HLTH 57E students who were the most successful in passing the skills tests gave this advice to future students:
My advice to other students is to read and re-read the skills sections of the book. Also:
– Talk through the steps, out loud. Explain why each action is being taken.
– Use the manikins in the library; have a partner.
– Focus on proper placement of the resuscitation mask!
– Practice one skill a day. Talk through steps while acting out a scenario.
The way that I usually remember stuff is by thinking about it all the time, so even after I’ve read the book I’ll repeat important fact to myself in my head over and over again or just think and visualize the steps at random points in the day. Sometimes I’ll walk down the street and create a what if situation and solve it in my head. I don’t really have one set time to study, I just read the book once or twice and keep thinking about the stuff.
Read the book, watch the videos, pay attention in class.
Put 100% of your effort and attention during practices with the instructor… but in addition go over every skill starting from sizing up the scene and enact every step either by yourself using a doll or something like a doll to represent your victim or with a partner who can check the skill step by step using the book.
The important thing is to go through the motions instead of just reading the steps over and over (this alone won’t work usually). At least visualize yourself going through each step.
I practiced a lot with my couch pillows.
Mary has a manikin in the library. Go practice with a friend from class.
It’s critical to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing. If you just blindly try to memorize steps, you’re likely to get confused. It took me a while to truly grasp ABC. (That if the airway is obstructed, breaths wouldn’t go do any good. .. That once you get breaths in you need to check for heart action. To make sure that the oxygen you just put in will get somewhere.)
The website CPR quick facts, CPR skills review questions and AED quick facts were helpful.
Even though I read the Common mistakes in Professional Rescuer CPR skills at the website I still made some of those mistakes, but less than I would have.
Doing and rereading the website homework several times across a number of weeks helped the info sink in.
Keep track of what you were doing with each victim as you go along. If they weren’t breathing and your breaths did go into them when you tried to help, then they have a pulse, you are not done, they still were not breathing and you have to give them rescue breathing.
To pass the written test, read the book, then answer the chapter review (homework) questions, go over the quick facts for bloodborne pathogens, AED and CPR, then review chapter homework and quick facts before the day of the test.
To pass I really did have to read the book. I would also go through the steps in my head on what would go next for each situation. I also memorized the depth of the compressions and the counts for each skill.
I can only say that I did all of the assigned homework, read all of the material (repeatedly when possible), I used the quizes as study guides and I watched the CPR training DVD on my own time. Most importantly though, it all meant something to me, to my heart. I know that someday I could possibly find myself in a situation where I need to help someone, especially a loved one. That is somewhere I do not want to fail.
____________________________________________