CNA Mental Health and Social Services Needs 1 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident who has been cheerful suddenly gives away personal belongings and says 'I won't need these anymore.' The CNA should:
- Accept the gifts and thank the resident
- Recognize this as a possible warning sign of suicide and report to the nurse immediately (Correct answer)
- Encourage the resident to keep their things
- Document the behavior and report it at the end of the shift
Correct answer: Recognize this as a possible warning sign of suicide and report to the nurse immediately
Giving away possessions combined with statements suggesting finality are classic warning signs of suicidal intent and require immediate nurse notification.
Question 2: Which of the following statements by a CNA demonstrates empathy toward a grieving resident?
- 'At least your husband lived a long life.'
- 'You'll feel better soon, try not to dwell on it.'
- 'I can see this is very painful for you. I'm here with you.' (Correct answer)
- 'Many residents go through this, it's perfectly normal.'
Correct answer: 'I can see this is very painful for you. I'm here with you.'
Empathy involves acknowledging the resident's specific pain and offering presence, rather than minimizing or normalizing their grief.
Question 3: A resident with obsessive-compulsive behaviors washes her hands repeatedly until they bleed. The BEST action by the CNA is to:
- Physically stop the resident from washing her hands
- Lock the bathroom to prevent access
- Report the behavior to the nurse and provide skin care per the care plan (Correct answer)
- Ignore the behavior since it is part of her diagnosis
Correct answer: Report the behavior to the nurse and provide skin care per the care plan
The CNA should report the behavior and follow the care plan to address skin integrity while not physically restraining the resident.
Question 4: A newly admitted resident cries frequently and says she misses her home. This is MOST likely an example of:
- Dementia-related agitation
- Relocation stress syndrome (Correct answer)
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
Correct answer: Relocation stress syndrome
Relocation stress syndrome refers to the emotional distress experienced by residents adjusting to a new environment such as a nursing facility.
Question 5: When a cognitively intact resident refuses to participate in the facility's social activities, the CNA should:
- Require participation because socialization improves health
- Respect the refusal and document it, reporting as needed (Correct answer)
- Tell the resident they will become more depressed if isolated
- Inform the family so they can persuade the resident
Correct answer: Respect the refusal and document it, reporting as needed
Cognitively intact residents have the right to refuse activities; the CNA must respect autonomy, document the refusal, and report per facility policy.
Question 6: Which of the following is a sign that a resident may be experiencing elder abuse?
- The resident requests more pain medication than prescribed
- The resident has unexplained bruising and seems fearful of a specific visitor (Correct answer)
- The resident sleeps more than usual after starting a new medication
- The resident refuses a meal and asks to call their family
Correct answer: The resident has unexplained bruising and seems fearful of a specific visitor
Unexplained injuries combined with fear of specific individuals are key indicators of possible physical or emotional abuse that must be reported.
Question 7: A resident who is Muslim requests to pray at specific times each day and asks not to be disturbed during prayer. The CNA should:
- Explain that the facility schedule takes priority
- Accommodate the request by adjusting care tasks around prayer times when possible (Correct answer)
- Tell the resident to pray after all care is completed
- Notify the charge nurse that the resident is being uncooperative
Correct answer: Accommodate the request by adjusting care tasks around prayer times when possible
Respecting religious and spiritual practices is part of meeting psychosocial and cultural needs, and care schedules should be adapted when possible.
CNA Mental Health and Social Services Needs 1 5
A resident who has been cheerful suddenly gives away personal belongings and says 'I won't need these anymore.' The CNA should: