Wearing T.E.D. hose or anti-embolism stockings help patients with blood flow to the lower parts of their legs. Applying these knee high stockings to a patient may be skill you may be tested on as part of your CNA skills exam as you work towards your CNA certification.
To learn all the necessary steps for this skill, please watch this video on applying a knee high stocking for a complete demonstration.
CNA Skill – Applying Knee High Elastic Stocking
The process for applying a knee high elastic stocking to a patient during the CNA skills exam is as follows:
- Perform the standard CNA beginning tasks. Knock before entering the patient’s room, greet the patient by name, introduce yourself, explain the task you are about to perform, close the privacy curtain, and wash your hands. Note that for this skill test, you will be performing it on a mannequin.
- Let the patient know that you will be applying the knee high stocking and letting them know to inform you if there is any pain during application.
- Place your hand and put it through the stocking and find the heel pad of the stocking and turn it inside out to the heel. Open it up to put it over the client’s foot.
- Have the patient lay flat in the bed, and ask the patient if you may raise the bed to make the application of the stocking easier.
- With the sock ready and inverted, gradually move the stocking up the patient’s foot, heel, calf, eventually covering to almost to the knee cap. Make sure to work out any wrinkles in the stocking.
- Make sure the heel of the patient is aligned with the heel pad of the elastic stocking.
- If necessary, lower the bed back to the position the patient previously had it set at.
- Perform your standard completion tasks – wash your hands, ensure the patient has a clean environment, ask if they are comfortable, give them their call light and close their privacy curtain.
* Please be sure to consult the testing materials provided by the skills test provider in your state to ensure that these steps for CNA Applying High Knee Elastic Stocking are in compliance. The procedure in different states and from different test providers can vary slightly and greatly affect your score.
