CPCA Personal Care Assistance & Daily Living Activities 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client who was recently discharged from the hospital now has a new catheter. The aide's role with catheter care includes:
- Irrigating the catheter as needed
- Cleaning the perineal area and catheter tubing during daily hygiene per care plan (Correct answer)
- Inserting or removing the catheter when directed by the family
- Clamping the catheter tubing if output seems excessive
Correct answer: Cleaning the perineal area and catheter tubing during daily hygiene per care plan
Aides provide catheter hygiene by cleaning the perineal area and catheter tubing during daily care but do not perform clinical catheter procedures.
Question 2: When using a mechanical lift to transfer a client from bed to wheelchair, the aide should ensure:
- Only one staff member is present to minimize crowding
- The sling is properly positioned under the client and all hooks are secured before lifting (Correct answer)
- The client's arms are crossed over the lift bar during transfer
- The wheelchair is placed across the room so there is room to lower the client
Correct answer: The sling is properly positioned under the client and all hooks are secured before lifting
Proper sling placement and secured attachments are essential safety checks before any mechanical lift is operated to prevent falls or injury.
Question 3: A client who lives alone is found to have a very dirty home environment. The aide is responsible for light housekeeping. The aide should prioritize:
- Deep cleaning all rooms in one visit
- Focusing on areas that directly impact the client's health and safety, such as the kitchen and bathroom (Correct answer)
- Leaving the home as found since cleaning is not a primary duty
- Photographing the home and reporting it as neglect
Correct answer: Focusing on areas that directly impact the client's health and safety, such as the kitchen and bathroom
Light housekeeping prioritizes infection control and fall-hazard areas like the kitchen and bathroom to maintain the client's health and safety.
Question 4: An aide is assisting a client with vision impairment to eat. The BEST approach is to:
- Describe the food placement using a clock face orientation and allow maximum self-feeding (Correct answer)
- Feed the client entirely since their vision is impaired
- Use only finger foods to simplify the meal
- Rearrange the tray silently to a more logical layout without informing the client
Correct answer: Describe the food placement using a clock face orientation and allow maximum self-feeding
Describing food using clock positions (e.g., 'peas at 3 o'clock') allows clients with vision impairment to locate and self-feed, preserving independence.
Question 5: A client with dementia resists morning care and becomes agitated. The MOST effective strategy is to:
- Restrain the client gently to complete care quickly
- Use a calm voice, offer simple choices, and try again after a short break if needed (Correct answer)
- Skip morning care and try in the afternoon without documenting the refusal
- Insist on completing all tasks at once to establish a routine
Correct answer: Use a calm voice, offer simple choices, and try again after a short break if needed
Calm reassurance, simple choices, and allowing breaks de-escalate agitation in dementia clients while respecting their dignity and right to refuse.
Question 6: After assisting a client with a shower, the aide notices the client has new bruising on their upper arm that the client is unable to explain. The aide should:
- Document the bruising and report it to the supervisor as a possible sign of abuse or injury (Correct answer)
- Apply ice to the bruise and monitor it over the next week
- Ask the client's family members if they know what happened before reporting
- Assume it is from the shower transfer and note it in passing
Correct answer: Document the bruising and report it to the supervisor as a possible sign of abuse or injury
Unexplained bruising is a potential sign of abuse or injury that must be documented and reported immediately to the supervisor per mandatory reporting protocols.
Question 7: A client who uses a prosthetic leg requires assistance with morning ADLs. When should the prosthesis typically be applied?
- After the client is dressed and ready to ambulate (Correct answer)
- Before bathing and skin inspection of the residual limb
- Only when the client specifically requests ambulation
- At bedtime so it is ready for morning use
Correct answer: After the client is dressed and ready to ambulate
The prosthesis is applied after bathing, skin inspection of the residual limb, and dressing, immediately before the client needs to ambulate.
CPCA Personal Care Assistance & Daily Living Activities 5
A client who was recently discharged from the hospital now has a new catheter.
The aide's role with catheter care includes: