Personal Care Skills
The routines you will be tested on
Personal care includes bathing, oral care, grooming, dressing, toileting, perineal care, skin care, and bed making. The exam tests the order of steps and the safety rules hidden inside them.
Bathing and skin. Gather supplies first, offer a bedpan before starting, check the water temperature, and keep the resident covered to protect dignity and warmth. Wash from cleanest to dirtiest: face first, then body, then perineal area last, using a fresh washcloth. Clean eyes from the inner corner outward.
Perineal care. Always wipe front to back, and use a separate washcloth for each stroke.
Mouth care. Brush teeth and gums; for an unconscious resident, turn the head to the side, use minimal water, and use suction. Clean dentures over a sink lined with a towel and store them in a labeled cup - never in hot water, which can warp them.
Dressing. When dressing, put clothing on the weak or affected side first and then the strong side. When undressing, reverse it: remove from the strong side first.
Feet and nails. Do not soak or cut the toenails of a resident with diabetes or poor circulation; report to the nurse.
Trap to watch
Questions love to reverse the dressing rule or offer "leave the resident uncovered for speed." Speed is never the right answer; privacy, warmth, and safety are.
Rule of thumb: ask yourself, "What makes this resident safer and more independent?" Offering a choice of bath or shower, letting them wash their own face, and encouraging self-care in dressing all beat doing everything for them.