70 questions/tasks. Use the approved directions below.
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After helping a resident with toileting, a nurse aide removes the gloves. The aide will next handle clean bed linen. What should the aide do before touching the linen?
☐ A. Clean the hands after removing the gloves.
☐ B. Use a clean towel to wipe the hands after removing the gloves.
☐ C. Clean the hands after carrying the linen into the room.
☐ D. Put on fresh gloves before picking up the linen.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Clean the hands after removing the gloves.
Clean the hands first. Removing used gloves leaves a hand-hygiene step to complete before the aide handles clean linen, and putting on another pair does not replace that step. Wiping with a dry towel also falls short. Waiting until the linen has been carried into the room allows potentially contaminated hands to touch it beforehand.
Question 2
A nurse aide checks the bath water according to the care procedure. The resident says the water feels too hot. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Adjust the water and check the resident's comfort again.
☐ B. Rely on the initial water check and begin washing.
☐ C. Remove the blanket and let the resident cool down before washing.
☐ D. Wash a small area first to see whether the resident tolerates the water.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Adjust the water and check the resident's comfort again.
The resident says the water feels too hot, so the aide needs to adjust its temperature and check comfort again before washing any part of the body. The earlier check is insufficient now. Removing a blanket cools the resident rather than correcting the water, while a trial wash still exposes the skin to the reported discomfort.
Question 3
A nurse aide notices visible dirt on the hands after moving a soiled laundry bag. Which method should the aide use to clean the hands?
☐ A. Wash with soap and water.
☐ B. Rub with alcohol hand sanitizer only.
☐ C. Cover the dirt with clean examination gloves.
☐ D. Rinse briefly with water without soap.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Wash with soap and water.
Visible dirt requires soap and water. Washing removes the soil, while alcohol hand sanitizer alone, fresh gloves, or a rinse without soap leaves out the cleaning method recommended for visibly dirty hands.
Question 4
A resident asks to speak with a spiritual adviser from the resident's own faith. How should the nurse aide respond?
☐ A. Suggest that a family visit could take the place of the requested adviser.
☐ B. Ask the resident to wait for the next scheduled religious group.
☐ C. Help communicate the request through the care team.
☐ D. Contact the first available adviser before checking the preference.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Help communicate the request through the care team.
Communicate the resident's request. Helping the resident reach the preferred spiritual adviser through the care team respects the stated faith preference without assuming that the next group meeting or first available adviser will meet that need. A family visit can provide support, but it does not fulfill this particular request by itself.
Question 5
A resident has weakness in the left arm. When helping the resident put on a shirt, which arm should the nurse aide place into the sleeve first?
☐ A. The arm nearest the aide, regardless of weakness.
☐ B. The stronger right arm.
☐ C. The weaker left arm.
☐ D. Either arm, as long as both are lifted together.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:The weaker left arm.
Dress the weak arm first. Putting that arm into the sleeve before the stronger arm reduces the need to move the weaker side while the garment is already held in place on the other side. Undressing uses the reverse sequence. Start with the stronger arm when removing the garment, as the skills procedure specifies.
Question 6
During a partial bed bath, the nurse aide will wash the resident's face, chest, and perineal area. Which sequence best limits the spread of organisms?
☐ A. Wash the face, then the perineal area, then the chest.
☐ B. Wash the perineal area before the face and chest.
☐ C. Wash the face and chest before the perineal area.
☐ D. Wash the chest, then the perineal area, then the face.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Wash the face and chest before the perineal area.
Wash the face and chest before performing perineal care, following the cleaner-to-more-soiled sequence that keeps soil from the latter area from being carried back to the upper body. Reverse that order and the cleaner area is still waiting to be washed after perineal care has begun.
Question 7
A care task may splash body fluid onto a nurse aide's hands, clothing, eyes, and mouth. Which protection best matches this anticipated exposure?
☐ A. Gloves, a gown, and protection for the eyes, nose, and mouth.
☐ B. Gloves alone, with the clothing and face uncovered.
☐ C. Gloves and an apron, with the face uncovered.
☐ D. A mask alone, with the eyes and hands uncovered.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Gloves, a gown, and protection for the eyes, nose, and mouth.
Consider every exposed area. When a task may splash body fluids onto clothing and the face, gloves alone leave the aide's eyes, nose, mouth, and clothing without the protection required for that exposure. Choose the appropriate protective equipment before starting. The anticipated splash determines what protection is needed.
Question 8
An alert resident can follow directions and rinse the mouth without difficulty. Before assisting with toothbrushing in bed, which position should the nurse aide help the resident assume?
☐ A. A flat position with the neck supported on a small pillow.
☐ B. A position with the legs raised and the head lowered.
☐ C. A seated or upright position as tolerated.
☐ D. A flat position with the head turned to one side.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:A seated or upright position as tolerated.
The resident is alert and able to rinse the mouth, so use an upright position that can be tolerated rather than a flat or head-down posture. A neck pillow does not change the flat position into an upright one.
Question 9
A shared blood pressure cuff was used on one resident and will be used on another. What should the nurse aide do between residents?
☐ A. Clean and disinfect it according to the equipment instructions.
☐ B. Use a new pair of gloves while moving the cuff to the next resident.
☐ C. Clean it when visible soil is found on the cuff.
☐ D. Follow the cleaning procedure after all assigned blood pressures are taken.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Clean and disinfect it according to the equipment instructions.
Reprocess the cuff between residents. Cleaning and disinfecting shared equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions and facility procedure prevents the next resident from encountering contamination left by the previous use, even when no soil is visible. Gloves do not clean the cuff. Finishing all measurements before cleaning postpones a step needed between uses.
Question 10
A coworker takes money from a resident's bedside drawer without the resident's permission. Which term best describes this act?
☐ A. Misappropriation of resident property.
☐ B. Involuntary seclusion of a resident.
☐ C. Neglect of required resident care.
☐ D. Physical abuse of a resident.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Misappropriation of resident property.
This is misappropriation of property. The defining fact is that someone took the resident's money without permission, which makes the act a property violation rather than a failure to supply needed care. Neglect describes that care failure. Physical abuse and involuntary seclusion concern different acts, neither of which identifies the taking described here.
Question 11
A newly admitted resident says, ``I do not know anyone here, and I feel nervous.'' Which response is most helpful?
☐ A. ``The daily schedule will help you stop worrying.''
☐ B. ``What would help you feel more comfortable today?''
☐ C. ``Let us finish your admission tasks before discussing that.''
☐ D. ``You can wait until someone else talks with you first.''
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:``What would help you feel more comfortable today?''
Invite the resident to speak. Asking what would help the resident feel comfortable today opens a conversation about the expressed worry without deciding its cause or postponing it until admission tasks are finished. Reassurance about the schedule assumes too much. Waiting for someone else to speak also misses the opportunity to listen now.
Question 12
For which residents should a nurse aide use Standard Precautions?
☐ A. Only residents whose laboratory results are pending.
☐ B. All residents, regardless of a known infection.
☐ C. Only residents with a documented contagious disease.
☐ D. Only residents who have a fever during the shift.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:All residents, regardless of a known infection.
Standard precautions apply regardless of a resident's known infection status. The aide chooses precautions for the task and anticipated exposure because having no infection label does not establish that body fluids or contaminated materials are safe to handle without them.
Question 13
A nurse aide sees a coworker strike a resident. Which action is appropriate?
☐ A. Document the event only if the resident has a visible injury.
☐ B. Wait for the next shift to see whether the behavior happens again.
☐ C. Ask the coworker for an explanation before deciding whether to report.
☐ D. Act to protect the resident and immediately follow abuse-reporting procedures.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Act to protect the resident and immediately follow abuse-reporting procedures.
Protect the resident and report immediately. The aide has witnessed a coworker strike the resident, so the reporting decision does not depend on whether an injury becomes visible or the coworker supplies an explanation for the incident. Waiting for another incident leaves the observed concern unresolved.
Question 14
When providing perineal care for a female resident, in which direction should the nurse aide make each cleaning stroke?
☐ A. From back to front, using a clean area for each stroke.
☐ B. From front to back, using a clean washcloth area for each stroke.
☐ C. Back and forth, without lifting the washcloth between strokes.
☐ D. From front to back, repeatedly using the same soiled area.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:From front to back, using a clean washcloth area for each stroke.
Wipe from front to back, using a clean area of the cloth for each stroke so that material from a more soiled area is not brought toward the urinary opening. Change the cloth area. Repeated strokes with the same soiled portion undermine the purpose of the direction.
Question 15
A disinfectant label requires a surface to remain visibly wet for four minutes. After cleaning the surface, the aide applies the product, but it dries after one minute. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Change to a stronger solution so the shorter exposure is sufficient.
☐ B. Follow the label procedure so the full wet contact time is met.
☐ C. Apply the disinfectant again for three minutes to add to the first minute.
☐ D. Wait three additional minutes before touching the dry surface.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Follow the label procedure so the full wet contact time is met.
The surface must remain wet for the full four-minute contact time stated on the label, and a surface that dried after one minute has not received that uninterrupted exposure. Dry waiting does not count. Reapply the product as directed to achieve the required wet contact, without inventing a stronger concentration or adding separated exposures together.
Question 16
A nurse aide is cleaning a resident's removable dentures over a sink. What should the aide do to reduce breakage if the dentures slip?
☐ A. Place the dentures on the edge of the sink while rinsing.
☐ B. Line the sink with a towel or use another protective setup in the procedure.
☐ C. Hold the dentures higher above the empty sink.
☐ D. Rinse the dentures over the uncovered sink drain.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Line the sink with a towel or use another protective setup in the procedure.
Cushion the sink first. A towel or other protection required by the procedure helps prevent dentures from breaking if they slip during cleaning, which is why preparing the basin belongs before handling them over it. The cushioning protects against a drop without replacing the need to handle the dentures carefully.
Question 17
A nurse aide discovers spilled water in a walkway that residents use. Which action should the aide take?
☐ A. Place a warning sign beside the spill and resume other care tasks.
☐ B. Wipe up the water after escorting the next resident through the area.
☐ C. Keep residents away from the spill and arrange prompt cleanup.
☐ D. Tell the housekeeping staff and leave the walkway open until they arrive.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Keep residents away from the spill and arrange prompt cleanup.
The walkway needs protection now. Keep people away from the spill while arranging prompt cleanup, rather than assuming that a sign or a housekeeping message will prevent residents from crossing the wet area. Escorting another resident through the spill leaves that resident exposed to the hazard.
Question 18
Why are prescribed range-of-motion exercises included in some residents' care plans?
☐ A. To restore sensation in areas affected by nerve damage.
☐ B. To measure endurance during repeated fast movements.
☐ C. To build strength by lifting against added resistance.
☐ D. To help maintain joint movement and limit stiffness.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:To help maintain joint movement and limit stiffness.
Range of motion means movement through the joint's available range. Prescribed exercises help maintain that movement and limit stiffness, which is a different purpose from weighted strengthening, fast endurance testing, or restoring sensation lost through nerve damage.
Question 19
Before assisting a resident to stand from a wheelchair, the nurse aide notices that its brakes are unlocked. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Begin the transfer and lock the brakes after the resident stands.
☐ B. Hold the handles while leaving the brakes unlocked.
☐ C. Lock the brakes before beginning the transfer.
☐ D. Ask the resident to hold the wheels still during the transfer.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Lock the brakes before beginning the transfer.
Lock the wheelchair brakes. The chair needs to remain stable before the resident starts to stand, and beginning the movement while the chair can still roll leaves an avoidable transfer hazard. Holding its handles or asking the resident to steady the wheels leaves the brakes unlocked. Lock them before the resident stands.
Question 20
A resident needs help eating and is seated upright. The resident is still chewing the last spoonful when the aide prepares the next one. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Ask the resident a question while the food is being chewed.
☐ B. Offer a drink before the resident has finished swallowing.
☐ C. Wait until the resident has swallowed before offering more.
☐ D. Offer the next spoonful to keep the meal on schedule.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Wait until the resident has swallowed before offering more.
Wait for chewing and swallowing to finish before offering another spoonful, allowing the resident to manage the food already in the mouth without extra food, a drink, or a question interrupting that process. Follow the resident's pace. Keeping the meal on schedule does not justify rushing the next bite.
Question 21
Which question gives a resident the best opportunity to explain a concern in the resident's own words?
☐ A. ``Is your room too cold?''
☐ B. ``Are you worried about lunch?''
☐ C. ``Did you sleep badly last night?''
☐ D. ``What has been bothering you this morning?''
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:``What has been bothering you this morning?''
Ask what has been bothering the resident this morning. That open question leaves the resident free to describe the concern in the resident's own words, instead of answering a suggested cause before the aide has heard what happened.
Question 22
A resident is using a bedside commode. The nurse aide must remain nearby because the care plan calls for supervision. How can the aide preserve privacy?
☐ A. Leave the room and return when the resident calls.
☐ B. Ask the roommate to watch while the aide leaves.
☐ C. Leave the doorway open so everyone can see the resident.
☐ D. Close the curtain or door while maintaining the required supervision.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Close the curtain or door while maintaining the required supervision.
Close the curtain or door. The aide can protect privacy during commode use while continuing any required supervision, so the resident does not have to choose between being observed by others and receiving needed help. Privacy does not mean abandonment. Keep the assistance available behind the privacy barrier.
Question 23
An alert resident refuses a scheduled shower and says, ``I would like to wash later.'' What should the nurse aide do?
☐ A. Respect the refusal and report the preference to the nurse.
☐ B. Mark the shower completed because the resident refused it.
☐ C. Offer to complete the shower now and discuss the preference afterward.
☐ D. Ask the family to persuade the resident to follow the morning schedule.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Respect the refusal and report the preference to the nurse.
Respect the refusal and report the preference through the care team, rather than completing the shower first or enlisting the family to override the resident's request for a later time. The shower was not completed. Documenting it as performed would create an inaccurate account of the care.
Question 24
A nurse asks an aide to perform a care task that the aide has never been trained to do. What should the aide do before attempting it?
☐ A. Review the assignment sheet and attempt the task before asking questions.
☐ B. Explain the lack of training and ask the nurse for appropriate guidance.
☐ C. Watch a coworker perform it once, then do it alone.
☐ D. Begin the task and ask for help if a problem occurs.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Explain the lack of training and ask the nurse for appropriate guidance.
Ask the nurse first. Explaining the missing training allows appropriate guidance and a safe assignment to be arranged before the aide attempts the task, rather than waiting until difficulty occurs. Neither watching a coworker once nor reading an assignment sheet establishes the needed competence.
Question 25
A resident has been incontinent of urine. The aide finds damp clothing and bed linen against the resident's skin. Which care should be provided promptly?
☐ A. Clean and dry the skin, and replace the damp clothing and linen.
☐ B. Apply skin cream before removing the damp clothing.
☐ C. Replace the wet linen after the skin has dried on its own.
☐ D. Place an absorbent pad over the damp clothing until the next round.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Clean and dry the skin, and replace the damp clothing and linen.
Remove the damp clothing and linen, then promptly clean and dry the skin so that urine and moisture do not remain against it while the aide waits for another round. Covering is insufficient. A pad or skin cream does not replace removing the wet materials and providing the needed hygiene.
Question 26
A resident's current transfer plan requires two trained staff members. The resident asks a lone aide to move to the chair immediately. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Use the usual transfer method alone because the chair is nearby.
☐ B. Ask the visitor to hold one arm during the transfer.
☐ C. Arrange the second trained staff member before starting the transfer.
☐ D. Begin moving the resident while calling for a second aide.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Arrange the second trained staff member before starting the transfer.
Wait for the second trained staff member required by the transfer plan, because starting alone creates the very staffing problem the plan is meant to avoid, even when the chair is nearby. A visitor cannot substitute. Untrained help does not satisfy a direction requiring two trained staff members.
Question 27
Which statement gives the nurse the most objective information about a resident's lunch?
☐ A. ``The resident seemed uninterested in the soup.''
☐ B. ``The resident would eat more if the food were preferred.''
☐ C. ``The resident ate too little for a proper lunch.''
☐ D. ``The resident ate two spoonfuls of soup and drank 120 mL of water.''
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:``The resident ate two spoonfuls of soup and drank 120 mL of water.''
Record the observed intake. Two spoonfuls of soup and 120 mL of fluid give the nurse specific information, while comments about interest, a proper lunch, or possible food preferences replace observations with interpretations. The cause is unknown. The aide can report what was eaten without guessing why the resident ate that amount.
Question 28
A resident has an indwelling urinary catheter. Which drainage-bag placement supports proper drainage?
☐ A. At bladder level, resting on the mattress.
☐ B. Above bladder level, attached to the bed rail.
☐ C. Below bladder level, resting directly on the floor.
☐ D. Below bladder level, secured off the floor.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Below bladder level, secured off the floor.
Position the bag below the bladder and off the floor. Check the tubing for kinks according to the care plan, since keeping the bag low is not sufficient if the route into it is obstructed or the bag rests on the floor.
Question 29
A resident asks to make a private telephone call. The resident can use the telephone independently and does not need supervision for safety. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Stay within hearing so the aide can help if the telephone connection fails.
☐ B. Tell the resident to wait for the next supervised calling period.
☐ C. Provide access to the telephone and allow privacy for the conversation.
☐ D. Ask what the call is about before providing the telephone.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Provide access to the telephone and allow privacy for the conversation.
Allow private access to the telephone. This resident can use it independently and has no stated supervision need, so the aide should not require disclosure of the conversation or remain within hearing just in case the connection fails. The call's purpose is private. A supervised calling period adds an unnecessary restriction here.
Question 30
When emptying a urinary drainage bag into a clean collection container, what should the aide avoid?
☐ A. Using a separate collection container for the resident.
☐ B. Closing the drainage spigot after emptying the bag.
☐ C. Letting the drainage spigot touch the container.
☐ D. Measuring the collected urine before recording the amount.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Letting the drainage spigot touch the container.
Use the separate clean container without letting it touch the drainage spigot. After emptying the bag, measure the collected urine and close the outlet as the procedure requires, preserving the handling precaution that keeps the spigot separate from the container.
Question 31
A resident wants to complain about the timing of personal care. Which response respects the resident's rights?
☐ A. Ask the resident to discuss the complaint with the aide named in it first.
☐ B. Tell the resident to mention the concern only at the next care meeting.
☐ C. Help the resident use the complaint process without threatening a loss of care.
☐ D. Explain the current care routine before deciding whether to pass on the complaint.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Help the resident use the complaint process without threatening a loss of care.
Help the resident use the complaint process without retaliation or interruption of care, rather than deciding whether the complaint deserves attention after explaining the existing routine to the resident. No confrontation is required. Speaking to the aide named in the complaint is not a prerequisite to making it.
Question 32
A nurse aide is directed to count a resident's respirations for one full minute. Which observation counts as one respiration?
☐ A. Each heartbeat felt while watching the chest.
☐ B. Each spoken word during the observation period.
☐ C. Each chest rise and each chest fall counted separately.
☐ D. One complete rise and fall of the chest.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:One complete rise and fall of the chest.
One rise and fall is one respiration. Count those complete cycles for the full minute requested, because treating the rise and the fall as separate breaths would double the rate recorded from the same chest movements.
Question 33
A resident's words are unclear, and the aide is unsure whether the resident wants the window opened or closed. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Change the window position and watch for a reaction.
☐ B. Ask several new questions before confirming the window request.
☐ C. Repeat the same question more loudly without checking hearing needs.
☐ D. Ask the resident to clarify and confirm the request.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Ask the resident to clarify and confirm the request.
Clarify the request and confirm it with the resident before moving the window, because an action taken to test a guess can still do something the resident did not ask for. Louder is not clearer here. Repeating the words at greater volume does not establish their meaning.
Question 34
After washing a resident's feet, which area is especially likely to retain moisture between skin surfaces unless it is carefully dried?
☐ A. The outer edges of the heels.
☐ B. The tops of the toes.
☐ C. The spaces between the toes.
☐ D. The arches of the feet.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:The spaces between the toes.
Dry carefully between the toes. These narrow spaces hold moisture between adjacent skin surfaces more readily than the exposed tops of the toes, arches, or outer heel edges named in the alternatives. Other areas also need drying. The question asks which area particularly traps moisture between surfaces.
Question 35
A resident's close friend has died. The resident begins to cry during morning care. What is the most supportive response?
☐ A. Pause, listen, and let the resident express the grief.
☐ B. Continue the bath while advising the resident to save memories for later.
☐ C. Suggest a busy activity before allowing time to talk about the friend.
☐ D. Offer reassurance that the resident will soon feel better.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Pause, listen, and let the resident express the grief.
Pause and listen. The resident is expressing grief, and quick reassurance or a change of subject can close the conversation before those feelings have been heard. Listening does not require the aide to solve the grief or tell the resident how to feel about the loss.
Question 36
To count a radial pulse, where should the nurse aide place the fingertips?
