then put new linens on a bed with the patient in it
- How to reposition a patient in a wheel chair or their bed
- How to take a patient’s vital signs
- How to provide basic grooming to the patient
Tip for performing CNA skills – Remember, the individuals who will be grading you are not trying to trick you. They are just looking for you to include all of the necessary steps required. For all of the above procedures, most of the exam takers fail in the simplest steps. For example, when providing a bed pan to a patient, always wash your hands before and after the procedure. When providing basic grooming skills to the patient, always ask the patient whether they would like to have their hair brushed or their face washed before performing the procedure. This question relates to the privacy and dignity portion of the CNA training that you have learned.
By keeping these tips in mind, you won’t forget any of the steps, and you’ll pass the clinical portion of your CNA training exam with ease.
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