Skills LabIllinois State Approved Training Program
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CNA NURSING SKILLS • UPPER EXTREMITY

Range of motion,
with safe support.

Practice shoulder, elbow, and wrist movements while protecting comfort, alignment, and dignity.

Begin skills practice
3 joints6 guided exercises8 checks
SHOULDER
ELBOW
WRIST

Support above and below the joint being moved.

01
BEFORE YOU MOVE

Set up for safe ROM

01
Explain and ask

Tell the resident what you will do. Ask about pain and follow the care plan.

02
Align and support

Keep the limb in natural alignment. Support above and below the joint.

03
Move slowly

Use smooth, controlled movement through the available range—never force.

04
Watch the response

Stop with pain, spasm, or unusual resistance and report the finding.

Safety check

The resident reports pain during passive ROM. What should you do first?

Never push through pain. ROM is performed only as ordered and within the resident’s comfortable available range.

02
MOVEMENT STUDIO

See it. Name it. Support it.

Shoulder Side view • person facing right
Guided demo
Joint movingSupport points
FLEXION

Move forward and overhead

In side view, shoulder flexion moves the straight arm forward and overhead. Extension returns it toward the side and may move it slightly behind the body within the ordered range.

Support cue
Support at the elbow and wrist.

Joint checkShoulder • 1 of 3

Moving the arm away from the body’s midline and out to the side is called:

03
PUT IT TOGETHER

Build the safe-care sequence

Resident scenario

Ms. Carter needs assisted ROM of her right arm.

Select the next best action. The choices will update as you build the sequence.

Care plan

Assist with upper-extremity ROM. Move slowly. Report pain, swelling, spasm, or unusual resistance.

Choose the next actionStep 1 of 5
FINAL KNOWLEDGE CHECK

Three questions to finish strong

Choose the best answer. You can retry immediately.

01

During assisted ROM, where should you support the limb?

02

Which movement brings the arm back toward the body after abduction?

03

Which finding means you should stop the movement and report it?

SKILLS PRACTICE COMPLETE

You protected the joint—and the resident.

You identified safe support, named upper-extremity movements, and built a resident-centered ROM sequence.

Skill cue

Support. Move slowly. Watch the face. Never force a joint or continue through pain.