☐ A. On the thumb side of the resident's wrist.
☐ B. On the little-finger side of the resident's wrist.
☐ C. On the back of the resident's elbow.
☐ D. At the center of the resident's palm.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:On the thumb side of the resident's wrist.
Use finger pads at the thumb side of the resident's wrist. The aide's own thumb has a pulse, so using it to locate and count the resident's radial pulse can introduce a second pulse into what the aide feels.
Question 37
A resident needs a partial bed bath and feels embarrassed about being uncovered. Which approach best preserves dignity while allowing the care to be completed?
☐ A. Uncover the whole body after closing the room door.
☐ B. Keep the resident covered except for the area being washed.
☐ C. Leave the chest uncovered while gathering supplies for the legs.
☐ D. Wash all the body areas first, then replace the covering.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Keep the resident covered except for the area being washed.
Cover the resident except for the area being washed, preserving warmth and dignity throughout the bath rather than relying only on a closed door while the body remains unnecessarily exposed. The covering still matters. A private room does not remove the need to limit exposure during care.
Question 38
A resident has difficulty forming spoken words after a stroke but understands what is said. Which action best supports communication?
☐ A. Allow response time and offer a picture board if the resident finds it useful.
☐ B. Speak only to the family because the resident cannot answer quickly.
☐ C. Raise the voice for every question regardless of hearing ability.
☐ D. Finish every sentence before the resident can respond.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Allow response time and offer a picture board if the resident finds it useful.
Allow time for the response and offer the communication aid suited to this resident, who understands the conversation but has difficulty expressing words after the stroke described in the question. Shouting does not address that difficulty. A picture board may help the resident communicate without excluding the resident from the exchange.
Question 39
The nurse directs the aide to report any temperature of 100.0 degrees F or higher immediately. A resident's measured temperature is 100.4 degrees F. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Document the reading now and report it during the routine handoff.
☐ B. Repeat the reading later and report only if it rises further.
☐ C. Report 100.0 degrees F because that is the stated reporting limit.
☐ D. Report the measured temperature to the nurse immediately.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Report the measured temperature to the nurse immediately.
Report the actual 100.4 degrees F reading promptly because it exceeds the stated 100.0 degrees F reporting threshold, without rounding it down or waiting for another routine measurement before informing the nurse. Keep the actual value. The nurse needs the reading obtained, along with the prompt report the instruction requires.
Question 40
While assisting with prescribed range-of-motion exercises, an aide hears the resident say, ``That movement hurts.'' What should the aide do?
☐ A. Ask the resident to finish the current repetition before stopping.
☐ B. Stop the painful movement and report it to the nurse.
☐ C. Support the joint with a pillow and retry the painful movement.
☐ D. Skip that joint and record the exercise count without mentioning pain.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Stop the painful movement and report it to the nurse.
Pain calls for stopping. Report it to the nurse rather than forcing the joint farther or repeating the painful movement, since completing the planned motion does not justify continuing before the pain has been addressed. Guidance is needed before proceeding.
Question 41
A meal tray label matches a resident's name, but the tray contains a food listed as an allergy on the resident's care information. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Remove the visible food and assume the rest cannot contain the allergen.
☐ B. Hold the tray and notify the nurse so a suitable meal can be obtained.
☐ C. Serve the tray because the name label is correct.
☐ D. Ask the resident to taste a small amount before deciding.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Hold the tray and notify the nurse so a suitable meal can be obtained.
Hold the tray and notify the nurse so the resident can receive a safe replacement, since the correct name on the tray does not resolve the known allergy to its food. Removing one ingredient is insufficient. The aide cannot assume the remaining meal is safe simply because that visible ingredient has been taken away.
Question 42
During assisted feeding, a resident begins coughing after a spoonful and has a wet-sounding voice. The resident is breathing. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Give water immediately to push the food down.
☐ B. Stop offering food, keep the resident upright, and promptly call the nurse.
☐ C. Offer the next spoonful after asking the resident to hurry.
☐ D. Recline the resident and continue feeding more slowly.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Stop offering food, keep the resident upright, and promptly call the nurse.
Stop feeding and notify the nurse, keeping the resident upright rather than offering water or another spoonful while coughing and a wet voice are present. The resident is still breathing. If breathing becomes impaired, follow the emergency procedure for that change instead of treating it as the same situation.
Question 43
A resident speaks angrily to the aide after waiting for help getting dressed. The resident is not threatening harm. Which response is most appropriate?
☐ A. Stay calm, acknowledge the wait, and ask what assistance is needed now.
☐ B. Tell the resident to ring the call signal earlier next time.
☐ C. Promise that the resident will never have to wait again.
☐ D. Explain how busy the unit has been before asking about help.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Stay calm, acknowledge the wait, and ask what assistance is needed now.
Acknowledge the frustration calmly and offer help that can be provided now, without making an unsupported promise that the resident will never have to wait again for assistance. The feeling deserves recognition. Explaining how busy the unit is first puts the staff's situation ahead of the resident's request.
Question 44
A resident can feed independently when using the special utensil prescribed in the care plan. What should the aide do at mealtime?
☐ A. Keep the special utensil until the resident asks for it each time.
☐ B. Give a standard spoon and observe whether the resident can manage it.
☐ C. Start feeding the resident while looking for the special utensil.
☐ D. Provide the utensil and let the resident do the part that can be done safely.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Provide the utensil and let the resident do the part that can be done safely.
