CNA Basic Nursing Skills 1 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient's call light goes on while you are providing care to another patient. What is the most appropriate action?
- Ignore it until you finish your current task
- Ask a nearby staff member to check on the patient (Correct answer)
- Turn off the call light remotely without responding
- Ask the current patient to wait and immediately answer the call
Correct answer: Ask a nearby staff member to check on the patient
Notifying a nearby staff member ensures the waiting patient's needs are addressed promptly without abandoning your current patient.
Question 2: When applying a transfer belt (gait belt) to assist a patient in standing, where should the belt be placed?
- Around the patient's chest under the arms
- Around the patient's waist over clothing (Correct answer)
- Around the patient's hips below the waist
- Around the patient's thighs
Correct answer: Around the patient's waist over clothing
A transfer belt is placed around the patient's waist over clothing to provide a secure grip for safe transfer assistance.
Question 3: A resident refuses to take a bath. What should the CNA do first?
- Document the refusal and notify the nurse (Correct answer)
- Insist the bath must happen for infection control
- Physically assist the resident into the bath
- Skip the bath and do not report it
Correct answer: Document the refusal and notify the nurse
Residents have the right to refuse care; the CNA must document the refusal and report it to the nurse for follow-up.
Question 4: Which pulse site is most commonly used by CNAs for routine vital sign measurement?
- Femoral
- Carotid
- Radial (Correct answer)
- Brachial
Correct answer: Radial
The radial pulse at the wrist is the most accessible and commonly used site for routine pulse measurement by CNAs.
Question 5: How should a CNA position a patient who is at risk for aspiration during feeding?
- Flat (0 degrees) to reduce fatigue
- Semi-reclined at 30 degrees
- Upright at 90 degrees or as high as tolerated (Correct answer)
- On their left side
Correct answer: Upright at 90 degrees or as high as tolerated
Feeding patients upright at 90 degrees uses gravity to move food safely toward the stomach and reduces aspiration risk.
Question 6: When measuring a patient's blood pressure, what is the correct arm position?
- Extended above the head
- Hanging straight down
- At the level of the heart, supported (Correct answer)
- Crossed over the chest
Correct answer: At the level of the heart, supported
The arm must be at heart level and supported to obtain an accurate blood pressure reading.
Question 7: A CNA notices a patient's urine is dark brown and has a strong odor. What is the most appropriate action?
- Encourage additional fluids and do not report until the next shift
- Immediately report the observation to the nurse (Correct answer)
- Assume the patient ate beets and document it as normal
- Increase fluid intake and recheck in 8 hours before reporting
Correct answer: Immediately report the observation to the nurse
Abnormal urine color and odor can indicate infection, dehydration, or other medical issues and must be reported to the nurse promptly.
CNA Basic Nursing Skills 1 3
A patient's call light goes on while you are providing care to another patient.
What is the most appropriate action?