CNA Certification Exam Questions Answers

CNA Certification Exam Practice Questions Answers

CNA Certification Exam Preparation Questions Tips 

Nurses with experience in a given specialty are evaluated for their knowledge and skills as part of the CNA Certification Program. Nursing experts have created national standards that will be tested on the exam. While certified nursing assistant (CNA) exams vary from state to state, all include sections on written and clinical skills. Each section tests a candidate's ability to communicate with patients, care for them, and adhere to safety procedures. It qualifies candidates to provide basic patient care in their state of residence if they pass the examination. 

The Certified Nursing Assistant exam is made up of two sections. One section is the written examination, and the other is the clinical skills test, often referred to as the CNA skills test. Your state may require a score of 70-80% or higher on each section in order to pass.

Previous Questions & Answers

1. The client asks the nursing assistant to assist her to cut her toenails. The nursing assistant knows this client has type two diabetes. Which of the following actions is best?

1. Check the chart for physician orders regarding nail trimming
2. Check the client's blood glucose before cutting her toenails
3. Report to the nurse that the client needs her toenails trimmed
4. Retrieve a safety clipper and hand it to the client

2. You are removing a soiled gown from a resident who has an IV. You should __________ ?

1. Slip the gown over the IV solution bag
2. Disconnect the bag and tubing
3. Remove the opposite arm from the gown first
4. Have the nurse remove the IV needle

3. Which of the following lists the five senses?

1. sight, hearing, taste, smell and common sense
2. hearing, smell, taste, sight and touch
3. sight, taste, smell, auditory and visual
4. hearing, taste, smell, common sense and auditory

4. A client with a Foley catheter is ordered to ambulate twice daily. Before ambulating the client, the nursing assistant should: _____?

1. keep the bag below the bladder level
2. raise the bag above the bladder level
3. have the patient cover the bag with a pillow sleeve
4. ask the nurse to confirm this order

5. YA client with Alzheimer's wakes up more confused than usual one morning. The nursing assistant knows that after breakfast, it is most important to support normal gastrointestinal tract function by:____

1. Brushing the client's teeth
2. Recording intake and output
3. Assisting the client to call family members 4. Taking the client to the bathroom

6. Which of the following is the correct procedure for serving a meal to a patient who must be fed?

1. have the kitchen hold the tray for one hour
2. serve the tray along with all the other trays, and then come back to feed the patient
3. bring the tray into the room when you are ready to feed the patient
4. bring the tray to the patient last; feed after you have served all the other patients

7. The range of motion term "abduction" means:

1. Moving the extremity away from the body
2. Moving the extremity below the body
3. Moving the extremity above the body
4. Moving the extremity toward the body

8. A patient has a new cast on his right arm. While caring for him, you should observe for _______

1. pulse above the cast
2. warmth and color of fingers
3. color and hardness of the cast
4. signs of crumbling at the cast end

9. A water pitcher has tipped over and you notice water on the floor. You should

1. throw a towel over the water to prevent accidents
2. notify the charge nurse
3. wipe it up immediately
4. call housekeeping

10. Which of the following is a key part of care when administering a bath to a resident?

1. Allow participation in care to promote a sense of independence
2. Use cool water when bathing the patient to promote better circulation
3. Perform all care for the resident in order to conserve their energy
4. Clean the perineal area of a patient before assisting them to clean their face

11. The nursing assistant knows that residents on bedrest must be turned every______

1. 2 hours
2. 1 hour
3. 6 hours
4. 8 hours

12. MRSA is an example of which of the following?

1. A set of activity guidelines designed to keep residents safe
2. A mnemonic to remember how to act if there is a fire in the facility
3. A bacterial strain that is easy to treat with antibiotics
4. A resistant strain of bacteria that is difficult to treat with antibiotics

13. A resident is often late to physical therapy because she is very slow at feeding herself during breakfast. What is the best action for the nursing assistant to take?

1. Withhold breakfast until after physical therapy
2. Bring the resident to breakfast earlier
3. Encourage her to eat faster by taking her plate away when it’s time for her physical therapy
4. Begin feeding the resident breakfast

14. A resident is recovering from a stroke and has weakness on their left side. They call you to help them put on a sweater. Assistance should be given ____?

