CNA Basic Nursing Skills 8 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient suddenly vomits while in a supine position. The CNA's FIRST action should be to:
- Call the nurse before doing anything
- Turn the patient's head to the side to prevent aspiration (Correct answer)
- Sit the patient fully upright and call a code
- Suction the airway using a bulb syringe
Correct answer: Turn the patient's head to the side to prevent aspiration
Turning the head to the side prevents aspiration of vomitus into the airway, which is the immediate safety priority.
Question 2: Which of the following describes the correct technique for hand hygiene with an alcohol-based hand rub?
- Rub hands together for at least 20 seconds until completely dry
- Rinse hands under water after applying the hand rub
- Apply product and rub all hand surfaces until dry, about 20–30 seconds (Correct answer)
- Use the hand rub only after soap and water washing
Correct answer: Apply product and rub all hand surfaces until dry, about 20–30 seconds
Alcohol-based hand rub should cover all hand surfaces and be rubbed until dry, taking approximately 20–30 seconds.
Question 3: When caring for a patient in contact precautions, the CNA must wear:
- N95 respirator and face shield only
- Gloves and gown upon entering the room (Correct answer)
- Gloves only when touching the patient directly
- Full PPE including PAPR at all times
Correct answer: Gloves and gown upon entering the room
Contact precautions require gloves and gown to be donned upon entering the room to prevent contact transmission.
Question 4: A resident's blood pressure reading is 88/54 mmHg. The CNA should:
- Document it and recheck at the next scheduled time
- Have the resident sit up quickly to normalize the pressure
- Report the reading to the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Give the resident extra fluids and recheck in 30 minutes
Correct answer: Report the reading to the nurse immediately
A blood pressure of 88/54 is abnormally low (hypotensive) and must be reported to the nurse promptly.
Question 5: The correct order for donning (putting on) PPE is:
- Gloves, gown, mask, eye protection
- Gown, mask/respirator, eye protection, gloves (Correct answer)
- Mask, gloves, gown, eye protection
- Eye protection, gloves, gown, mask
Correct answer: Gown, mask/respirator, eye protection, gloves
The CDC-recommended order for donning PPE is gown first, then mask/respirator, then eye protection, then gloves last.
Question 6: When assisting a resident to walk with a cane, the CNA should position themselves:
- Directly in front of the resident
- On the resident's stronger side
- On the resident's weaker side and slightly behind (Correct answer)
- Two feet behind the resident
Correct answer: On the resident's weaker side and slightly behind
The CNA stands on the weaker side and slightly behind to provide support and catch the resident if they fall.
Question 7: A resident tells the CNA that their dentures are loose and hurt when eating. The CNA should:
- Adjust the dentures themselves to make them fit better
- Report the concern to the nurse and document it (Correct answer)
- Tell the resident to use less food pressure when chewing
- Soak the dentures longer each night to soften them
Correct answer: Report the concern to the nurse and document it
Ill-fitting dentures require a dental consultation; the CNA's role is to report the concern and document it.
CNA Basic Nursing Skills 8 4
A patient suddenly vomits while in a supine position.
The CNA's FIRST action should be to: