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
Which diet modification would MOST likely help a constipated resident?
Answer: Increased dietary fiber from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with increased fluids
Dietary fiber adds bulk to stool and retains water in the colon, making stool softer and easier to pass; adequate fluid intake is essential for fiber to work effectively.
A patient reports straining during every bowel movement despite soft stool. This complaint should prompt the CNA to:
Answer: Report the symptom to the charge nurse as it may indicate a rectal or pelvic floor problem
Persistent straining despite soft stool suggests a pelvic floor dysfunction or rectal outlet obstruction that requires nursing and medical evaluation — it is not normal even in the elderly.
Why is prompt response to a resident's request to use the bathroom important in nursing home care?
Answer: It maintains resident dignity, prevents incontinence episodes, and supports normal elimination reflexes
Delayed toileting response causes preventable incontinence accidents, damages dignity, and over time suppresses the defecation reflex — prompt response is a resident rights and care quality issue.
When a CNA observes that a patient's stool is black and tarry with a foul metallic odor, this finding suggests:
Answer: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding, which requires immediate nursing notification
Melena — black, tarry, foul-smelling stool — is caused by digested blood from an upper GI bleed (esophagus, stomach, or small intestine) and is a medical emergency.
A resident has diarrhea for the past 24 hours. What is the MOST important concern the CNA should report?
Answer: Skin integrity of the perianal area, signs of dehydration, and stool frequency and characteristics
Prolonged diarrhea causes dehydration and rapid perianal skin breakdown from chemical irritants in liquid stool — the nurse needs to know the frequency, characteristics, skin condition, and hydration status.
Which action should the CNA take FIRST when a patient reports urgency for a bowel movement?
Answer: Immediately assist the patient to the commode or bathroom or provide a bedpan
Bowel urgency has a narrow window — the CNA must respond immediately to preserve continence, resident dignity, and normal defecation reflexes.