Basic Nursing Skills 14 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 14 flashcards as text
When assisting a patient with a bedpan, the CNA should position the patient:
Answer: With the head of the bed elevated 30 degrees and knees slightly bent if possible
Elevating the head of the bed and bending the knees simulates a normal sitting defecation posture, using gravity to assist elimination and increase patient comfort.
A patient has not had a bowel movement in 4 days and complains of abdominal cramping. The CNA should:
Answer: Report the complaint and the bowel movement history to the charge nurse
Constipation lasting 4 days with pain is a clinical finding that requires nursing assessment and a possible physician-ordered intervention — the CNA must report promptly.
What information should the CNA observe and record about a patient's bowel movement?
Answer: Color, consistency, amount, presence of blood or mucus, and any patient discomfort
Comprehensive stool documentation includes color, consistency, amount, abnormalities (blood, mucus), and patient symptoms because these characteristics help identify GI conditions.
Signs of fecal impaction that the CNA should report include:
Answer: Liquid stool seeping around a hard stool mass with no regular formed movement
Liquid stool seeping around a hardened mass (paradoxical diarrhea) with no formed stool is the classic sign of fecal impaction requiring immediate nursing intervention.
Which of the following approaches BEST promotes regular bowel function in long-term care residents?
Answer: Encouraging regular ambulation, adequate fluid intake, and a fiber-rich diet
Physical activity, adequate hydration (6–8 glasses of water daily), and dietary fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) are the foundational non-pharmacological approaches to preventing constipation.
Which observation about a patient's stool requires IMMEDIATE nursing notification?
Answer: Large amount of bright red blood mixed throughout the stool
Bright red blood mixed throughout stool indicates active lower gastrointestinal bleeding — a potentially life-threatening emergency requiring immediate reporting.