HHA - Home Health Aide Competency Test #2 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A home health aide notices that an elderly patient has not eaten or drunk anything in the past 24 hours and appears confused. The aide should:
- Prepare a large meal to encourage the patient to eat
- Document the observation and immediately report it to the supervising nurse (Correct answer)
- Assume the patient is tired and let them rest without disturbing them
- Administer oral fluids forcefully to prevent dehydration
Correct answer: Document the observation and immediately report it to the supervising nurse
Changes in eating, drinking, or mental status can signal serious medical deterioration. The aide's role is to observe, document, and report findings to the nurse promptly — not to diagnose or independently intervene.
Question 2: When assisting a patient with a Foley catheter during personal care, the aide should:
- Disconnect the drainage bag to make bathing easier
- Clean the catheter tubing from the insertion site outward using soap and water (Correct answer)
- Position the drainage bag above the level of the bladder to improve flow
- Clamp the tubing temporarily to prevent urine from spilling during movement
Correct answer: Clean the catheter tubing from the insertion site outward using soap and water
Catheter care requires cleaning from the meatus outward to prevent introducing bacteria. The drainage bag must always remain below bladder level, and the tubing should never be clamped or disconnected without a clinical order.
Question 3: A patient tells the home health aide, 'I don't want to take my medications today.' The aide should:
- Crush the medications into the patient's food without telling them
- Respect the refusal, document it, and report it to the supervising nurse (Correct answer)
- Insist the patient take the medications because they are prescribed
- Contact the pharmacy to ask if the medications can be skipped
Correct answer: Respect the refusal, document it, and report it to the supervising nurse
Competent patients have the right to refuse any treatment, including medications. The aide must respect this right, document the refusal, and notify the nurse so the care team can follow up appropriately.
Question 4: While transferring a patient from the bed to a wheelchair, the patient begins to feel dizzy and weak. The aide should:
- Complete the transfer quickly so the patient can sit down in the wheelchair
- Lower the patient safely to the floor or back onto the bed and call for help (Correct answer)
- Ask the patient to grip the aide's neck tightly to stabilize themselves
- Have the patient stand still and take deep breaths until the dizziness passes
Correct answer: Lower the patient safely to the floor or back onto the bed and call for help
If a patient becomes dizzy mid-transfer, the safest action is to lower them in a controlled manner to the nearest safe surface to prevent a fall. Calling for help ensures proper assessment follows.
Question 5: A home health aide is caring for a patient who is on a fluid restriction of 1,000 mL per day. The aide should:
- Offer fluids freely since restricting fluids is the nurse's responsibility
- Track all fluid intake including water, soup, and ice cream, and report totals to the nurse (Correct answer)
- Only count water and juice, since solid foods do not count toward fluid intake
- Encourage the patient to drink extra fluids in the morning and none in the evening
Correct answer: Track all fluid intake including water, soup, and ice cream, and report totals to the nurse
Fluid restrictions apply to all foods that are liquid at room temperature, including soups, gelatin, and ice cream. The aide is responsible for accurately tracking and reporting all intake as part of the care plan.
Question 6: A patient with diabetes complains of shakiness, sweating, and feels 'funny' during the aide's visit. The aide should:
- Encourage the patient to lie down and rest until the feeling passes
- Give the patient a source of fast-acting sugar such as juice or glucose tablets if they are conscious and able to swallow, and notify the nurse (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if symptoms improve on their own before taking any action
- Administer insulin as directed in the care plan to stabilize blood sugar
Correct answer: Give the patient a source of fast-acting sugar such as juice or glucose tablets if they are conscious and able to swallow, and notify the nurse
Shakiness and sweating in a diabetic patient are classic signs of hypoglycemia. If the patient is conscious and can swallow safely, a fast-acting carbohydrate source is appropriate first aid, followed by immediate notification of the nurse.
HHA - Home Health Aide Competency Test #2 1
A home health aide notices that an elderly patient has not eaten or drunk anything in the past 24 hours and appears confused.
The aide should: