Your CNA test will include a section on personal care support. The number of skills you are required to do will vary depending on the state where you take the testbut at least one personal care skill will almost certainly be included.
The bulk of the tasks you’ll be required to complete on your skills exam will include aiding with a patient’s hygiene or activities of daily life. In this blogwe’ll go through all eleven points of care CNAstarting with the first five and ending with the last six.
Point of Care CNA: First five personal care skills
Brushing dentures
Denture wearers may be required to clean their dentures as part of their oral hygiene routine. Dentures should be stored in a denture cup before and after washing to avoid being misplaced or thrown away. When doing this skillremember to conduct the Opening Procedure and put on gloves before taking up the denturesas they may be slippery. Line the sink with a little towel and fill it with water before taking the dentures from the cup so that if they slide out of your handsthey don’t hit the hard surface of the sink and break.
Brush the dentures like your natural teethbe sure to clean the parts that come into contact with the gumsand use warm (not hot) water with denture cleaning or non-abrasive toothpaste. Place the dentures in an emesis basin while they are being cleaned so that the denture cup may be cleaned. Return the dentures to the cup of cold water after washing. Remove garbage and complete the Closing Procedure.
Mouth care
You may need to offer mouth care to unconscious patients to keep their mouths and teeth clean. Make sure you perform the Opening Procedure and put on gloves when doing this assignment on the skills exam. The patient should be positioned such that they do not aspirate any fluidwhich might include lying on their side or raising their head no more than 30 degrees. To keep the patient cleanplace a shield or covering over his or her clothes or chest. Clean the patient’s mouth and tongue using a toothbrush or sponge-tipped applicator and toothpaste. Rinse thoroughlycollect the fluid in an emesis basinand suction as required. If a lip lubricant is availableapply it to the patient’s face and mouth. Close the procedure after disposing of used items in the trash.
Upper body partial bed bath
You may be requested to provide a partial bed bath to patients who are unconscious or immobilized. Perform the Opening Procedure and prepare a basin of warm water with clean washcloths for the upper body partial bed bath. To keep the bed clean and drya barrier should be placed between the patient and the bed sheets. To ensure warmth and privacycover the patient with a bath blanket and just uncover one part at a time. Begin with washing the patient’s face with a washcloth and soap before moving on to the rest of the upper body. To avoid contaminationcleanrinseand pat dry all surfaces using a clean towel for each one. After the bathmake sure the patient is comfortable and coveredthen dispose of the dirty linens in the proper receptacle and complete the Closing Procedure.
Lower body partial bed bath
As part of your skills examyou may be requested to do a lower-body partial bed bath. You should follow the same methods as in the upper body partial bed bathbut start with the hips and work your way down to the lower body. When the bath is finishedbe sure you put a clean washcloth on each area and that the patient is comfortable and covered.
Providing a Back Rub/Massage
You may also give a back rub or massage while giving a bathwhich can aid with pain management or overall comfort. Position the patient comfortably on their side after performing the Opening Procedure and donning glovesand make sure they are comfortable and covered with a bath blanket. To protect privacyjust uncover The areas that are required.
Warm the lotion before applying it to the patient by rubbing it between your hands. For three to five minutesgently rub in longcircular motions from the lower back to the upper back and back down to the lower back. Ensure that the patient feels at ease during the procedure. Return the patient to a comfortable position at the completion of the massagedispose of spent linens in the proper receptaclecover the patient with a sheet or blanketand complete the Closing Procedure.
We covered five skills you could be asked to do in this paragraphand we’ll go over the remaining six personal care skills you might encounter during your skills exam in the next paragraph.
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Point of Care CNA: Final six personal care skills
Female perineal care
Perineal care is crucial in avoiding urinary tract infections in female patientsthus this activity may be included in your skills exam. To execute this skillafter executing the Opening Procedure and donning gloveshelp the patientif necessaryinto a frog-leg positionkeeping the area covered to ensure privacy. A waterproof barrier pad can be placed under the patientand a basin of warm water and washcloths should be prepared. Using a clean area of a washcloth for each downward strokegently wipe the skin of the perineal area from front to back. After cleaning the arearinse it and pat it dry. Before performing Closing Procedureremove the waterproof coveringdispose of dirty linenschange your glovesand guide the patient into a comfortable position.