1. In front of the resident
2. On the resident’s left side
3. On the resident’s right side
4. Behind the resident

15. The nursing assistant is helping a quadriplegic resident eat dinner. Which of the following actions by the nursing assistant is inappropriate?

1. Sit at eye level with the resident
2. Encourage personable conversation with the resident
3. Offer the resident drinks only after all the meal has been consumed
4. Offer the resident small bites and allow time for chewing

16. You should clean a female patient’s perineal area before you collect a _______

1. 24-hour urine specimen
2. Midstream clean-catch urine specimen
3. Pediatric routine urine specimen
4. Routine urine specimen

17. When assisting a patient to use the bedside commode, it is important to __________?

1. Return to check on the patient periodically
2. . Place toilet tissue close by
3. Leave the signal cord within reach
4. All of these

18. A client who has not had a bowel movement in four days would receive the most benefit from which of the following procedures?

1. Endoscopy
2. Catheterization
3. Enema
4. Colonoscopy

19. TWhen you shake down a thermometer, the mercury should be below ______?

1. 95 degrees F
2. 98.6 degrees F
3. the arrow
4. 96.8 degrees F

20. Before shaving a resident, the nursing assistant checks for which of the following items in the resident’s care plan?

1. Presence of the resident’s razor from home
2. Shaving instructions related to problems or issues clotting
3. Any previous refusal of ADLs
4. History of a heart condition

21. A resident wishes to wash her own underwear. You should ______ ?

1. Help her obtain supplies
2. Tell her you will do it
3. Tell her that clothing must go to the laundry
4. Ignore the request

22. Which of the following options is the best method to prevent insomnia?

1. Ensure the client eats one apple per day
2. Encourage the client to take several walks around the facility daily
3. Encourage the client to remain in bed throughout the day
4. Encourage the client to take several naps daily

23. Which of the following types of grief is considered a normal and healthy part of grieving?

1. Anticipatory
2. Inhibited
3. Unresolved
4. Complicated

24. Which of the following residents is demonstrating orthopneic position?

1. A resident lays on their stomach with their face to the side
2. A resident sits on the side of the bed and leans forward over a bedside table
3. A resident sits in a chair with their back straight
4. A resident walks using a cane

25. A client at the facility receives a new roommate. While the roommate is in the bathroom, the clients leans toward the nurse and whispers, "Why is she here anyway? Is she sick?" The best response by the nursing assistant is__________?

1. She's here for the same thing as you
2. . Why don't you ask her yourself
3. I'm not sure. Let me take a look at her chart
4. I'm afraid I can't share that information with you

26. When helping a client with left-sided weakness due to a CVA, the nursing assistant should position the client's cane _____?

1. Away from the client
2. In front of the client
3. On the right side
4. On the left side

27. A resident comes out of their room saying they have burned their leg after they dropped hot soup on it. The skin looks blistered and red. The nurse assistant knows this is a: _______?

1. Superficial burn
2. Partial thickness burn
3. Serious burn
4. Total thickness burn

28. A patient has just received news about the death of his spouse. He states to the nursing assistant, “I can't believe this has happened to me. I don't know what to do. How can I live without my wife?" The nursing assistant best responds by stating ______

1. I understand you're in pain. I'll stay with you
2. Do you and your wife have any children together
3. This kind of thing will happen to everyone eventually
4. You will need more time to cope with this loss

29. When a client constantly ignores the urge to void, the client is putting themselves in danger of what complication?

1. Constipation
2. Insomnia
3. Poor appetite
4. Incontinence

30. A client eats a bagel and one large glass of orange juice. What is the correct way to record the amount of juice?

1. 480 cc
2. 480 ml
3. 120 cc
4. 120 ml

31. The work tasks of the nursing assistant do NOT involve:

1. Providing a room-cleaning service for the resident
2. Dispensing remedies and drugs
3. Assisting the patient during hygiene practices
4. Providing "Cold Therapy" to injured areas with a medical ice bag

32. Which of the following does not cause aspiration?

1. Poorly fitting dentures
2. A stroke with right hemiparesis
3. None of the above
4. Lying flat with a PEG tube feeding running

33. Which of the situations listed is an example of battery toward a patient?

1. The nursing assistant cleans the patient's eyeglasses
2. The nursing assistant performs hygiene practices (bathing) on the patient without his/ her previous consent
3. The nursing assistant kindly asks if she/he may accompany the patient to the bathroom
4. The nursing assistant takes disciplinary action against the patient by isolating him/her from the other patients

34. You have been asked to record the amount of food that the person has eaten during each meal. What kinds of words or numbers would you use to record this food intake?

