Home Health Aide Competency Test #2 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of physical abuse of a patient?
- Reminding a patient to take their medication
- Rough handling during a transfer that causes bruising, or slapping, pushing, or restraining a patient without legal authority (Correct answer)
- Limiting a patient's snacks per a therapeutic diet
- Knocking before entering a patient's room
Correct answer: Rough handling during a transfer that causes bruising, or slapping, pushing, or restraining a patient without legal authority
Physical abuse includes hitting, pushing, rough handling, inappropriate restraint, or any forceful action that causes pain, injury, or distress. It is illegal and a mandatory reporting obligation.
Question 2: Which symptom in a patient with a urinary catheter indicates a possible infection requiring immediate reporting?
- Clear yellow urine draining into the bag
- Cloudy, foul-smelling urine with the patient complaining of fever, chills, and lower abdominal pain (Correct answer)
- Catheter bag at or below bladder level
- Urine output of 1,000 mL over 24 hours
Correct answer: Cloudy, foul-smelling urine with the patient complaining of fever, chills, and lower abdominal pain
Cloudy, malodorous urine with systemic symptoms (fever, chills) are signs of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) requiring prompt nursing evaluation and possible medical treatment.
Question 3: An aide should consider a home hazardous if it contains:
- Proper lighting in all hallways
- Loose throw rugs, cluttered pathways, missing stair handrails, or inadequate lighting — fall hazards for the patient (Correct answer)
- A grab bar in the shower
- Non-slip bath mats in the bathroom
Correct answer: Loose throw rugs, cluttered pathways, missing stair handrails, or inadequate lighting — fall hazards for the patient
Environmental fall hazards — loose rugs, clutter, poor lighting, and missing safety equipment — are modifiable risk factors that the aide should identify and report to the supervisor for safety interventions.
Question 4: If a patient's nasogastric (NG) tube appears to be displaced or the patient is coughing excessively during feeding, the aide should:
- Continue the feeding and monitor the situation
- Stop the feeding immediately and contact the supervisor or nurse — tube displacement can cause aspiration (Correct answer)
- Reinsert the tube independently
- Increase the feeding rate to complete before the tube moves further
Correct answer: Stop the feeding immediately and contact the supervisor or nurse — tube displacement can cause aspiration
Only licensed nurses can manage NG tubes. If the aide observes coughing, gagging, or signs of tube displacement during feeding, stopping and calling the nurse prevents aspiration.
Question 5: When providing care in a patient's home, the aide is legally considered a guest. This means:
- The aide can rearrange the home as desired for efficiency
- The aide must respect the patient's privacy, property, and household rules, and may not stay beyond scheduled care hours without permission (Correct answer)
- The aide has authority to deny family visitors
- The aide can bring personal guests to the patient's home
Correct answer: The aide must respect the patient's privacy, property, and household rules, and may not stay beyond scheduled care hours without permission
The home is the patient's personal space. The aide is there by invitation and must respect all household norms, property, and privacy. Overstepping these boundaries violates professional ethics and potentially the law.
Question 6: Which of the following observations should be immediately reported to the supervisor?
- A patient who ate 75% of their meal
- A patient who suddenly cannot move one side of their face and has slurred speech (Correct answer)
- A patient who slept 8 hours and woke up refreshed
- A patient with stable vital signs within their normal range
Correct answer: A patient who suddenly cannot move one side of their face and has slurred speech
Sudden facial drooping and slurred speech are classic symptoms of stroke. Immediate reporting and 911 activation are required — every minute of delayed treatment increases permanent neurological damage.
Home Health Aide Competency Test #2 3
Which of the following is an example of physical abuse of a patient?