Module 8: Patient Care Skills

Statement of Purpose: The purpose of this unit is to teach the students skills needed to support and/or assist the patient/resident in the areas of personal hygiene, an area of activities of daily living, and elimination. Personal hygiene or personal care is generally performed independently. The Nurse Assistant should assist with or perform personal care only when patients/residents are unable to perform a skill for themselves. Other activities included in this module are use of prosthetic devices, bowel and bladder retraining, and weighing and measuring height of the patient/resident.

Module 8 Vocabulary Study Tool: https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/eb128907-146a-4eea-b317-59743e56a8ae

Performance Standards (Objectives): Define key terminology:

1. Abrasion

2. Aspiration

3. Axilla

4. Catheter

5. Colostomy

6. Constipation

7. Cyanosis

8. Decubitus ulcer

9. Defecation

10. Dermis

11. Diarrhea

12. Elimination

13. Epidermis

14. Erythema

15. Eschar

16. Excoriation

17. Fecal

18. Feces

19. Flatulence

20. Hour of sleep (h.s.)

21. Ileostomy

22. Impaction

23. Incontinence

24. Jejunostomy

25. Neuropathy

26. Nits

27. Oral hygiene

28. Osteomyelitis

29. Ostomy

30. Perineum/Perineal

31. Pressure sore

32. Prosthesis

33. Stoma

34. Stool

35. Urinal

36. Urinary incontinence

37. Urination

38. Urine

Patient, resident, and client are synonymous terms referring to the person receiving care

Module 8 CNA Vocabulary Sentences for Adult English Learners

Patient Care Skills – Personal Hygiene and Elimination

1. The nurse assistant cleaned the abrasion on the resident’s knee after she scraped it during a fall.
2. The resident was at risk for aspiration because she had difficulty swallowing liquids safely.
3. When taking a temperature, the nurse assistant placed the thermometer in the resident’s axilla under his arm.
4. The nurse assistant emptied the urine from the resident’s catheter bag every shift.
5. The resident with a colostomy needed help changing the collection bag on his abdomen.
6. The resident had constipation and had not had a bowel movement for three days.
7. The nurse assistant noticed cyanosis around the resident’s lips, which appeared blue from lack of oxygen.
8. The nurse assistant turned the bedridden resident every two hours to prevent a decubitus ulcer from forming.
9. The nurse assistant helped the resident to the bathroom for defecation when she felt the urge for a bowel movement.
10. The dermis is the layer of skin under the epidermis that contains blood vessels and nerves.
11. The resident with diarrhea needed frequent assistance to the bathroom for loose, watery stools.
12. Elimination includes all the ways the body gets rid of waste through urine, stool, and sweating.
13. The epidermis is the top layer of skin that protects the body from germs and injury.
14. The nurse assistant reported the erythema or redness around the resident’s surgical wound to the nurse.
15. The burn victim had eschar, which was dead tissue that needed to be removed by the doctor.
16. The resident had excoriation on her arms from scratching the itchy rash too much.
17. The nurse assistant tested the resident’s stool for fecal blood using a special test kit.
18. The nurse assistant observed the color and consistency of the resident’s feces before disposing of it.
19. The resident complained of flatulence and abdominal discomfort from too much gas in his intestines.
20. The medication was given h.s. (hour of sleep), which means it should be taken at bedtime.
21. The resident with an ileostomy had liquid stool that drained into a bag attached to her abdomen.
22. The resident had a fecal impaction with hard, dry stool stuck in his rectum that needed medical attention.
23. The resident with incontinence could not control when she urinated or had bowel movements.
24. The resident with a jejunostomy received liquid nutrition through a tube in her small intestine.
25. The resident had neuropathy in his feet, which caused numbness and tingling from nerve damage.
26. The nurse assistant found nits (lice eggs) in the resident’s hair during the head examination.
27. Oral hygiene includes brushing teeth, flossing, and cleaning the mouth to prevent dental problems.
28. The resident developed osteomyelitis, a serious bone infection that required antibiotic treatment.
29. The resident had an ostomy, which was a surgical opening in her abdomen for waste elimination.
30. The nurse assistant cleaned the perineum (area between the genitals and anus) during personal care.
31. The nurse assistant used special cushions to prevent pressure sores on the wheelchair-bound resident.
32. The resident used a prosthesis (artificial leg) to help her walk after her amputation.
33. The nurse assistant changed the collection bag around the resident’s stoma (artificial opening) on his abdomen.
34. The nurse assistant measured and recorded the amount of stool the resident produced each day.
35. The male resident used a urinal to collect his urine when he could not get to the bathroom.
36. The resident had urinary incontinence and wore protective undergarments because she could not control her bladder.
37. The nurse assistant assisted the resident with urination by helping her to the bathroom every two hours.
38. The nurse assistant measured the resident’s urine output and noted that it was dark yellow in color.

