CNA Work Environment 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CNA notices a wet floor near the nurses' station with no warning sign posted. What is the FIRST action to take?
- Continue working and report it at shift end
- Place a wet floor sign and report to the charge nurse (Correct answer)
- Wait for housekeeping to handle it
- Ask a coworker to watch the area
Correct answer: Place a wet floor sign and report to the charge nurse
Immediate hazard control by placing a warning sign and notifying the charge nurse prevents falls and fulfills the CNA's safety reporting duty.
Question 2: Which federal agency establishes and enforces workplace safety standards for healthcare workers?
- CDC
- CMS
- OSHA (Correct answer)
- HIPAA
Correct answer: OSHA
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) sets and enforces safety standards to protect workers, including CNAs in healthcare settings.
Question 3: A resident's family member demands to see another resident's care plan. The CNA should:
- Show the plan as a courtesy
- Refer the family member to the charge nurse
- Explain that all resident information is confidential and decline (Correct answer)
- Provide a summary but not the full document
Correct answer: Explain that all resident information is confidential and decline
HIPAA prohibits sharing one resident's protected health information with unauthorized individuals, including another resident's family.
Question 4: When lifting a heavy object at work, the CNA should:
- Bend at the waist and keep legs straight
- Twist at the waist to position the load
- Bend the knees and keep the back straight (Correct answer)
- Hold the object away from the body for control
Correct answer: Bend the knees and keep the back straight
Bending the knees and keeping the back straight uses the large leg muscles and reduces spinal injury risk.
Question 5: A coworker frequently arrives late, leaving the CNA to cover additional residents alone. The BEST course of action is to:
- Refuse to cover the extra residents
- Document the incidents and report to the supervisor (Correct answer)
- Confront the coworker loudly at the nurses' station
- Ignore it to avoid workplace conflict
Correct answer: Document the incidents and report to the supervisor
Documenting and reporting to a supervisor addresses staffing safety concerns through proper channels without escalating interpersonal conflict.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a Material Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS) used for in a long-term care facility?
- Tracking resident medication schedules
- Providing hazard information about cleaning chemicals (Correct answer)
- Recording staff attendance and overtime
- Documenting resident fall incidents
Correct answer: Providing hazard information about cleaning chemicals
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) contain hazard, handling, and emergency information for chemical substances such as disinfectants and cleaning agents.
Question 7: A CNA is assigned to care for a resident who is in airborne precautions. Which PPE must the CNA wear when entering the room?
- Surgical mask and gloves
- N95 respirator, gown, and gloves (Correct answer)
- Face shield only
- Gloves and gown only
Correct answer: N95 respirator, gown, and gloves
Airborne precautions require an N95 respirator (not just a surgical mask) along with gown and gloves to prevent transmission of airborne pathogens.
CNA Work Environment 4
A CNA notices a wet floor near the nurses' station with no warning sign posted.
What is the FIRST action to take?