1. A little, a moderate amount, or all of the meal
2. 50 cc, 100 cc, or 500 cc of the meal
3. 25%, 50%, or 100% of the meal
4. Either a or c

35. Which of the following matches one of the five senses with an alternative term or definition?

1. Sight: tactile
2. Hearing: olfactory
3. Touch: body language
4. Taste: gustation

36. Mark the most suitable answer from a nursing assistant to a patient who has found out about the sudden death of their spouse:

1. The nursing assistant should express understanding of the patient's emotional condition and should stay with them
2. The nursing assistant should tell the patient that this is considered an ordinary event
3. The nursing assistant should comment that the patient would most likely need time to recover from their aggravated emotional state
4. The nursing assistant should ask whether the patient has had any children with their spouse

37. A client under the nursing assistant's care suffers from chronic "foot drop". The nursing assistant can expect to find which of the following devices in the client's room?

1. A wedge
2. Positioning boots
3. A mechanical lift
4. Two extra pillows

38. Your coworker has been accused of verbally abusing a resident. What will happen to him now?

1. He will be escorted out of the building and suspended until an investigation has been held
2. His employment will be immediately terminated
3. Police will be called, charges filed and he will be suspended pending resolution
4. He will be transferred to another hall until an investigation can be performed

39. In relation to infections organisms, what does MDRO mean?

1. Multi drug release order. This tells pharmacy what drugs they can release for use together on a patient
2. Multi drug resistant organism. This is an organism which has mutated to become resistant to a variety of antibiotics
3. Management data retrieval options. Reports and results of infectious organisms in a health environment
4. Mechanical data restriction orders. HIPAA restrictions on organism data retrieval

40. What other preventive measure will prevent Mary Eden from falling from her bed?

1. Monitoring
2. A low bed
3. A gym mat
4. Padded briefs

41. Which governmental agency mandates that workplaces, including healthcare settings, have security plans in place to prevent workplace violence?

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Management (CDC)
2. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
3. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)
4. National Institutes of Health (NIH)

42. Fecal impaction may present with which of the following symptoms?

1. Abdominal pain
2. . Excessive flatulence
3. Excessive flatulence
4. Small, watery leakage of stool

43. You are caring for an Alzheimer’s patient who is confused. What can you do to decrease the level of confusion?

1. Nothing will help to decrease the confusion
2. . Keep the level of stimulation to a minimum
3. . Insure the patient’s safety at all times
4. Challenge the person to a game of Scrabble

44. The nursing assistant suspects that a resident in the facility is being abused due to multiple unexplained bruises, refusal to answer most questions, and refusal of ADLs. Which of the following actions should the nursing assistant take next?

1. Notify the nurse assigned to care for the patient about the bruises
2. Report the suspected situation to the nursing assistant's immediate supervisor
3. Wait for more proof in order to identify the abuser
4. Ask the resident repeatedly to identify an abuser

45. TMark the most adequate answer given by a nursing assistant if a patient asks them about the health condition of their new roommate:

1. Your roommate health condition is the same as yours
2. I will look at their chart and provide you the answer
3. The health condition of all of our patients is kept confidential
4. It might be a good idea if you ask that question yourself

46. What should the nursing assistant do prior to ambulating a client with a Foley catheter who must ambulate twice a day?

1. The nursing assistant should raise the bag above the level of the bladder
2. The nursing assistant should retain the bag below the level of the bladder
3. This position of the bag will prevent bacteria from moving from the bag into the bladder
4. The nursing assistant should instruct the patient to cover the bag with a pillow sleeve

47. Many elders are affected by lowered metabolism and the loss of subcutaneous tissue. These physiological changes can lead to one of the following?

1. Hyperthermia
2. . Hypotension
3. Hypertension
4. Hypothermia

48. 16. The RN has assigned you to empty urinary drainage bags for a group of patients. You should take which of the following actions?