Provide the special utensil and the opportunity to use it safely, because this resident can eat independently with that equipment and does not need the aide to take over feeding. Allow the resident to eat. Assistance should meet the actual need rather than remove an ability the resident can use.
Question 45
A resident has daily weight measurements ordered. Which approach makes comparisons from day to day most useful?
☐ A. Use the same scale at a similar time with similar clothing.
☐ B. Use the same time each day but leave differing heavy outer clothing on.
☐ C. Use whichever scale is closest while keeping the same time and clothing.
☐ D. Use the same scale but weigh before breakfast one day and after breakfast the next.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Use the same scale at a similar time with similar clothing.
Daily weights are easier to compare when taken on the same scale, at the same time, and with comparable clothing. Changing those conditions can change the reading even without a comparable change in the resident's weight, making successive measurements harder to interpret.
Question 46
Which nutrient is especially important for building and repairing body tissues?
☐ A. Water alone.
☐ B. Protein.
☐ C. Dietary fiber.
☐ D. Starch alone.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Protein.
Protein is the answer. Its role in building and repairing body tissue is different from simply supplying starch, water, or fiber, so those alternatives do not identify the nutrient asked for.
Question 47
A resident with dementia becomes confused when an aide gives several instructions together. Which instruction is most helpful for the next step in dressing?
☐ A. ``Put on your shirt, button it, and then find your shoes.''
☐ B. ``First get dressed while I tell you about the breakfast schedule.''
☐ C. ``You should remember all the steps we practiced yesterday.''
☐ D. ``Please put your arm into this sleeve.''
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:``Please put your arm into this sleeve.''
Start with one sleeve. Give a clear instruction for that single action and allow time to follow it, because repeating several steps together retains the sequence that the resident with dementia is already having trouble processing. Continue with the next instruction as the task progresses.
Question 48
The written care plan specifies assistance with walking, but a new assignment note appears to say the resident should walk alone. The aide is unsure which instruction is current. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Ask the nurse to clarify the current plan before assisting with walking.
☐ B. Choose the instruction that takes less staff time.
☐ C. Change the written care plan without consulting the nurse.
☐ D. Let the resident walk alone to see whether assistance is necessary.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Ask the nurse to clarify the current plan before assisting with walking.
Clarify the contradictory walking instructions with the nurse before beginning the activity, because choosing one instruction independently could put the aide in conflict with the resident's actual current plan. Do not test the discrepancy. Trying the walk does not determine which direction the team intended.
Question 49
A resident suddenly develops a drooping face and slurred speech. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Help the resident rest and reassess the speech after breakfast.
☐ B. Write the changes in the shift notes for the next aide.
☐ C. Repeat the routine vital signs before calling for help.
☐ D. Immediately summon help and activate the facility's emergency response.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Immediately summon help and activate the facility's emergency response.
Summon emergency assistance promptly and report the sudden facial droop and slurred speech, including when the changes were noticed, rather than delaying the response to finish routine observations first. Time matters here. Taking vital signs before calling can postpone help for the acute changes described.
Question 50
Before leaving work, an aide realizes that a resident's evening mouth care has not been provided. Which action supports accurate documentation?
☐ A. Enter the scheduled care and ask the next aide to complete it.
☐ B. Report the unfinished care and document only care actually completed.
☐ C. Sign that the care is complete after a coworker says it will be done.
☐ D. Leave the care entry blank without telling the incoming staff.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Report the unfinished care and document only care actually completed.
The mouth care is unfinished. Report that fact during handoff and document only the care actually performed, so the next caregiver knows what remains to be done. A promise to finish later cannot serve as a record that the task has already been completed.
Question 51
A resident begins having a seizure while lying in bed. Another staff member has summoned help. Which action should the aide take while protecting the resident?
☐ A. Move nearby hard objects away and avoid restraining the movements.
☐ B. Hold the resident's arms and legs tightly against the bed.
☐ C. Place a spoon between the resident's teeth.
☐ D. Give water during the seizure to prevent dehydration.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Move nearby hard objects away and avoid restraining the movements.
Move hazards away. Protecting the resident during a seizure includes clearing nearby objects while following the emergency procedure, without restraining the movements, placing anything in the mouth, or offering water to swallow. Those actions introduce additional hazards. Observe and report the event as the summoned help arrives.
Question 52
A resident prefers an evening bath rather than the usual morning bath. The request does not conflict with an immediate care need. How should the aide respond?
☐ A. Promise an exact new schedule without checking the care arrangements.
☐ B. Explain that personal preferences never affect the facility routine.
☐ C. Record the resident as uncooperative for requesting a change.
☐ D. Share the preference with the nurse so the routine can be adjusted.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Share the preference with the nurse so the routine can be adjusted.
Communicate the evening-bath preference to the care team so it can be considered in the resident's care, rather than treating the existing schedule as a reason to dismiss the request. Check before promising a change. The aide can advocate for the preference without confirming an arrangement the team has not made.
Question 53
A resident who enjoys company asks the aide to help find someone to talk with after lunch. What is the best response?
☐ A. Ask the roommate to provide company without checking both residents' wishes.
☐ B. Ask about the resident's interests and help connect with a suitable activity or companion.
☐ C. Leave a general activity calendar and assume the request has been addressed.
☐ D. Invite the resident to the first available group without asking about interests.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Ask about the resident's interests and help connect with a suitable activity or companion.
