CNA Practice Exam 1
A patient is refusing to drink fluids even though he is beginning to show signs of dehydration (concentrated urine, headache, sunken eyes, low energy). What should the CNA do? a) Tell the patient to go home because he knows what is best for his care b) Explain the risks of dehydration, respect his decision, and inform the nurse about his condition c) Request an IV for the patient so that the patient can get fluids without drinking anything d) Force him to drink water immediately, because dehydration is dangerous
b) Explain the risks of dehydration, respect his decision, and inform the nurse about his condition A patient has the right to refuse treatment even if this is not in his best interest. In this situation, the CNA should explain that being hydrated is very important for a person's health, and then let the nurse know that the patient is refusing treatment. Forcing a patient to drink water is abuse. A CNA should NEVER hook up an IV and the CNA has no authority to discharge a patient.
A patient's family asks the CNA caring for a loved one about the results of a recent blood test. What should the CNA say? a) I think everything is normal, which is great! b) Let me find the nurse to talk to you about the results c) Oh, he had a blood test? That is news to me. d) I cannot comment on patient treatment. Sorry.
b) Let me find the nurse to talk to you about the results The CNA should not comment on medical procedures or diagnostic information. The patient has a right to privacy. When a family member asks about a patient's care or health, help the family and ask the nurse on duty to speak with them about a procedure of this kind.
Which of the following is NOT a normal part of changes in all older adults? a) Bones become more brittle and can break more easily b) The person is confused all the time c) Night vision decreases d) The skin becomes more fragile
b) The person is confused all the time Not all older adults are confused or suffer from dementia. Older adults have more brittle and weaker bones than younger adults. The skin of older adults is more fragile than the skin of younger adults. Older adults will not see as well at night as younger adults.
Which should the CNA NOT do as a healthcare professional? a) Arrive to work on time, or even 5-10 minutes early b) Work single-handedly to take care of patients c) Eat well and get plenty of exercise and sleep d) Arrive at work well groomed in a clean uniform
b) Work single-handedly to take care of patients A professional CNA is well groomed, arrives on time, and takes care or himself or herself outside of work. A CNA must be part of the healthcare team and not do the job alone.
What should a CNA do if he or she sees a small fire in an unoccupied patient room? a) Extinguish the fire b) Rescue residents in the rooms next door c) Activate the fire alarm d) Close all fire doors
c) Activate the fire alarm When encountering a fire, use the acronym RACE (Rescue, Activate the alarm, Confine the fire, Extinguish the fire). Since no resident are in immediate danger, the CNA should activate the alarm.
While standing in the elevator, a CNA overhears his colleagues speaking about a resident's care. What is this a violation of? a) The patient's right to medical care b) A DNR order c) Patient confidentiality d) It is not a violation of anything as professionals are discussing resident care
c) Patient confidentiality Discussing a resident's care in a public space, like an elevator, is a violation of the patient's right to confidentiality under the HIPAA guidelines. DNR stands for do not resuscitate, which is when a patient does not want to receive care if he or she stops breathing. Patients have the right to receive medical care, but they also have the right to refuse medical care if they wish.
While helping a resident sip hot tea, the CNA slips and accidentally spills hot tea on the resident causing a burn. This is an example of: a) battery b) abuse c) negligence d) assault
c) negligence Accidentally burning a resident with hot tea is an example of negligence because the CNA did not take appropriate safety measures and the resident was injured as a result of this. Abuse, assault, and battery are all intentional acts that cause harm to residents.
How is residential nursing care paid for? a) Medicare b) Medicaid c) Private health insurance d) All of the above
d) All of the above Residential nursing care is paid for in a variety of ways including Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance and/or family savings depending on the resident's unique circumstances.
What needs are found on the lowest level of Maslow's hierarchy of needs? a) Love and belonging b) Self-esteem c) Safety and security d) Physical
d) Physical All humans meet their basic physical needs for survival first (which means food, water, shelter, etc.). Once those are met, people need safety and security, followed by love and belonging, self-esteem, and finally, self-actualization.
When speaking with a resident, the CNA should NOT: a) Listen to what the resident is saying b) Address the resident by Mr., Mrs., or Ms. and his or her last name c) Speak loudly and clearly so that the resident can hear the CNA d) Share intimate or personal details of his or her life
d) Share intimate or personal details of his or her life A CNA should not share intimate personal details of his or her private life. This is a violation of professional boundaries. A CNA should address a resident using Mr., Mrs., or Ms. and the resident's last name. A CNA should speak loudly and clearly enough so that the resident can hear the CNA. The CNA should listen closely to what the resident says.
If a patient refuses treatment and the CNA performs this care on the patient anyway, what could happen to the CNA? a) Nothing. CNAs should always perform care on patients regardless of patient wishes. b) The CNA could be given an award for performing care under challenging conditions c) The CNA could be promoted as leader on the floor because he can get things done d) The CNA could be charged with assault or battery
d) The CNA could be charged with assault or battery A CNA can be charged with assault for threatening to perform care or battery for touching a patient (providing care) without the patient's consent. A patient must give consent for treatment. Treating a patient without the patient's consent violates the patient's rights. A CNA could be fired or arrested for this kind of behavior.
A CNA should NOT: a) Delegate a task to another CNA b) Help other CNAs with their residents c) Understand delegation guidelines completely before performing a task d) Communicate with other members of the healthcare team
a) Delegate a task to another CNA A CNA should never delegate a task to another CNA. This is outside the role of the CNA. A CNA should: communicate clearly with other members of the healthcare team, help other CNAs with their patients (when needed) and make sure to understand the delegation guidelines completely before undertaking a task.
Before entering a patient's room, a CNA should: a) Knock on the resident's door before entering b) Check the resident's care plan c) Make sure that the supplies are stocked for the unit d) All of the above
a) Knock on the resident's door before entering It is important to remember that the residents live in a facility. This is their home. Thus, it is important to knock on the door of a resident's room before walking in. Understanding the care plan is very important, but the CNA may not need to read this document before entering a resident's room on each and every occasion during a shift. Restocking the resident's room is also important, but the CNA may not need to do this each and every time they walk into a resident's room.
Which is NOT a reason why a CNA should refuse an assignment? a) The CNA is upset because of a personal conflict with the patient's family b) The CNA believes the task is unethical c) The task is outside of the CNA's standard of care d) Performing the task could be harmful to the CNA
a) The CNA is upset because of a personal conflict with the patient's family A personal disagreement with a patient's family is not a valid reason for refusing to undertake a task. If the task is outside of the CNA's standard of care, the task is dangerous, or if the CNA believes it is unethical, then the CNA should explain to the nurse, in a calm professional manner, why she is refusing to undertake the task.
A CNA falsely reports that one of his colleagues accepted an expensive gift from the family of a resident. This is an example of: a) defamation b) insubordination c) negligence d) malpractice
a) defamation Lying about a colleague's behavior is considered defamation of character. Negligence and malpractice are legal terms relating to health care providers' work with residents (not co-workers), and insubordination is a term used to describe someone who does not follow orders.
