CNA Basic Nursing Skills 11 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which pulse site is routinely used by CNAs to measure a resident's pulse rate?
- Femoral artery
- Carotid artery
- Radial artery (Correct answer)
- Popliteal artery
Correct answer: Radial artery
The radial pulse at the wrist is the most accessible and most commonly used site for routine pulse measurement by CNAs.
Question 2: A resident is on a thickened-liquid diet. The CNA should offer which beverage?
- Regular water
- Thin orange juice
- Nectar-consistency apple juice (Correct answer)
- Carbonated soda
Correct answer: Nectar-consistency apple juice
Nectar-consistency liquids are thickened to reduce aspiration risk for residents with dysphagia.
Question 3: Which observation about a wound should be reported to the nurse immediately?
- Slight redness at the wound edges the first day after injury
- A small amount of clear drainage
- Red streaks extending from the wound (Correct answer)
- Mild swelling in the first 24 hours
Correct answer: Red streaks extending from the wound
Red streaks (lymphangitis) spreading from a wound indicate a serious infection spreading through the lymphatic system and require urgent attention.
Question 4: When applying a non-sterile bandage to a resident's arm, the CNA should wrap from which direction?
- Distal to proximal (fingertips toward the body) (Correct answer)
- Proximal to distal (body toward fingertips)
- Center outward in both directions
- From the elbow to the shoulder only
Correct answer: Distal to proximal (fingertips toward the body)
Wrapping from distal to proximal (toward the heart) promotes venous return and prevents fluid accumulation in the extremity.
Question 5: A resident's oxygen saturation reads 91%. What is the appropriate CNA action?
- Document and continue monitoring
- Increase the oxygen flow rate independently
- Report the reading to the nurse promptly (Correct answer)
- Have the resident breathe into a paper bag
Correct answer: Report the reading to the nurse promptly
Normal SpO2 is 95–100%; a reading of 91% is below normal and must be reported to the nurse for further assessment.
Question 6: The purpose of a draw sheet (pull sheet) in repositioning a resident is to:
- Keep the resident warm during transfers
- Reduce friction and shear forces on the skin (Correct answer)
- Prevent the resident from falling out of bed
- Provide padding over bony prominences
Correct answer: Reduce friction and shear forces on the skin
A draw sheet reduces friction and shearing forces on fragile skin when repositioning a resident, helping prevent skin breakdown.
Question 7: When measuring urinary output, the CNA records the amount in:
- Ounces only
- Milliliters (mL) (Correct answer)
- Tablespoons
- Liters only
Correct answer: Milliliters (mL)
Urinary output is measured and documented in milliliters (mL) for consistency and accuracy in medical records.
CNA Basic Nursing Skills 11 4
Which pulse site is routinely used by CNAs to measure a resident's pulse rate?