Practice set
Questions and answers
Choose an answer first, then compare your reasoning with the explanation.
A resident's hands are not visibly soiled before routine morning care. What is the preferred hand hygiene method in most clinical situations?
- Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
- Plain water rinse only
- Gloves without hand hygiene
- A dry paper towel wipe
Correct answer: A. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer
CDC guidance says alcohol-based hand sanitizer is preferred in most clinical situations when hands are not visibly soiled.
Remember: Choose ABHS for clean-looking hands; soap and water when visibly soiled or directed by facility policy.
After removing gloves used for perineal care, what should the nurse aide do next?
- Touch only clean supplies
- Perform hand hygiene
- Chart before cleaning hands
- Put on a second pair of gloves
Correct answer: B. Perform hand hygiene
Gloves do not replace hand hygiene. CDC includes cleaning hands immediately after glove removal.
Remember: Gloves are a barrier, not a substitute for clean hands.
Standard Precautions are used for which residents?
- Only residents with known infections
- Only residents on isolation
- All residents during all care
- Only residents with fever
Correct answer: C. All residents during all care
CDC defines Standard Precautions as practices used for all patient care based on expected exposure risk.
Remember: Assume blood and body fluids may carry infection even without a diagnosis.
Source: CDC standard precautions
When should gloves be worn?
- Any time the aide enters a room
- When contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or contaminated items is expected
- Only when the resident asks
- Only during meal service
Correct answer: B. When contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, non-intact skin, or contaminated items is expected
Standard Precautions call for PPE when exposure to infectious material is expected.
Remember: PPE is selected by task risk.
Source: CDC standard precautions
A resident begins to fall while walking with a nurse aide. What is the safest action?
- Hold the resident upright no matter what
- Move behind the resident and ease them to the floor
- Run for the nurse while the resident falls
- Pull the resident by the arms
Correct answer: B. Move behind the resident and ease them to the floor
The aide should protect the resident and self by controlling the fall as much as possible, then report immediately.
Remember: Safety and reporting are tested more often than heroic lifting.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
Which observation should be reported to the nurse promptly?
- Resident ate all breakfast
- Resident's urine is suddenly bloody
- Resident watched television
- Resident chose a blue shirt
Correct answer: B. Resident's urine is suddenly bloody
Nurse aide training includes recognizing abnormal changes in body functioning and reporting them to a supervisor.
Remember: Report new, abnormal, painful, unsafe, or sudden changes.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
When measuring radial pulse for a skills test, why is the thumb avoided?
- The thumb has its own pulse
- The thumb is too cold
- It makes counting too slow
- It is not allowed near the wrist
Correct answer: A. The thumb has its own pulse
Using the thumb can cause the aide to feel their own pulse instead of the resident's radial pulse.
Remember: Use fingertips on the thumb side of the wrist.
Source: NC Credentia skills evaluation
A responsive adult resident cannot speak or cough because of choking. After the emergency response is activated, what should a trained nurse aide do first?
- Offer water
- Give five back blows, then five abdominal thrusts if the blockage remains
- Leave to find the resident's chart
- Ask the resident to lie down
Correct answer: B. Give five back blows, then five abdominal thrusts if the blockage remains
Current AHA guidance for a responsive adult with severe choking starts with five back blows before abdominal thrusts. Continue in sets of five while the blockage remains and the person is responsive.
Remember: Unable to speak or cough means severe obstruction; activate help and begin the trained response.
Source: 2025 AHA adult choking response
During handwashing, which action is most likely to contaminate clean hands?
- Keeping fingertips down
- Turning off the faucet with a clean paper towel
- Touching the inside of the sink
- Drying from fingertips toward wrists
Correct answer: C. Touching the inside of the sink
Credentia skill steps emphasize avoiding contact with the inside of the sink after washing.
Remember: Treat the sink surface as contaminated.
Source: NC Credentia skills evaluation
Which statement is objective and best for reporting?
- The resident is lazy today
- The resident refused lunch and drank 120 mL of water
- The resident is impossible
- The resident always complains
Correct answer: B. The resident refused lunch and drank 120 mL of water
Objective reporting uses facts the aide observed, measured, or heard directly.
Remember: Use measurable facts, not labels.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
Before helping a resident from bed to wheelchair, what must be checked?
- The TV channel
- That bed and wheelchair wheels are locked
- That lunch trays are delivered
- That the curtain is open
Correct answer: B. That bed and wheelchair wheels are locked
Locking wheels prevents movement during transfers and is a common critical safety step.