Ask which interests the resident would like to share with others. The request for company does not identify suitable people or activities by itself, so the aide needs that preference before relying on a calendar or assuming a roommate is the desired companion.
Question 54
An aide's shift has ended, but the replacement aide has not arrived and residents still need assigned assistance. What should the aide do before leaving?
☐ A. Leave the written assignment sheet at the desk and depart.
☐ B. Notify the supervising nurse and arrange a safe handoff of responsibilities.
☐ C. Tell another aide about the absence without confirming who will cover the duties.
☐ D. Finish the documentation and leave because all earlier tasks were completed.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Notify the supervising nurse and arrange a safe handoff of responsibilities.
Notify the nurse and remain until a safe handoff is confirmed, since an absent replacement means the expected transfer of responsibility has not occurred when the aide's shift ends. The handoff is still missing. Leaving on schedule would leave that care responsibility unresolved.
Question 55
A small wastebasket fire starts beside a resident's chair. The aide can safely move the resident away from the fire without entering smoke. What is the priority action?
☐ A. Search for an extinguisher while the resident remains beside the fire.
☐ B. Finish documenting the incident before contacting other staff.
☐ C. Move the resident out of immediate danger and summon the emergency response.
☐ D. Collect the resident's personal belongings before moving the resident.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Move the resident out of immediate danger and summon the emergency response.
Move the resident out of immediate danger when it is safe to do so and summon help, without delaying those actions to gather belongings, finish paperwork, or search for an extinguisher first. Protect the resident first. Those other activities do not remove the immediate threat described.
Question 56
A resident's bladder-training plan calls for help to use the toilet at scheduled times. The resident is awake but has not asked to go when the next time arrives. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Wait until the resident feels an urgent need before offering help.
☐ B. Offer toileting according to the plan.
☐ C. Use an absorbent brief in place of offering the scheduled toilet visit.
☐ D. Move the scheduled time to the next meal without checking the plan.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Offer toileting according to the plan.
Follow the bladder-training schedule. Offering toileting at its planned times provides the opportunities the program calls for, whereas waiting until the resident urgently asks or substituting briefs changes what is being done. The aide should not independently reschedule those planned opportunities for convenience.
Question 57
A resident receives 240 mL of juice and 180 mL of water. At the end of the meal, 60 mL of juice remains and all the water has been consumed. How much oral fluid did the resident drink?
☐ A. 420 mL.
☐ B. 60 mL.
☐ C. 300 mL.
☐ D. 360 mL.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:360 mL.
Count only the fluid consumed. From 240 mL of juice with 60 mL left, the resident drank mL, then consumed another 180 mL of water for a total of mL. The leftover juice is excluded. Adding all 240 mL served would count fluid the resident did not drink.
Question 58
A resident with dementia becomes agitated during care in a noisy room. There is no immediate danger. Which first approach is most appropriate?
☐ A. Complete the current care step before checking for a possible trigger.
☐ B. Reduce the noise and speak calmly while checking what may be upsetting the resident.
☐ C. Give several detailed instructions so the resident understands the whole task.
☐ D. Continue talking over the background noise to keep the resident focused.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Reduce the noise and speak calmly while checking what may be upsetting the resident.
Reduce the noise. Speak calmly while checking what is upsetting the resident, since several detailed instructions or continued talking over the background sound increases demands without addressing the possible environmental trigger.
Question 59
A resident chooses a blue sweater from two clean, suitable sweaters. Which action should the aide take?
☐ A. Ask the nurse to select a sweater before helping the resident dress.
☐ B. Choose the other suitable sweater to simplify the laundry routine.
☐ C. Help the resident put on the chosen blue sweater.
☐ D. Seek family approval before honoring the resident's clothing choice.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Help the resident put on the chosen blue sweater.
Honor the blue sweater choice. Both offered garments are suitable, so the resident can select one without obtaining family or staff approval for an ordinary preference that has already been expressed. Appropriate options support participation in daily care.
Question 60
An aide is planning care for a resident who needs help changing position in bed. Which information should guide when and how the resident is repositioned?
☐ A. The resident's position only when the aide finishes all other tasks.
☐ B. The individualized care plan and directions from the nurse.
☐ C. A single position-change schedule chosen for every resident.
☐ D. The assumption that repositioning is unnecessary on a soft mattress.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:The individualized care plan and directions from the nurse.
The individual repositioning plan determines the care. A special mattress does not eliminate that plan, and a universal interval cannot replace the resident-specific directions or guidance the aide needs from the nurse when those directions are unclear.
Question 61
A resident who usually joins meals and activities has remained in the room and eaten little for two days. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Wait to report until the resident misses every meal for a full day.
☐ B. Describe the resident as depressed instead of reporting the intake and behavior.
☐ C. Report the observed change in participation and intake to the nurse.
☐ D. Offer extra activities before telling the nurse about the change.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Report the observed change in participation and intake to the nurse.
Report both changes. New withdrawal and poor intake over two days are observable changes from this resident's usual participation, so the nurse needs to hear those facts rather than a diagnosis assigned by the aide. Waiting or offering more activities first postpones that report.
Question 62
A resident who cannot see the meal tray asks where each food is located. Which method can help the resident find the foods?
☐ A. Describe left and right from the aide's seat across the table.
☐ B. Describe the food colors to identify where the foods are.
