Home Health Aide Certification Practice Test #2 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient has congestive heart failure (CHF). Which symptom should be reported immediately?
- Mild fatigue after lunch
- Sudden weight gain of 3 pounds in one day, ankle swelling, or shortness of breath (Correct answer)
- A 1-pound weight gain over a week
- Mild headache in the morning
Correct answer: Sudden weight gain of 3 pounds in one day, ankle swelling, or shortness of breath
Rapid weight gain (>2–3 lbs/day or 5 lbs/week) in CHF indicates fluid retention and potential acute decompensation requiring prompt medical intervention.
Question 2: A patient has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aide should avoid:
- Encouraging pursed-lip breathing
- Using aerosol sprays, strong cleaning chemicals, or allowing smoking in the patient's environment (Correct answer)
- Positioning the patient upright during meals
- Monitoring respiratory rate
Correct answer: Using aerosol sprays, strong cleaning chemicals, or allowing smoking in the patient's environment
COPD patients have hypersensitive airways. Aerosols, strong odors, smoke, and chemical fumes can trigger acute exacerbations. Maintaining a clean-air environment is a critical care strategy.
Question 3: When caring for a patient with Parkinson's disease, which safety consideration is most important?
- Restricting all physical activity to prevent tremors
- Fall prevention — using assistive devices, non-slip footwear, and assistive transfers because rigidity and balance issues increase fall risk (Correct answer)
- Limiting fluid intake to reduce bathroom trips
- Preventing all social interaction to reduce stimulation
Correct answer: Fall prevention — using assistive devices, non-slip footwear, and assistive transfers because rigidity and balance issues increase fall risk
Parkinson's disease causes rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, making falls the leading cause of injury. Environmental modification and assistive devices are key safety priorities.
Question 4: A patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is on a potassium-restricted diet. Which snack should the aide avoid offering?
- White rice
- A banana or orange juice (Correct answer)
- Plain crackers
- White bread with butter
Correct answer: A banana or orange juice
Bananas, oranges, and tomatoes are very high in potassium. Hyperkalemia in ESRD can cause life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. Aides must know which foods violate the restriction.
Question 5: After caring for a patient with a known Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) wound, the aide should:
- Proceed to the next patient without changing gloves because MRSA only transmits through air
- Remove gown and gloves at the patient's doorway, perform hand hygiene, and use fresh PPE before the next patient (Correct answer)
- Keep the gown on for the rest of the shift for efficiency
- Spray gloves with disinfectant and reuse them
Correct answer: Remove gown and gloves at the patient's doorway, perform hand hygiene, and use fresh PPE before the next patient
MRSA is transmitted by contact; removing contaminated PPE at the room exit and performing hand hygiene before any other patient contact is essential to prevent healthcare-associated MRSA spread.
Question 6: A patient's oxygen saturation reading (SpO2) of 88% on room air should prompt the aide to:
- Consider it normal for elderly patients
- Report to the supervisor immediately — normal SpO2 is 95–100%, and values below 90% indicate potential hypoxemia requiring intervention (Correct answer)
- Encourage the patient to breathe faster
- Have the patient hold their breath to reset the reading
Correct answer: Report to the supervisor immediately — normal SpO2 is 95–100%, and values below 90% indicate potential hypoxemia requiring intervention
SpO2 below 90% indicates hypoxemia, which can cause organ damage. Immediate reporting allows the nurse to evaluate the need for supplemental oxygen or emergency care.
Home Health Aide Certification Practice Test #2 2
A patient has congestive heart failure (CHF).
Which symptom should be reported immediately?