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Note: Patient, resident, and client are synonymous terms referring to the person receiving car

Module 8: 5 CNA Training Dialogues – Module 8 Vocabulary

Dialogue 1: Morning Care Routine

Characters: Maria (experienced CNA), James (new CNA)

Maria: Good morning, James. We need to help Mrs. Chen with her oral hygiene and personal care this morning.

James: Should I gather the supplies? I noticed she has cyanosis around her lips yesterday.

Maria: Yes, that’s concerning. We should report any color changes. Also, check her axilla for signs of erythema when we help her wash.

James: I see she has a catheter. How do we provide perineal care safely?

Maria: Very carefully. We need to prevent aspiration and maintain proper elimination function. Always work from front to back in the perineum area.

James: What about the abrasion on her elbow from yesterday?

Maria: We’ll clean it gently. We don’t want it to develop into a pressure sore or decubitus ulcer.

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Dialogue 2: Skin Assessment

Characters: Dr. Martinez (Nurse), Alex (CNA)

Dr. Martinez: Alex, I need you to check Mr. Johnson’s skin condition. Look for any changes in the epidermis or dermis.

Alex: I noticed some excoriation on his back this morning. Should I be concerned?

Dr. Martinez: Yes, document it. Any breakdown can lead to serious complications like osteomyelitis if not treated properly.

Alex: There’s also some dark tissue that looks like eschar near his tailbone.

Dr. Martinez: That’s very serious. We need to prevent further tissue death. Make sure he’s repositioned every two hours.

Alex: His daughter mentioned he has neuropathy in his feet. Does that affect skin care?

Dr. Martinez: Absolutely. Patients with neuropathy can’t feel injuries, so we must inspect their skin daily for any problems.

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Dialogue 3: Bowel and Bladder Care

Characters: Susan (CNA), Robert (Patient), Linda (Nurse)

Susan: Good afternoon, Mr. Robert. How are you feeling today? Any problems with urination?

Robert: I’ve been having incontinence issues. It’s embarrassing.

Susan: Don’t worry, it’s very common. We’re here to help. Have you had a bowel movement today?

Robert: No, I think I’m getting constipation again. My stomach feels bloated with flatulence.

Linda: (entering the room) Let me check his chart. Mr. Robert, we may need to check for impaction. When did you last have defecation?

Robert: Three days ago. The stool was very hard.

Linda: Susan, let’s increase his fluids and fiber. We need to prevent fecal impaction. Also, check if he needs the urinal more frequently.

Susan: Should we discuss catheter options for his urinary incontinence?

Linda: Let’s try bladder retraining first. We’ll monitor his urine output carefully.

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Dialogue 4: Special Care Needs

Characters: Patricia (CNA), Mr. Williams (Patient with ostomy)

Patricia: Mr. Williams, it’s time to check your colostomy site. How has your stoma been feeling?

Mr. Williams: It’s been a little sore. Is that normal after my ostomy surgery?

Patricia: Some tenderness is expected. I need to examine the stoma for any signs of infection or irritation.

Mr. Williams: My doctor mentioned something about ileostomy versus colostomy. What’s the difference?

Patricia: A colostomy connects your colon to the abdominal wall, while an ileostomy connects the small intestine. Yours is a colostomy.

Mr. Williams: I’m also worried about eating. Will I still have normal elimination?

Patricia: Your body will adjust. We’ll work with the dietitian to ensure proper nutrition and elimination patterns.

Mr. Williams: Thank you for being so patient. I know this isn’t easy work.

Patricia: That’s what we’re here for. Every patient deserves respectful, quality care.

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Dialogue 5: Evening Care and Documentation

Characters: Jennifer (Night Shift CNA), Karen (Day Shift CNA during report)

Karen: Jennifer, Mrs. Thompson needs special attention tonight. She has a prosthesis for her left leg.

Jennifer: I’ll make sure to help her with it. Any skin issues I should watch for?

Karen: Check for pressure sores where the prosthesis contacts her skin. Also, she’s been complaining about nits in her hair.

Jennifer: I’ll examine her scalp carefully. What about her elimination patterns?

Karen: She’s had some diarrhea today, so monitor for dehydration. Her last urination was at 3 PM.

Jennifer: Should I wake her for h.s. care, or let her sleep?

Karen: Check on her hour of sleep routine. If she’s sleeping peacefully, just do safety checks.

Jennifer: I’ll document everything carefully. Any concerns about aspiration risk?

Karen: She’s stable, but keep her head elevated. Call if you notice any cyanosis or breathing changes.

Jennifer: Thanks for the thorough report. I’ll take good care of all our residents tonight.

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Vocabulary Review

These dialogues incorporate 38 key terms from Module 8, including:

• Personal hygiene and care terms
• Elimination and bowel/bladder care
• Skin assessment terminology
• Medical devices and procedures
• Patient safety considerations

Practice Tip: Read these dialogues aloud to practice pronunciation and natural conversation flow in healthcare settings.