☐ C. Describe the foods by their positions as on a clock face.
☐ D. Name each food without explaining its position on the plate.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Describe the foods by their positions as on a clock face.
Describe the food using clock-face positions from the resident's perspective and confirm that this method works for the resident, rather than assuming that colors or the aide's opposite viewpoint make the location clear. Check understanding. A useful description must help this resident find the food.
Question 63
A visitor arrives while a resident is receiving private personal care. The resident has not asked for the visitor to stay. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Allow the visitor to stay because visitors are never excluded.
☐ B. Ask the visitor to wait outside and check the resident's wishes about the visit.
☐ C. Invite the visitor to watch so the care can continue on schedule.
☐ D. Describe the resident's body and care needs before asking about privacy.
Show answer and explanation
Response:B
Final answer:Ask the visitor to wait outside and check the resident's wishes about the visit.
Check the resident's wishes. A visitor's presence does not establish permission to remain during private care, so ask the visitor to wait outside when the resident wants privacy. This allows the care and the visit to reflect the resident's decision.
Question 64
While assisting with care, an aide notices a new area of redness over a resident's heel. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Report the skin change promptly and follow the pressure-relief care directions.
☐ B. Record the redness and report it at the next routine weekly review.
☐ C. Massage the heel gently before deciding whether to report the color change.
☐ D. Add padding without telling the nurse about the new redness.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Report the skin change promptly and follow the pressure-relief care directions.
Report the new heel redness promptly and follow the pressure-related care directions, rather than massaging the area or postponing the report while trying an improvised padding solution alone. The new finding needs attention. The nurse must know about it so the care can be assessed.
Question 65
A resident's current care directions state NPO, meaning nothing by mouth. The resident asks for a cup of water. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Allow a sip for thirst and tell the nurse after it is given.
☐ B. Offer ice chips because they are not a full cup of water.
☐ C. Give water between meals because no food is being offered.
☐ D. Keep the oral restriction in place and ask the nurse how to address the request.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Keep the oral restriction in place and ask the nurse how to address the request.
Hold the water and ask the nurse about an authorized way to relieve discomfort, because an NPO instruction includes oral fluids unless an exception has actually been ordered for this resident. Ice chips and small sips are oral intake, so neither avoids the restriction.
Question 66
A resident needs help moving higher in bed, and the care plan specifies a drawsheet with assistance. Which method reduces friction against the skin?
☐ A. Use the drawsheet with the required help to lift rather than drag the resident.
☐ B. Remove the drawsheet and pull on the resident's clothing.
☐ C. Drag the resident directly across the bed linen.
☐ D. Pull the resident upward by the arms.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:Use the drawsheet with the required help to lift rather than drag the resident.
Avoid dragging the resident across the bed. Use the draw sheet and required help to lift and reposition as directed, preventing the skin friction created by dragging without substituting a pull on clothing or an improvised solo lift.
Question 67
A resident can wash the face and upper body independently but needs help reaching the lower legs. How should the aide assist?
☐ A. Finish washing the reachable areas when the resident takes extra time.
☐ B. Help wash the upper body while the resident tries to reach the lower legs.
☐ C. Set out all supplies and leave the resident to complete the whole bath.
☐ D. Allow the resident to wash the reachable areas and help with the lower legs.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Allow the resident to wash the reachable areas and help with the lower legs.
Help with the lower legs. The resident can already wash the face and upper body independently, so taking over those areas removes an ability the resident can still use, while leaving the whole bath to the resident fails to meet the known need for assistance.
Question 68
A resident who is usually alert becomes suddenly confused and cannot follow a familiar one-step direction. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Give a medical diagnosis based only on the single observation.
☐ B. Assume the change is normal aging and continue the usual routine.
☐ C. Stay with the resident as needed for safety and promptly notify the nurse.
☐ D. Wait several days to decide whether the change is permanent.
Show answer and explanation
Response:C
Final answer:Stay with the resident as needed for safety and promptly notify the nurse.
Protect the resident and report the sudden confusion promptly to the nurse, without attributing the acute change to normal aging or waiting several days to see whether it resolves by itself. The change is sudden. That observation supports prompt reporting, not an aide's independent diagnosis.
Question 69
A visitor plans to light a candle in a resident's room while oxygen is in use. What should the aide do?
☐ A. Allow the candle after turning down the oxygen flow without an order.
☐ B. Allow the candle if the resident agrees to watch it.
☐ C. Allow the candle if it is placed near an open window.
☐ D. Prevent use of the open flame and explain the fire hazard.
Show answer and explanation
Response:D
Final answer:Prevent use of the open flame and explain the fire hazard.
Keep open flames away. Oxygen supports rapid burning, so watching the flame or opening a window does not remove the hazard it creates near oxygen equipment. Reducing the oxygen flow without authorization also does not provide a safe, acceptable answer to the situation.
Question 70
An aide measures two separate urine outputs during a shift: 175 mL and 225 mL. No other urine output is recorded. What total should the aide report?
☐ A. 400 mL.
☐ B. 225 mL.
☐ C. 200 mL.
☐ D. 50 mL.
Show answer and explanation
Response:A
Final answer:400 mL.
Add both recorded urine amounts. The first 175 mL and the later 225 mL give mL for the period, rather than just the later amount or the average of the two measurements. The question asks for the total. Subtracting the measurements would show their difference, which is a different quantity.