The personal care practice test for CNAs is designed to test the candidate’s ability to provide basic care for patients in various medical settings. It tests the skills of the CNA with regards to bathing, grooming, feeding, dressing, and transferring. The test also evaluates knowledge of infection control measures. It is recommended that you take this practice exam before taking your certification exam so that you know what you are getting into.
This is a timed quiz. You will be given 90 seconds per question. Are you ready?
You are caring for Adele T. She is a 56 year old diabetic who was admitted to the hospital for breast cancer surgery. You notice that her toe nails are jagged and they need trimming. You should do which of the following?
CNAs cannot cut the toe nails for diabetic patients. Therefore, you should report the condition of the nails to the nurse so the nurse can assess the nails and plan the appropriate interventions. CNAs can only cut the toe nails of patients and residents that are not diabetic. We should not "tell" patients that toe nail clipping is their job, but you could ask them if they would prefer that they clip them, rather than you.
Dried beans are part of the _________ group of foods.
Dried beans are part of the meat group of foods. Dried beans are high in protein.
Miss Jones asks if you can wash her hair today while she is in bed. What is the most important consideration?
Shampooing may be safely and legally done by one CNA while the resident is in bed, but a doctor's order may be needed depending upon the resident's diagnoses. Always check with the nurse.
When providing routine care to the resident's feet, you should:
Cutting toenails is not routine care and in some facilities can only be done by a nurse or doctor. Excess lotion can contribute to skin breakdown and risk of infection. Cool water can be uncomfortable for the resident.
Mrs. Dee has expressive aphasia. Her only response is "no". How can you determine if she consents or agrees with what you are doing for her?
If you have a picture board and she is able, you can tell her what you are going to do and she can agree. Answer B is incorrect because even with expressive aphasia, you should allow the resident the opportunity to decline or agree with treatment at the level she is able. Answer C is incorrect because it may be a habitual response and it may not show cognition to agree. Answer D is incorrect because while expressive aphasia deters response regarding treatment, it does not assure her understanding.
The Sims' position is MOST similar to the ________ position.
The Sims' position is most similar to the lateral position. The patient is on their side for both; it is the position of the arms and legs that differ.
You take an adult's blood pressure and it is 40/20. You immediately report this to the nurse .The nurse returns to the patient room with you. She instructs you to place the patient in a Trendelenberg position while the nurse rechecks the blood pressure. You will ____________to put the patient into the Trendelenberg position.
The Trendelenberg position is used for low blood pressure. This position involves raising the foot of bed and lowering the head of the bed so the blood pressure will rise.
A stage III pressure ulcer has:
A stage III pressure ulcer has full thickness skin damage with yellow tissue at the bottom of the crater.
Now, you are ready to dress this resident who had the CVA five years ago. The resident chooses a long sleeve, buttoned shirt to wear. You should ______.
The CNA should encourage the person to choose their own shirt. They should also help the person put the shirt on only if the person needs help. We must promote independence and a sense of dignity for our patients and residents.
The first step in a bed bath is to wash:
The resident's face is washed first, beginning with the eyes. No soap is used on the face.
You have accidentally nicked the patient's neck when you are shaving him. You should ________________.
You should apply pressure to the area, observe the bleeding area and report the bleeding to the nurse. It is not your decision to bring the patient to the emergency room. Such decisions are made by the nurse after a nursing assessment. You cannot put an antibiotic on the area because an antibiotic is a medication and CNAs do not administer medications of any kinD) Although it is easier to use an electric razor, many patients do not like them and they prefer a regular razor.
Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) is very common and a CNA can perform certain functions that can help with it. What might you do in your daily care with this in mind?
A TED hose should be applied first thing in the morning to prevent venous stasis and edema which support venous return. Answer A is incorrect, as massaging feet is a nice gesture, but the leg veins in PVD are prone to blood clots and massaging them might dislodge them. Answer C is wrong because a TED hose should be on when the resident is up to prevent venous stasis from occurring. Answer D is incorrect because administering medication of any kind is out of a CNA's scope of practice.
The CNA should wash from the __________ when washing a patient's eye area.
You would wash from the inner canthus of the eye near the nose to the outer canthus of the eye. This is done because you are moving from the cleanest area of the eye to the "dirtiest" part of the eye. The nares are the nasal passages.
Your resident is complaining of chest pain. What should you do?