1. Tell the RN that CNAs are NOT permitted to do this
2. Disconnect the catheter tubing from the drainage bags
3. Complete this task and report task completion to the nurse
4. Kink the tubing before emptying the drainage bags

49. As a CNA you are working with 6-8 year old children with mental disabilities. What should you do to prevent injury to them?

1. Be sure beds are low to the ground and safety mats are in place
2. Keep the shampoo and soap in the bathroom at an accessible level
3. Check shower or bath water temperature to be sure it’s below108F
4. Turn out all the light at bedtime so the children will not try to get out of bed

50. BThe nursing assistant prepares to give a patient a bed bath. Before turning the patient to rub their back, the nursing assistant notices that he has a Foley catheter in place. Where should the nursing assistant secure the catheter to ensure it is not pulled during the bath?

1. To the bed sheet
2. To the lateral aspect of the patient's thigh
3. To the bed
4. To the medial aspect of the patient's thigh

51. The nursing assistant walks into a patient's room and discovers him masturbating. Which of the following actions is correct?

1. Scold the patient and tell him he should be ashamed of himself
2. Exit the room to provide privacy for the patientr
3. Report the activity to the nurse in charge
4. Ask the patient why he is doing this to himself

52. Mr. Allen can be combative during care. How do you respond if he attempts to strike you?

1. Request another CNA to hold his arms during care
2. Calmly explain you are doing his care but will stop if he wishes and return later
3. Refuse to do his care
4. Take charge of the situation and tell him you are the boss now

53. Mark the appropriate skin-care measures during caregiving:

1. An additional staff member must be present before the nursing assistant performs perineal care to a patient
2. The nursing assistant immediately reports to the nurse if he/ she spots non-blanchable redness on the patient's sacrum
3. The nursing assistant applies talcum powder under the patient's abdominal skin folds
4. A prescribed skin ointment is applied by the nursing assistant on specific areas of the patient's body

54. Mark the correct statement regarding Alzheimer's patients:

1. As this disease progresses, the patients' appetite increases
2. . Alzheimer's patients should follow a specific routine and be kept away from overstimulating occurrences
3. . It is impossible to change the focus or direction of an Alzheimer's patient due to their immediate forgetting
4. Apart from the frequent confusions, hallucinations are not symptoms of Alzheimer's

55. What is the best way for a nursing assistant to prevent infection?

1. Use standard precautions when caring for residents
2. Frequent hand washing
3. Apply an antiseptic hand rub before and after caring for residents
4. Wear gloves when in contact with body fluids

56. Please mark the correct step in the process of making an occupied bed:

1. Remove the soiled linen from the bed and place in on the floor
2. Bed rails should be raised only if necessary
3. The bed must be lowered to the lowest level after it has been remade with clean linen
4. The corners of new sheets shouldn't be mitered

57. Which of the following methods is most appropriate when giving help to a patient who has suffered a right-sided stroke while having a bath?

1. The nursing assistant should provide the entire bath for the patient
2. The nursing assistant should encourage the patient to perform the bath individually
3. The nursing assistant should ask about the patient preferences when having a bath
4. The nursing assistant should give instructions to the patient for taking a bath

58. . You take an adult’s blood pressure and it is 40/20. You immediately report this to the nurse. The nurse returns to the patient room with you. She instructs you to place the patient in a Trendelenberg position while the nurse rechecks the blood pressure. You will put the patient into the Trendelenberg position

1. Raise the head of the bed up to about 60 to 75 degrees
2. Raise the head of the bed up to about 75 to 90 degrees
3. Raise the side rails and place the bed in the high position
4. Lower the head of the bed and raise the foot of the bed

59. Your resident has had a stroke and has residual paralysis (hemiplegia) on her left side. What type of range of motion exercises can you, as a CNA working with rehabilitation, be asked to perform on her?

1. You cannot perform range of motion exercise within your scope of practice
2. You will perform passive range of motion exercises on both arms, hands and shoulders
3. You will perform passive range of motion on her left side and may also perform active range of motion on her right side
4. You will perform active range of motion on her left side and may also perform passive range of motion on her right side

60. Which of the following aspects of care is important for a confused client?

1. Reorienting the client frequently with clocks, calendars, and family mementos
2. Checking the client's blood sugar every hour
3. Asking the client their name
4. Keeping the client contained in their room

61. Who developed the Hierarchy of Needs?

1. Nightingale
2. Maslow
3. Erikson
4. Piaget