When you undergo CNA training, you will learn about taking vital signs also known as vital parameters.  This is one of the most important lessons that an aspiring nursing assistant undertake.  Taking vital signs is necessary in order to check whether an individual’s body is functioning properly.  Any fluctuation in the vital signs, the person feels discomfort and falls sick.  Nursing assistants help the nurses in measuring and monitoring the vital signs of patients throughout their shifts.

Measuring for vital signs would include monitoring the breathing rate of a patient by checking his lungs, checking the blood pressure of the patient, monitoring a person’s body temperature, and checking the pulse rate.  Every individual whether woman or man has a standard number for vital signs corresponding to her or his age.  Therefore, in order to assess your patient’s condition accurately, you need to take the vital signs tests efficiently and accurately.

Pulse rate: The functioning of the heart is determined by how the pulse of a person works.  If the pulse misses a beat, or is very slow, or is very fast, then this indicates that the patient is suffering from some kind of medical condition and needs to be treated immediately.  The pulse rate can be checked from numerous places in the body.  The most common practice for checking the pulse rate is by placing the ring, middle and index fingers on wrist where the artery is located.  The pulse can also be obtained by the arteries situated in the arms and neck, the back portion of the knees, the thighs, the abdomen and also by checking the heart beat or heart rate.

Body Temperature: It is very important for the human body to maintain normal body temperature.  Any fluctuation in the body temperature makes the body weak and if it is a very minor change, that is okay.  But if the body gets heated to a great extent, it could be an indication of a severe disease and immediate action should be taken by administering appropriate medication.  The temperature of the body can be measured very easily by using a thermometer.  To measure the body temperature, a thermometer can be used anally, orally or it can be placed beneath the armpit.  These days the advanced digital brand of thermometers are available for measuring the temperature precisely.

Blood Pressure: The pressure exerted by the blood on the blood vessels and arteries of the heart can be found by checking the blood pressure of the patient.  It is important that an individual maintains normal blood pressure.  It is essential to measure blood pressure for both diastolic and systolic pressures.  If there is pressure when the ventricles of the heart are contracting, then it is known as systolic pressure.  On the other hand, if there is pressure on the ventricles when it is filled with blood, then it is known as diastolic pressure.  It is important that an adult maintains a blood pressure of 120/80 which is considered normal.  Here 120 represents the systolic pressure and 80 represents the diastolic pressure.  There are manual devices to check blood pressure, but now days with plenty of electronic devices, measuring blood pressure has become very easy.

Breathing rate: The lung health of an individual is determined by checking the respiratory rate or breathing rate of that individual.  This is done with the help of a stethoscope where the individual is asked to breathe in and then breathe out.  Any disturbance or fluctuation in the respiratory rate indicates poor lung health.

When you are undergoing CNA training, you’ll learn how to take vital parameters.  In the skills training, you may also get an opportunity to take vital signs of a patient.  This type of training should make you confident to face the CNA skils test where you’d be required to demonstrate taking vital signs.  Once you pass your CNA test and be a certfied nursing assistant, you’d have become an expert in taking vital signs.

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The Certified Nursing Assistant exam involves a written test and the practical or skills test.  This set of tests examines your understanding of the basic concepts and skills required for becoming a proficient Nurse’s Aide or Certified Nursing Assistant.

The CNA written test is comparatively easy to get through if you have been diligent in taking notes during the classroom sessions and are able to revise and recapitulate it all and you have gone through the nursing manuals supplied for the course, before appearing for the written test.  It covers all the fundamental concepts, the medical and pre- and post-surgical procedures that form the basis of the CNA training course.

The written test is easier than CNA Skils test to attempt.  This theory test generally covers medical knowledge of basic medical theory and medical procedures.  A CNA course takes a period of between a few weeks and three months to complete.  This includes theory classes conducted in the classroom along with practical training that gives guidance in clinical application to put the skills learned in the classroom to practical use.  Under the supervision of a guide, who is usually a registered nurse, the clinical training is conducted with real patients.

The clinical aspect of the CNA skills test is comparatively more of a challenge as it tests the individual’s clinical skills.  The candidate is requested to get a model patient to demonstrate their skill as a part of the practical examination.  The examiner then puts the candidate to test by asking them to display any of the various skills they have mastered during the course of their training sessions.

The clinical skills tested in the CNA skills test may include anything like taking a patient’s temperature, changing wound dressings of a patient, moving a patient from the bed to wheelchair, making the patient’s bed, holding a bedpan, grooming a patient or even just washing hands to display personal hygiene or knocking at the patient’s door before entering to demonstrate patient privacy.

All the demonstrated skills are observed carefully by the examiner who makes the evaluation. As a matter of precaution, it would be prudent on the part of the examinee to be calm and not stressed while performing any of the given tasks for evaluation of their clinical skills.  Your success in course completion is dependent on your composure and ability to stay calm under the most stressful conditions.

The supervision of the CNA exam is undertaken by a state examiner who carefully observes and evaluates every step of the examinee’s presentation.  The examiner may also evaluate the examinee by giving him a mock case and making him go through the motions of handling the model patient as if it were for real.  Recalling the minutest of details helps a great deal to demonstrate your skill at being in control of the situation.

CNA Skills Test Practice

So, are you ready for taking your CNA certification exam?  Well, if you have attended all your theory and practical classes sincerely, you should not be afraid to take the CNA exam. However, we recommend the following two books for your CNA Skills Test practice as well as for written CNA Test preparation.  Your confidence will boost up after using these valuable books and DVDs on written as well as skills test for CNA, and you will fare much better in these tests.

1.  Competency Exam Prep and Review for Nursing Assistants

2.  Mosby’s Textbook + Video Skills for Nursing Assistants

For more information, check this post on CNA Test preparation

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