CNA Working as Part of a Healthcare Team 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse asks you to perform a task that is outside your scope of practice as a CNA. What should you do?
- Perform the task since the nurse authorized it
- Politely decline and explain it is outside your scope (Correct answer)
- Ask another CNA to do it instead
- Do part of the task and leave the rest
Correct answer: Politely decline and explain it is outside your scope
CNAs must refuse tasks outside their scope of practice regardless of who requests them, as patient safety is the priority.
Question 2: During a team huddle, you notice a care plan conflict between two nurses' instructions. What is the best action?
- Follow whichever instruction was given first
- Follow the most recent instruction
- Report the conflict to the charge nurse for clarification (Correct answer)
- Use your own judgment to decide which is better
Correct answer: Report the conflict to the charge nurse for clarification
Conflicting instructions must be escalated to the charge nurse to ensure the patient receives consistent, safe care.
Question 3: Which communication method is most appropriate when handing off patient care to the next shift CNA?
- A brief verbal summary with no written notes
- A detailed written report covering ADLs, observations, and changes (Correct answer)
- A text message summarizing key points
- No report is needed if nothing unusual occurred
Correct answer: A detailed written report covering ADLs, observations, and changes
A thorough written and verbal handoff ensures continuity of care and prevents information gaps between shifts.
Question 4: A physical therapist gives a resident an exercise plan. How should you incorporate this into your daily care?
- Ignore it unless the nurse reminds you
- Follow the plan as directed and encourage the resident during ADLs (Correct answer)
- Only apply it when the therapist is present
- Decide which exercises seem reasonable and skip the rest
Correct answer: Follow the plan as directed and encourage the resident during ADLs
CNAs reinforce therapy goals throughout daily care to support the resident's rehabilitation and recovery.
Question 5: What does the term 'interdisciplinary team' mean in a healthcare setting?
- A team made up only of doctors and nurses
- Professionals from multiple disciplines working together for the patient's care (Correct answer)
- Staff who rotate between different departments
- A committee that reviews hospital policies
Correct answer: Professionals from multiple disciplines working together for the patient's care
An interdisciplinary team includes nurses, CNAs, therapists, social workers, dietitians, and others who collaborate on holistic patient care.
Question 6: You observe a co-worker CNA providing care in an unsafe manner. What should you do first?
- Confront the co-worker loudly in front of the patient
- Do nothing, as it is not your responsibility
- Report the observation to your supervisor promptly (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if the patient complains
Correct answer: Report the observation to your supervisor promptly
Patient safety requires CNAs to report unsafe practices to a supervisor immediately, not handle them alone or ignore them.
Question 7: When attending an interdisciplinary care conference, the CNA's primary contribution is to:
- Make clinical diagnoses based on observations
- Share direct observations about the patient's daily function and behavior (Correct answer)
- Approve or reject the treatment plan
- Represent the family's legal interests
Correct answer: Share direct observations about the patient's daily function and behavior
CNAs spend the most time with patients and provide valuable first-hand observations about daily functioning that other team members may not see.
CNA Working as Part of a Healthcare Team 3
A nurse asks you to perform a task that is outside your scope of practice as a CNA.
What should you do?