The causes of chest pains can vary from minor indigestion to a heart attack. The vital signs need to be available when you report to the nurse. Keeping the resident NPO insures that any intervention such as cardiac catheterization will not be delayed because he has eaten. It also is a positive thing because digestion requires oxygen and physical work which may take away from the heart muscle being oxygenated and the body resting
You are ready to wash your patient's face. You would start by washing what area of the face?
The eyes are the first area to be cleaned. The eye area is considered the priority in terms of moving from an area that can be potentially infected to areas of the face and body that are least able to become infected with a washcloth.
How many cc s are there in 25 ounces?
There are 30cc per ounce. There are 750 cc in 25 ounces.
You have been taught that it is easier for females to contract a urinary tract infection than for males. How can you be vigilant to help prevent this from happening?
All of the answers can be used to encourage a female patient to prevent urinary tract infections.
You have a new resident who has a history of frequent pneumonias, and seems to be reluctant to eat. His voice is hoarse and he coughs a lot. How should you tailor your care for him to counteract these things?
He is probably aspirating his food when he eats. You should sit him up as much s possible preferably at a table and cut his food into manageable sizes. Thickened liquids is a physician order usually preceded by a swallow study or speech therapy consult. Answer B is incorrect as his symptoms are more likely the result of a fear of choking than illness. Answer C is incorrect because this discourages his independence and does not address the problem. Answer D is incorrect because he may go to the dining room. Denying him this is denying him social interaction. Discussing it with the dietitian is alright but the nurse is the one who will interact with the doctor to make her aware of this condition. Diet and liquid consistency are physician orders
You are preparing your new resident for a shower in the tub room and she begins yelling and becoming agitated. What should you do?
The resident is indicating by her behavior that she is uncomfortable with the procedure. Rushing through, overpowering or coercion is not acceptable. A partial bed bath may be more acceptable and less upsetting to the resident.
A good diet must have all four food groups. The four food groups are _____________.
The four food groups are dairy, meat, fruits/vegetables and grains.
You have a home care client who is on a 1200mg sodium restricted diet. You are very careful how you plan her meals to accommodate this. What else can you do to insure she remains in the 1200 mg limit?
When planning meals you should be aware of and take in to consideration the sodium content in all medications. It can be quite significant. Answer B is incorrect because there is a varying mount of salt in almost every cereal product and this should be taken in to consideration. Most fresh fruit has no sodium content. Answer D is incorrect because a 1200mg sodium restriction for a heart patient or a kidney patient is quite routine.
Your resident has essential tremors in her hands. How can you assist her at mealtime?
Residents may have a place where others are used to her disabilities and she should have her special utensils. Answer A is incorrect because she has the right to go to the dining room if she is able. Often times there are different dining rooms depending on the level of function. Group dining is a social function and should be encouraged. Answer C is incorrect because getting her there early to feed her defeats the social dining event and may discourage her from going to the dining room. Answer D is incorrect because if the resident needs assistance in set up or cutting, it must be done and can be handled quietly and quickly so as to not embarrass her.
While providing perineal care and cleansing to a female patient who is incontinent of urine and stool, you should ________________.
The procedural steps for female perineal care, in order, are cleaning the internal labia, then the external labia, and then the groin from the front to back toward the rectum. The rationale for these procedural steps is the prevention of infection by moving from the cleanest area to the dirtiest area, rather than from the dirtiest to the cleanest area.
Your resident is a very skinny malnourished woman who refuses to eat and lies on her back all the time. When you give her a bath, you notice a reddened area on her coccyx. Your best action is to:
Pressure ulcer prevention requires teamwork and clear communication of methods of treatment and responsibilities of each team member.
You are ready to give your resident a complete bed bath. The temperature of this bath water should be which of the following?
The temperature of all bath and shower water should be about 106 degrees. A bath thermometer should be used to determine the temperature of all bath water to make sure that it is not too hot. Hot water can scald and burn a patient or resident. You must also be sure that the temperature is not too cool. Cool water is not comfortable for a bath or shower and it can lead to shivering and chilling.
You are performing AM care on Mr. Jack. While you are cleaning his dentures, he rinses his mouth out. When he spits into the emesis basin, you notice blood in the fluid. You have him rinse again to see if there is additional blood. What action should you take next?
Bloody sputum is not normal. Since there was blood in the sputum, you should check the mouth for obvious physical causes of the blood. Check the dentures for any rough spots or cracks that may have caused openings or sores. If the dentures seem to be intact and you do not see sores or open areas, you can have the resident put his dentures back in. Report the event and your findings to the nurse in the event that Mr. Jack has any underlying immunity compromise or is on anticoagulant medication.