Shaving
Male patients who are unconscious or handicapped may require assistance shaving their faces in order to maintain a clean appearance. Perform the Opening Procedurearrange suppliesand position a barrier beneath the supplies to keep your area clean and under the patient’s chin to protect clothes while shaving a patient. To prepare the skinlay a cloth soaked in lukewarm water on the bottom half of the faceand if availableapply shaving cream. An electric razor should be used to reduce nicks and cuts. Shave along the direction of hair developmentpulling the skin taut. After shavingwash the area and pat the skin drythen perform Closing Procedure after disposing of dirty supplies and linens.
Fingernail trimming
When a patient stays in the hospital for a long period of timetheir fingernails may need to be cut. If the patient’s fingernails grow excessively longthey may scratch themselves or others. After the Opening Procedurethe patient’s fingers can be washed with soap and soaked in a basin of warm water. Dry hands well and trim nails straight acrosstaking care not to harm the flesh around nails. The edges of the nails can be smoothed with a nail file. If lotion is availableapply it to the hands before doing the Closing Procedure.
Assisting dressing with an immobile arm
If you’ve ever had an arm or shoulder injuryyou know how difficult it is to change clothes with one arm. You may be requested to help a patient who has an immobilized arm as a CNA. Maintain the patient’s privacy by closing the doorpulling the curtainand covering the patient’s body when feasible after conducting the Opening Procedure and preparing new clothing or a clean gown. Undressing the strongmobile side of the body first allows the dirty clothing to be easily removed from the immobile arm. Dress the weakimmovable side of the patient firstbringing the arm entirely through the sleeve or opening and gently moving the arm without force. Encourage the patient to help with the dressing of the body’s strong side. Remove dirty linens and complete the Closing Procedure.
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Serving and feeding a paralyzed patient
Paralyzed patients will require assistance with eating and drinking. After finishing the Opening Proceduredouble-check that you have the proper patient and lunch traypaying special attention if the patient has any food allergies. Drape a towel or cloth over the resident and cut the patient’s meal into bite-sized pieces. Any warm or hot meals or drinks should be checked for temperature. Slowly feed the patientgiving them time to chew between bitesand provide sips of water in between meals. Remove the traydispose of garbage and linensclean the over-bed tablerecord the amount of food and drink consumed if necessaryand complete the Closing Procedure.
Assisting with bedpans
Your CNA tasks may involve assisting with bedpans to allow bedridden or immobile patients to void. After doing the Opening Procedureask the patient to turn onto their side (assisting as needed) and cover the bed with a waterproof barrier. Place the patient’s buttocks centered over the opening of the bedpan. To ensure privacydrape the resident with a sheet or blanketand raise the head of the bed if the patient wants. Remove your gloves and wash your hands before putting them on again.
Return the bed to a flat position and gently move the patient back onto their sideholding the bedpan in place to prevent the contents from spilling over the bed. Remove the bedpan and position it behind a barrierat the foot of the bedor on a chair to keep it out of the way. Make sure your genitals and buttocks are free of debris (refer to the above instructions for perineal care on technique). Return the patient to a comfortable position and remove the contents of the bedpan. Hands should be washed for at least one minute after changing gloves.
In your future role as a CNAyou may be concerned with supporting patients with activities of daily living that they typically conduct on their own outside of the hospital. Encourage the patient to engage as much as possible when doing these taskswhile maintaining their privacy and dignity.
We just offer you the point of care CNA in theory in this post. Besideswe also provide you with personal care assistant test questions and answers on our website in order to help you prepare for your personal care assistant test. In addition to taking the practice testsyou also should be well prepared for these caring assistant duties on your skills exam and in the real world before beginning your career as a CNA.
Visit our websites to get more information and free CNA practice test. To download, visit our website for your IOS or Android device.
