CNA Exam Questions

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41.

You are caring for a demented patient who continuously attempts to bite and hit you. What should you do?

  • Leave the patient, ensuring that they are safe, and report the behavior to the nurse

  • Ask the patient to stop the behavior

  • Threaten the patient with punishment (i.e., locking them in their room)

  • Hit the patient back every time they attempt to hit you

Correct answer: Leave the patient, ensuring that they are safe, and report the behavior to the nurse.

Sometimes it is best to walk away, particularly from an agitated patient who is attempting to hurt you (even if they are unaware of what they are doing). Report the behavior to the nurse in charge. However, you should not leave the client in an unsafe situation.

Asking the patient to stop the behavior will not help because likely the patient is not aware of what s/he is doing. Never threaten or hit a patient.

42.

You take an adult patient's pulse and determine that it is 120 beats per minute. The patient states that he feels well. What should be your next step?

  • Inform the patient's nurse at once as this pulse rate is abnormally fast

  • Inform the patient's nurse at once as this pulse rate is abnormally slow

  • Call the patient's physician and report your findings

  • Continue with your duties as this pulse is within normal limits and is not cause for alarm

Correct answer: Inform the patient's nurse at once as this pulse rate is abnormally fast

You should report abnormal vital signs to the nurse assigned to the patient as soon as you can. A pulse of 120 is abnormally fast for an adult patient and may indicate infection, bleeding, or another problem. Waiting to report could result in a delay of appropriate patient treatment.

43.

Medications used to control an unwanted or undesirable behavior are a form of ______.

  • Chemical restraint

  • Physical restraint

  • Psychological restraint

  • Environmental restraint

Correct answer: Chemical restraint

Chemical restraints are medications used to control behavior or restrict movement. These medications are not standard treatment for the person's condition; for this reason they are considered to be a form of restraint. For example, sedatives, including sleeping pills, are a chemical restraint if they are given to "force" a patient to sleep.

44.

Which radial pulse would you want to recheck on an adult patient?

  • 60 beats per minute and irregular

  • 100 beats per minute and regular

  • 85 beats per minute and regular

  • 52 beats per minute and regular

Correct answer: 60 beats per minute and irregular

When a radial pulse is irregular, you should repeat it, counting for a full minute. A newly irregular pulse should be reported to the nurse assigned to care for the patient. Some patients always have an irregular pulse, and this irregularity is no cause for concern, providing the rate is within normal limits. A normal range for an adult pulse is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. A slightly lower resting heart rate is not necessarily cause for alarm (as long as it is regular), but will still need to be reported to the nurse.

45.

You are with a patient in the patient's room. An LPN who is administering medications hands you the patient's medications in a medicine cup and tells you to "make sure she takes them all." What would be your best response?

  • "I'm very sorry, but I am not allowed to administer medications. It's not within my scope of practice."

  • "You need to do it yourself. It's your job, not mine."

  • "Okay, I'll let you know if she has any problems taking the medication."

  • "I can't do that."

Correct answer: "I'm very sorry, but I am not allowed to administer medications. It's not within my scope of practice."

You should politely but firmly remind the LPN that administering medications, even if they are already poured, is not within your scope of practice. If you give the medication, you are at fault if an adverse event occurs, and you could lose your license to practice. Telling the LPN to do it herself because it's her job is antagonistic and does not let the person know why you can't do as you were asked. The same goes for stating simply that you "can't do that." Saying nothing will not help the situation.

46.

Your patient has just been transported to the OR for surgery. You have been asked to prepare the patient's bed for his return. A surgical bed is left in which position?

  • Flat and in the highest position

  • With the head of the bed raised and in the highest position

  • Flat and in the lowest position

  • In the highest position with the foot of the bed raised

Correct answer: Flat and in the highest position

A surgical bed is left in the highest position, ready for the patient's transfer from the recovery room stretcher to the bed. The bed is left flat to facilitate transfer.

47.

Which of the following signs might indicate to you that your patient is experiencing pain?

  • Facial grimacing

  • Hypotension

  • Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

  • Warm skin that is dry to the touch

Correct answer: Facial grimacing

Facial grimacing may indicate pain. Patients who have pain will often have an increased pulse (tachycardia) and blood pressure (hypertension). They may also be diaphoretic (sweaty) if pain is severe. Lack of urine output has no relation to pain.

48.

Which of the following contains receptors for vision?

  • Retina

  • Sclera

  • Pupil

  • Cornea

Correct answer: Retina

The retina lines the inside of the eye and contains receptors for vision. The retina creates impulses that travel through the optic nerve to the brain. The retina is crucial to healthy vision.

The sclera, the white of the eye, is the outer layer. It is made of tough connective tissue. The opening in the middle of the iris is the pupil. Pupil size varies with the amount of light entering the eye. The cornea is the transparent part of the outer layer that lies over the eye. Light enters the eye through the cornea.

49.

You are caring for Mrs. C in her home. Mrs. C has a scatter rug in front of the sink in her kitchen which you notice tends to slide on the linoleum floor. You should:

  • Report the rug to your supervisor, including your assessment that the rug is unsafe in its present location

  • Throw out the rug

  • Inform Mrs. C that the rug is unsafe and insist that she get rid of it

  • Flip the rug upside down to bring attention to it

Correct answer: Report the rug to your supervisor, including your assessment that the rug is unsafe in its present location

You should not throw the rug out without permission, nor should you insist that the client get rid of the rug. Your best course of action is to report the unsafe situation to your supervisor immediately and follow any instructions provided.

50.

