HCA - Health Care Assistant Certification Health Care Assistant Nutrition and Hydration 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An elderly resident refuses to drink fluids throughout the morning shift. What is the most appropriate action for the HCA to take?
- Document the refusal and wait until the next shift to address it
- Offer small amounts of preferred fluids frequently and report the refusal to the nurse (Correct answer)
- Force fluids by placing a straw directly in the resident's mouth
- Add thickener to all fluids without checking the care plan
Correct answer: Offer small amounts of preferred fluids frequently and report the refusal to the nurse
Offering small amounts of preferred fluids frequently encourages intake without forcing, while reporting to the nurse ensures the care team is aware and can intervene if dehydration risk increases.
Question 2: A resident's care plan indicates they require thickened fluids at 'nectar' consistency. The family brings in a cup of regular juice. What should the HCA do?
- Allow the resident to drink the regular juice as a one-time exception
- Add the appropriate thickener to the juice before offering it to the resident (Correct answer)
- Discard the juice and offer nothing until the next scheduled fluid time
- Offer the juice without thickener since the family brought it
Correct answer: Add the appropriate thickener to the juice before offering it to the resident
The HCA must follow the care plan to protect the resident from aspiration risk. Regular juice can be made safe by adding the prescribed thickener before serving.
Question 3: When assisting a resident with feeding, the HCA notices the resident has pocketed food in one cheek. What is the correct response?
- Continue feeding and remind the resident to swallow more forcefully
- Gently remind the resident to clear their mouth before offering another bite, and report the observation to the nurse (Correct answer)
- Tilt the resident's head back to encourage swallowing
- Increase the pace of feeding to prevent food from cooling
Correct answer: Gently remind the resident to clear their mouth before offering another bite, and report the observation to the nurse
Pocketing food is a swallowing concern that increases aspiration risk. The HCA should pause feeding, help the resident clear their mouth, and report to the nurse for further assessment.
Question 4: A resident with diabetes is served a meal that appears to contain a high-sugar dessert not consistent with their diet order. What should the HCA do?
- Serve the full meal including the dessert since the kitchen staff made the decision
- Remove only the dessert and serve the rest without notifying anyone
- Withhold the entire meal until the issue is resolved
- Verify the meal against the diet order, withhold the dessert, and report the discrepancy to the nurse before serving (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Verify the meal against the diet order, withhold the dessert, and report the discrepancy to the nurse before serving
HCAs must cross-check meals against diet orders. Withholding the inappropriate item and notifying the nurse protects the resident while ensuring a corrected meal can be provided promptly.
Question 5: Which practice best supports adequate nutrition in a resident who becomes fatigued quickly during meals?
- Limit meal time to five minutes to avoid tiring the resident further
- Serve larger portions less frequently to reduce the number of meal interactions
- Offer smaller, more frequent meals and snacks, and allow rest breaks during feeding (Correct answer)
- Document the fatigue but continue with a standard three-meal schedule unchanged
Correct answer: Offer smaller, more frequent meals and snacks, and allow rest breaks during feeding
Smaller, more frequent meals reduce the energy required at any single sitting, and rest breaks during feeding allow the resident to continue eating without becoming overwhelmed by fatigue.
Question 6: A resident who was previously eating independently now shows decreased interest in food and leaves most meals untouched. What is the priority action for the HCA?
- Assume the resident is not hungry and remove the tray without comment
- Offer to feed the resident without consulting the nurse or care plan
- Document the observed change in appetite and report it to the nurse promptly (Correct answer)
- Increase portion sizes at the next meal to compensate for what was missed
Correct answer: Document the observed change in appetite and report it to the nurse promptly
A sudden or progressive change in eating behavior can signal medical, psychological, or oral health issues. Documenting and reporting promptly allows the care team to investigate and intervene early.
HCA - Health Care Assistant Certification Health Care Assistant Nutrition and Hydration 1
An elderly resident refuses to drink fluids throughout the morning shift.
What is the most appropriate action for the HCA to take?