CNA Practice Test – The Promotion of Safety

The best way to prevent the spread of sickness and infections is by executing proper hand washing techniques.

Remember the “PASS” acronym. This is “Pull” the pin, “Aim” the extinguisher, “Squeeze” the firing handle and “Sweep” back and forth. None of the other possible answers are in the correct order.

Before doing anything that involves the patient, it is always important to let them know what is going on. While the other steps and potential answers are important, each will come later on in the process.

Whenever lifting something that is heavy it is very important to never lift with the back. This opens up the individual for possible injury and muscle strain. All of the other choices are tips in what should be done, including establishing a wide anchor point, turning only with the legs and feet and standing close to the object in order to reduce the amount of weight put on the arms.

Nothing flammable should be on the stovetop. It is very important to move these objects away from the stove. It is easy to turn on the stove without realizing the potholder is there, causing a fire. A patient is in their own home, so there is nothing wrong with having a lighter out or an appliance left out. While a lamp left on overnight might be a potential energy wasting hazard, it is not a fire hazard.

Someone who suffers from incontinent stools will require a large number of bedding changes. This may leave untreated moisture around the bottom and, in turn, increases the chances of suffering from skin tearing and breaking down. Additionally, because the individual is demonstrating signs of confusion, they may not understand where they are, which can cause injuries to the skin as they may bruise from contact with the bed. The elderly are at a greater risk of skin injuries because they no longer have the elasticity within their skin to bounce back, these individuals are not at as great of skin damage risk as answer D.

When leaving a patient sitting for extended periods of time in their bed it places additional pressure on the bottom and coccyx area. With the continual pressure placed on the body due to gravity, it increases the chance of developing a pressure ulcer. All other answers are steps that need to be executed in order to avoid the development of these ulcers.

The minimum PPE in this situation is wearing gloves and a disposable mask when in a droplet precaution. It is possible to increase the level of protection though. In this situation, C is the answer as it is the absolute minimum to be used.

It is important to ask the patient if they are choking. They may not be able to answer and instead just nod their head (as they likely will not be able to talk). If they are choking, the nursing aid will need to have them stand up in order to perform the Heimlich. Answers A and D are not correct and answer B may force the object further down into their mouth.

Providing a patient with assistance to dress is not a dirty task. However, this can potentially fall under the dirty category if the current clothing is soiled with a bodily fluid. All other answers are dealing with working with a bodily fluid, and as such are classified as a dirty task.

It is important to remember the “RACE” acronym. First, the nursing aid needs to “Rescue” the patient. Then, they need to “Activate” the fire alarm in order to notify others of the fire. Third, they need to “Contain” the fire by closing the door. Last, the nursing aid needs to “Extinguish” the fire with an available fire extinguisher. So answers B and D are both performed, but it is important to move the patient out first. Answer A is only necessary if clothing on the aid catches fire and they need to put it out.

All contact precautions need to be followed for someone who is suffering from a Clostridium difficile infection. This should include wearing gloves and a gown in order to prevent the spread of the bacteria to both employees and other patients.

Proper hand washing protocol requires the hands to rub and wash for at least 20 seconds (not 10 seconds). All other given answers are correct when considering the hand washing protocol.

B, C, and D are all considered symptoms of a localized infection. However, chills may indicate that of a systemic infection.

When restraints are needed it needs to be secured to an area of the bed that is not moveable, such as the bed frame. The side rails of a bed can be moved, and anything behind the bed might be too far of a stretch. The same is true for any kind of fixture next to the bed. The best option and most secure method are directly to the frame itself.

In the event of a tornado, the safest location for a patient is on the lowest level (ideally in the basement). They need to be moved away from windows, so if a patient is in a room with a window they must be moved. Carrying the patient is not a safe option as it can lead to an injury for both the patient and the nursing assistant. Moving the patient to the doorway still puts a patient dangerously close to a window (doorways are only desirable when dealing with earthquakes).

It is important to first move patients out who are in immediate danger. From there, it is necessary to move patients who are not able to move on their own and patients who are in an area close to the location of the fire. Answer A is not an option as patients need to be moved out as quickly as possible.

Falling down and hitting the head is the top cause of traumatic brain injuries (in fact, it makes up around 40 percent of all of these injuries). Being hit in the head by an object makes up over 15 percent of accidents. Being involved in an auto accident is right behind it at just over 14 percent, while being involved in a physical assault makes up just over 10 percent.

After the nursing assistant activates the emergency response system it is necessary to immediately begin providing CPR. It is important to keep the blood flowing through the body. Rescue breaths are only necessary if the patient is not breathing but they still have a pulse. Moving a patient over to their side should occur after the patient has regained consciousness. Screaming for help as loud as possible does nothing as the emergency response system has already been activated. Some healthcare facilities have specific protocols in the event of an emergency where the nursing aid only performs the chest compressions until the emergency team arrives.