Remember: Transfers start with locked wheels.
Source: NC Credentia skills evaluation
A nurse aide's hands are visibly dirty after care. What is the best hand hygiene choice?
- Alcohol-based sanitizer only
- Soap and water
- Wiping on a towel
- Putting on gloves
Correct answer: B. Soap and water
CDC guidance says to wash with soap and water when hands are visibly soiled.
Remember: Visible soil means soap and water.
When measuring urinary output, where should the graduate be placed to read the amount accurately?
- Held above the head
- On a flat surface at eye level
- Inside the toilet
- On the resident's bed
Correct answer: B. On a flat surface at eye level
Measurement skills require accurate reading and recording; eye-level reading reduces error.
Remember: Flat surface, eye level, correct unit.
Source: NC Credentia skills evaluation
Which action helps prevent skin injury for a resident in bed?
- Leave wrinkles in the bottom sheet
- Reposition as directed in the care plan
- Massage reddened bony areas hard
- Keep the head of bed high at all times
Correct answer: B. Reposition as directed in the care plan
CNA training includes turning, positioning, skin care, and following the care plan to maintain well-being.
Remember: Wrinkles, friction, and pressure increase skin risk.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
A resident says, 'My chest feels tight.' What should the nurse aide do?
- Wait to see if it passes
- Tell the resident it is probably anxiety
- Report immediately to the nurse
- Offer a different pillow and leave
Correct answer: C. Report immediately to the nurse
A nurse aide reports significant symptoms and changes promptly to licensed staff.
Remember: Chest pain or tightness is urgent.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
Which body mechanics choice is safest while lifting or moving supplies?
- Bend at the waist with knees locked
- Hold the load away from the body
- Keep feet apart and bend the knees
- Twist while lifting
Correct answer: C. Keep feet apart and bend the knees
Feet apart gives a wide, stable base, and bending the knees lets the leg muscles do the lifting. Keep the load close to your body and turn with your feet instead of twisting.
Remember: Wide base, bend knees, keep load close.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
Which resident should not receive an oral temperature unless the nurse says it is appropriate?
- A resident who just drank hot coffee
- A resident sitting in a chair
- A resident wearing glasses
- A resident reading a book
Correct answer: A. A resident who just drank hot coffee
Recent hot or cold intake can affect an oral temperature reading.
Remember: Ask about recent food, drink, smoking, oxygen, and oral restrictions per facility policy.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
A trash can is smoking in a resident room. Which action comes first?
- Remove residents from immediate danger
- Open all windows
- Finish current care
- Look for the maintenance log
Correct answer: A. Remove residents from immediate danger
Emergency procedures prioritize resident safety before containment and reporting steps.
Remember: Rescue or remove from immediate danger first.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
A resident is on intake and output. Which item counts as intake?
- Urine in a graduate
- Soup at lunch
- Emesis
- Drainage on a dressing
Correct answer: B. Soup at lunch
Intake includes fluids taken into the body, including liquids and foods that melt or are liquid at room temperature.
Remember: Soup, gelatin, ice cream, and drinks count as intake per facility policy.
Source: 42 CFR 483.152 nurse aide training program requirements
A nurse aide wears gloves to empty a catheter drainage bag. What is the best reason?
- Gloves keep the resident warm
- Gloves replace handwashing
- Urine and equipment may contaminate hands
- Gloves make recording optional
Correct answer: C. Urine and equipment may contaminate hands
PPE is used when contact with body fluids or contaminated items is expected.
Remember: Body fluid exposure means glove risk assessment.
Source: CDC standard precautions
A resident has a new bruise and says a staff member grabbed them hard. What should the nurse aide do?
- Ask coworkers if the resident often lies
- Report the allegation immediately according to facility policy
- Wait until the end of the week
- Tell the resident not to make trouble
Correct answer: B. Report the allegation immediately according to facility policy
Residents have the right to freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Allegations must be reported through required procedures.
Remember: Report suspected abuse immediately; do not investigate on your own.
Source: 42 CFR 483.12 freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
What is North Carolina's added privacy requirement for skills that require a privacy curtain?
- Privacy is optional
- Only the door needs to be open
- Full 360-degree privacy must be provided
- Privacy is required only during feeding
Correct answer: C. Full 360-degree privacy must be provided
The NC skills page states that, for skills requiring a privacy curtain, the candidate must provide full 360-degree privacy.
Remember: NC skills practice should include full 360-degree privacy when privacy is required.
Source: NC Credentia 23-skill list
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