Home Health Aide Certification Practice Test #4 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An aide is providing care for a patient with active tuberculosis (TB). Which precaution is required?
- Contact precautions only
- Airborne precautions — an N95 respirator (fit-tested) must be worn, and the patient should wear a surgical mask when others are present (Correct answer)
- Droplet precautions with a surgical mask only
- No special precautions if the patient is on antibiotics
Correct answer: Airborne precautions — an N95 respirator (fit-tested) must be worn, and the patient should wear a surgical mask when others are present
Tuberculosis is transmitted via airborne droplet nuclei. Airborne precautions, including N95 respirators, are required. Surgical masks are not sufficient for TB protection for the aide.
Question 2: When a patient's family disagrees with the care plan, the aide should:
- Change the care plan to accommodate the family's wishes
- Continue following the established care plan and report the family's concerns to the supervisor, who can facilitate a care conference (Correct answer)
- Stop all care until the dispute is resolved
- Ask the family to contact the agency after the visit
Correct answer: Continue following the established care plan and report the family's concerns to the supervisor, who can facilitate a care conference
The care plan is a legal document established by the supervising clinician. The aide cannot unilaterally modify it. Family concerns are legitimate and should be escalated through proper channels.
Question 3: Edema (swelling) in a patient's lower extremities should be documented by noting:
- Only that swelling is present without further details
- Location, degree (pitting or non-pitting, severity scale 1+–4+), onset, and associated symptoms such as pain or skin changes (Correct answer)
- Only if the patient complains of pain
- Weight change alone without physical description
Correct answer: Location, degree (pitting or non-pitting, severity scale 1+–4+), onset, and associated symptoms such as pain or skin changes
Precise edema documentation — location, pitting quality, severity, and onset — gives the care team the data needed to assess fluid balance, medication effectiveness, and systemic condition changes.
Question 4: A patient with Alzheimer's disease asks the same question five times in ten minutes. The aide should:
- Tell the patient they already asked that
- Answer calmly and patiently each time, using a gentle, reassuring tone — repetition is a symptom of the disease, not deliberate behavior (Correct answer)
- Ignore the question after the third time
- Redirect sharply to a new topic after the second time
Correct answer: Answer calmly and patiently each time, using a gentle, reassuring tone — repetition is a symptom of the disease, not deliberate behavior
Repetitive questioning in Alzheimer's stems from memory loss, not intention. Each patient interaction should be treated as if it is the first time, with patience and emotional reassurance.
Question 5: Which statement about a patient's advance directive is correct?
- Advance directives become invalid when the patient is admitted to home care
- The aide should be aware of the patient's advance directive and ensure it is accessible for emergency responders (Correct answer)
- Only hospital staff need to know about advance directives
- Advance directives only apply during surgery
Correct answer: The aide should be aware of the patient's advance directive and ensure it is accessible for emergency responders
Advance directives must be accessible at all care settings, including the home. The aide should know its location (typically posted or filed where emergency responders can see it) and communicate it to 911 if activated.
Question 6: Which action represents proper infection control when handling soiled laundry?
- Shake soiled linen to check for items left in pockets
- Hold soiled linen away from the body and face, place directly into a laundry bag, and wash separately in hot water (Correct answer)
- Leave soiled laundry on the floor until the end of the visit
- Sort soiled laundry on the patient's bed
Correct answer: Hold soiled linen away from the body and face, place directly into a laundry bag, and wash separately in hot water
Shaking or sorting contaminated linen disperses pathogens into the air. Holding linen away from the body, bagging immediately, and washing in hot water with detergent are proper infection control steps.
Home Health Aide Certification Practice Test #4 2
An aide is providing care for a patient with active tuberculosis (TB).
Which precaution is required?