Basic Nursing Skills 10 Flashcards
6 cards from real CNA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Basic Nursing Skills 10 flashcards as text
A CNA is performing passive range-of-motion exercises on a resident's shoulder when the resident suddenly grimaces and says nothing, but grips the bed rail. What is the MOST appropriate immediate action?
Answer: Stop the exercise immediately and assess the resident's pain level
Non-verbal pain cues such as grimacing and guarding behavior (gripping the rail) are valid indicators of pain and must be treated as seriously as verbal reports. The CNA must stop the activity immediately to prevent injury and assess the situation before proceeding.
When applying a dry sterile dressing to a wound, the CNA accidentally touches the center of the dressing with an ungloved hand. What is the correct next step?
Answer: Discard the dressing and obtain a new sterile one
Any contact of a sterile dressing with a non-sterile surface — including ungloved skin — renders it contaminated. The entire dressing must be discarded and replaced with a new sterile one to prevent wound infection.
A resident on a fluid restriction of 1,000 mL/day has already consumed 720 mL by 4:00 PM. The resident requests a glass of water and a cup of broth with dinner at 6:00 PM. A standard cup holds 240 mL and a broth bowl holds 180 mL. What should the CNA do?
Answer: Notify the nurse before providing any additional fluids and follow their guidance
With only 280 mL remaining in the fluid restriction, the resident's request totals 420 mL — exceeding what is allowed. Fluid restriction management decisions, especially at the end of the allowance, require nurse oversight. The CNA should not independently decide how to allocate the remaining fluid without consulting the nurse.
A CNA is assisting a post-stroke resident with a left-sided weakness to dress. The resident's right side is unaffected. Which sequence correctly follows hemiplegia dressing principles?
Answer: Dress the left (weak) side first, undress the right (strong) side first
The correct principle for hemiplegia is 'weak side in first, strong side out first' for dressing, and the reverse for undressing. Dressing the weak side first reduces strain on the affected limb; removing the strong side's clothing first when undressing allows the weak arm to exit last with minimal manipulation.
During perineal care on a female resident, the CNA notices a new area of redness and skin breakdown between the labia majora and inner thigh. What is the PRIORITY action after completing perineal care?
Answer: Report the finding to the charge nurse immediately before leaving the room
New skin breakdown is a significant finding that represents a change in the resident's condition. It must be reported to the charge nurse immediately — not at end of shift — so that wound care interventions can be initiated promptly to prevent worsening. Applying products without an order or delaying reporting are both unsafe practices.
A CNA is caring for a resident in contact isolation for C. difficile. After removing PPE at the door, the CNA realizes they forgot to bring the meal tray inside. What is the correct action?
Answer: Don a new set of PPE before re-entering the room for any reason
Contact isolation requires full PPE upon every entry into the room, regardless of how recently the room was last entered. C. difficile requires soap-and-water handwashing (not alcohol-based sanitizer) because its spores are resistant to alcohol. Re-entering without PPE violates isolation protocol and risks spreading the organism.