By Lanee’ Blunt
A nursing assistant must complete a
training program and take the Certified Nurse Assistant Exam. To qualify you must complete a training
program that is approved by your state. The training required will be a minimum
of 75 hours or 115 hour program (depending upon the state), which includes
theory and skills practice. The training will also include a clinical practice
section of 26 to 75 hours (depending upon the state). The curriculum includes
subjects as taking blood pressure and respiration, personal care for patients
which are mandated by the federal government.
Practice Skills
Study skills by asking family members
and friends to help you. Practice on them. Ask them to pretend that they are
elderly or a real patient. You need to go through every skill until you have
perfected it. Remember what you were taught in your training and use the exact
techniques that your instructor taught you until you are doing it right.
Complete every step because this will be important when it is time for you to
take the test.
Check-In
Make sure you have proper identification
with you because you will not be allowed to take the examination. You must have
two forms of identification that has a signature, and it must not be expired. It can be a valid driver’s license, State identification card, passport,
alien registration card, tribal identification card, social security card,
credit card or debit card, CPR card, hunting or fishing license, and current
year signed high school ID. Make sure that you bring a No. 2 pencil with an eraser,
and a watch with a second hand will also be needed. Clothing attire required is
comfortable clothes or you may wear a nursing assistant uniform, and slip resistant
shoes.
Written Test
Most of the information that you have
learned in class will be covered. The written test will be given first and here
are some things that you can expect to be covered. Some of the subjects will be
in the areas of the following:
- Safety and well-being,
- Infection control,
- Personal care of patients,
- Psychological health,
- Blood and urine values,
- Client rights,
- Communication,
- Data collection,
- Nursing sills,
- Disease process,
- Role and responsibilities,
- Growth & development across the ages.
There are
practice test that you can take.
The NNAAP is the nurse aide practice
test packet. It is a PDF file
with 60 questions and an answer sheet at the end. The PDF is broken down in three sections
Physical care skills, psychosocial care skills, and role of the nurse
aide. This practice test is
multiple-choice and can be practiced on your computer.
Amazon has the NNAAP Exam through this link: NNAAP Exam Secrets Study Guide: NNAAP Test Review for the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (Mometrix Secrets Study Guides)
The NNAAP Exam Secrets Study Guide helps
you study and pass it. It was written by experts in the field whom have
done extensive research on the NNAAP. They give study skills and 5 key things to
do for success.
It is best to study a couple of weeks
before taking it instead of cramming the night before you take it. Give
yourself some time and make sure you either practice online or buy a book to
aid you.
Skills Test
Your nursing aide skills will be
evaluated on the basis of what you have learned in training. You will be tested
on the demonstration of up to five skills. The first task might be hand washing
so make sure you do this task properly. There will be four other skills that
you will perform and the common tasks are changing a bedpan, transferring
patients, ambulating of patient using a Gait Belt, assisting a dependent
patient with a meal, changing an occupied bed or etc. Listen carefully to the
RN and make sure that you understand all instructions before you begin the
skill.
Congratulations on your new career and
good luck to you.
Reference:
OR Candidate Handbook
PDF[Images of CNA test] .(n.d) Retrieved from http://cnaonlinetrainingclass.wordpress.com; and