Emotional changes in the elderly may be related to all of the following except:

  • Increased independence

  • Loss of a spouse

  • Declining physical health

  • Loss of a career

Correct answer: Increased independence

Older adults face many challenges which can impact emotional health, including the death of spouses, children living far away, loss of meaningful work, a decline in physical abilities, and decreased independence. Some older adults suffer from depression due to these life changes; others adjust well.

51.

Interdisciplinary team members may include all of the following except:

  • Patients

  • Respiratory therapists

  • Physicians

  • Social workers

Correct answer: Patients

Interdisciplinary health care team members may be regulated or unregulated and involves the many health care professionals whose skills and knowledge focus on the patient's total care. The patient is the focus of care. Spiritual advisors, social workers, occupational therapists, pharmacists, dieticians, and activities directors all work together to provide care to patients in a variety of settings.

52.

Before assisting a patient to sit in a wheelchair, you should do which of the following?

  • Lock (brake) the wheelchair wheels

  • Check to see that the patient is wearing slippers or shoes with a smooth sole

  • Make sure the patient is not wearing a robe that could get tangled in the wheels of the chair

  • Ask the patient to go to the bathroom to empty his bladder

Correct answer: Lock (brake) the wheelchair wheels

The brakes on the wheelchair should be locked so that the chair does not move when the patient sits.

You should help the person put on footwear with non-skid soles to prevent slipping and a robe to ensure adequate coverage during the transfer. Asking the patient go to the bathroom is not necessary. 

53.

Your patient is to be weighed daily. What is the best time to weigh the patient?

  • First thing in the morning before breakfast

  • Right before the patient goes to bed

  • After breakfast

  • It does not matter when, just as long as it is at the same time everyday.

Correct answer: First thing in the morning before breakfast

Patients should be weighed first thing in the morning, before they have eaten breakfast and before they have gotten dressed. They may wear only a patient gown or pajamas and should void before being weighed.

Although you do want to make sure to weigh the person at the same time each day, in the morning before breakfast is the best time for the most accurate measurement because food and fluids add weight. Weighing a patient after breakfast or right before bed will not give the most accurate measurement.

54.

Which of the following could be considered a barrier to communication?

  • Interrupting the person who is speaking

  • Listening attentively

  • Paraphrasing

  • Clarifying

Correct answer: Interrupting the person who is speaking

Communication barriers prevent the sending and receiving of messages and communication fails. Some barriers cannot be altered, such as deafness or poor vision. However, many barriers can be avoided, including giving advice, interrupting, minimizing problems, and using patronizing language.

Listening attentively, paraphrasing, and clarifying are all examples of effective communication methods.

55.

Patient A insists that you leave the bathroom light on because her roommate, Patient B, is very afraid of the dark. You know that Patient B prefers the room to be dark at night. This is an example of:

  • Projection

  • Repression

  • Denial

  • Conversion

Correct answer: Projection

Projection is assigning one's feelings to someone (or something) else. In this case, Patient A is afraid of the dark but is assigning her fear upon her roommate, Patient B.

Repression means to hold down or keep back. The person keeps unpleasant or painful thoughts or experiences from the conscious mind. Denial means refusing to accept or believe something that is true. Conversion means to change. An emotion is shown as orchanged into a physical symptom.

56.

When administering a cleansing enema, in what position should the patient start out?

  • Left side-lying position

  • Prone position

  • Right side-lying position

  • Semi-fowler position

Correct answer: Left side-lying position

Cleansing enemas clean the bowel of feces and flatus. They relieve constipation and fecal impaction. They typically take effect in 10 to 20 minutes. Place the patient in the left side-lying position for the procedure.

The left side-lying position is the best position for the patient because it helps to retain the enema. Any other position will not facilitate optimal results of enema administration.

57.

What should you do to encourage effective communication with your patient?

  • Smile and nod appropriately to show your interest in what the patient is saying

  • Ask closed-ended questions

  • Cross your arms over your chest

  • Face away from the patient

Correct answer: Smile and nod appropriately to show your interest in what the patient is saying

To facilitate communication with your patient, you should show interest by nodding and smiling as appropriate, maintaining an open posture, facing the patient, and refraining from interrupting the patient when he or she is speaking. Refrain from asking closed-ended questions that will elicit only "yes" or "no" answers.

58.

Menopause results in decreased production of:

  • Estrogen and progesterone

  • Estrogen and thyroid stimulating hormone

  • Thyroid stimulating hormone and cortisone

  • Cortisone and progesterone

Correct answer: Estrogen and progesterone

In women, many of the symptoms of aging are related to a decreased production of estrogen and progesterone which occur as a result of menopause. Menopause occurs, on average, at around 50 years of age. The uterus, vagina, and genitalia atrophy.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone and cortisone are hormones not related to menopause.

59.

Tremors of the legs, arms, jaw and facial muscles, a mask-like facial expression and impaired balance are symptoms of what neurological disorder?

  • Parkinson's disease

  • Migraine headache

  • Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)

  • Multiple Sclerosis

Correct answer: Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's is a progressive disorder affecting movement and is characterized by uncontrollable tremors that worsen over time. Mobility is impaired. Dementia may also occur in later stages. A fixed stare or mask-like facial expression is often seen in Parkinson's disease. These symptoms are not characteristic of the other answers, although with MS both tremors and balance/coordination problems can be present.

60.

What is the common term that is often used instead of decubitus ulcer?

  • Bed sore

  • Canker sore

  • Foot sore

  • Skin sore

Correct answer: Bed sore

A decubitus ulcer may be referred to as a pressure sore, bed sore, or pressure ulcer. They occur as a result of unrelieved pressure that causes damage to the underlying tissues. Patients who are immobile (bedridden) are at high risk of developing a decubitus ulcer. They often form over bony prominences, such as the coccyx, heel, or hip.