Your resident had a stroke, or CVA, five years ago. The resident still has right sided weakness. You are ready to transfer the resident from the bed to the wheelchair. The wheelchair should be positioned at the _______________.
The wheelchair should be positioned at the head on the bed on the resident's left side so the resident can assist with the transfer with their stronger left side.
When giving a backrub, the nurse aide should _______________.
The resident should be placed on their side (the lateral position) or in the prone position(on the chest) so that the entire back is visible to the nurse aide. The back, not the entire body, is exposed. The lotion should be warmed up a bit for added comfort and there should be no extra, dripping lotion left on the back.
You are doing Mrs. Kipp’s HS care. You know she wears bilateral hearing aids. How do you handle the hearing aids at bedtime?
The resident has the right to wear either or both hearing aids to bed if she wishes. You first need to ask her if she wants them removed. If she does not want them removed, be sure to pass this information on in a report so they do not come out overnight and get broken or lost in linen. If she wants them removed, the hearing aids need to be turned off and placed in a proper container. You do not need to remove the batteries. Do not leave them on the bedside stand unprotected, as they may get lost or damaged.
You have just arrived for the night shift. In a report you were told that Mrs. Kipp kept her hearing aids in at bedtime. What action should you take?
If the resident takes the hearing aids out or if they fall out, the proper container should be available to put them in.
CNA Personal Care Tips
Ensuring client care and assisting them in their activities are the main responsibilities of a CNA. A certified nursing assistant is not aware of the mentality and the reaction of clients; still, he/she needs to take care of them. Sometimes it is easy for them to handle the patients, while sometimes it becomes difficult. A CNA cannot complain about it as the facility expects him/her to perform the duties effectively.
Even the clients are unaware of the problems they create in the state of irritation or depression during treatment. So, you cannot blame them. Thus it is a necessity for certified nurse aides to perform their functions efficiently. They are also responsible for checking vital signs, CPR, the safety of patients, maintaining records, and on-time reporting.
Right from changing/adjusting drips to assisting in daily activities like
- Brushing teeth
- Bathing
- Feeding
- Walking and exercise
a certified nurse aide takes care of everything. Some client care tips can be very helpful if implemented. Let us go through it.
CNAs must be calm and patient. They must take care of each and every need of a patient with honesty. They must consult their seniors if they are facing any problem in dealing with the patients. They must be proactive and good at communication. They must be polite and intelligent enough to convince clients who are not listening to them. You should not force them. You must try to adapt positively according to his/her condition and make him/her comfortable in your company. You need to take care of patients especially at the time of bathing, dressing, grooming and feeding.
Bathing Tips
For bathing, a certified nursing assistant must ensure following the same routine for the patients as with the one they started with. You must not take the client for bathing if he/she is very weak and feeling drowsy. Instead, for such clients, you must switch to a sponge bath. The bathroom must be well lit and must have good ventilation.
Bathing ensures freshness and increases the rate of blood circulation. It also prevents patients from infection. Praise them when they perform any activity on their own and make them aware that this is leading them towards a quick recovery. You must never ask a patient to take a bath on their own, especially if they are severely weak.
Grooming Tips
Grooming is also an essential task for certified nursing assistants. Proper grooming makes patients feel better psychologically. Mostly, you must allow clients to perform their activities on their own, as this increases their morale. Regular dressing around the wound is necessary to keep it safe and avoid any infection.
Hair grooming is also important to keep hair and scalp strong and healthy. When you assist them in grooming and if they carry out most of the tasks, it also leads to muscle movement making it more flexible than before.
Mouth Care Tips
Mouth care is important as well. You must concentrate on the patient’s facial expressions, as they are not open enough to reveal their pain. You must always check that the body of a client is free of rashes, any redness, or any other skin problem.
Diet Tips
Resting and taking a healthy diet are the basic needs that ensure a faster recovery. A CNA must take care of these things. Make sure you provide/feed clients with food and medicines at the right time and in the right quantity. You must never pressurize them to eat (food), as they will hesitate to eat it. Instead, you must assure them that eating well will help them to recover easily. This will enlighten their minds.
Thus a CNA must be careful enough to make things and the conditions better for the clients. This will ensure a quick recovery and is not only good for the growth of the facility/hospital but also for the progress of all the employees of the facility including CNAs.