CNA State Examination Practice Questions (Part Two)

QUESTION: The nursing assistant observes a very small fire in the outdoor smoking area of the skilled nursing facility where he works. He has been trained to extinguish small fires through nurse aide training and annual fire safety in-service training at his place of employment. This nursing assistant is following the proper sequence for using a fire extinguisher if he:

A. Pulls the fire extinguisher’s pin, aims at the base of the fire, squeezes the fire extinguisher’s handle, and sweeps in a back and forth motion.

B. Aims at the base of the fire, pulls the pin, squeezes the handle of the fire extinguisher, and sweeps in a back and forth sweeping motion.

C. Pulls the pin of the fire extinguisher, gently shakes the fire extinguisher, aims at the base, squeezes the handle of the fire extinguisher, and sweeps in a back and forth sweeping motion.

D. Aims at the middle of the fire, pulls the pin, squeezes the fire extinguisher’s handle, ans sweeps in a back and forth sweeping motion.

ANSWER: A (the proper sequence of steps to use a fire extinguisher can be readily recalled by remembering the PASS acronym, which stands for PULL-AIM-SQUEEZE-SWEEP. P = pull the pin out to activate the fire extinguisher. A = aim the fire extinguisher toward fire’s base. S = squeeze the fire extinguisher’s handle to facilitate expulsion of the container’s contents. S = sweep in a back and forth motion across the fire’s base as the contents of the fire extinguisher are expelled).

QUESTION: The nursing assistant has strong suspicions that a CNA coworker might be verbally abusing an elderly patient at the post-acute rehabilitation center where they both work. What is the first action that the nursing assistant must take?

A. Place a telephone call to the local sheriffs department to report the suspicions of abuse. Ensure the names of the resident and suspected abuser are available just in case more information is requested.

B. Report the suspected abuse to the charge nurse or facility administrator.

C. Privately confront the suspected abuser and demand that she immediately stop verbally abusing the elderly patient.

D. Do nothing at the moment since the nursing assistant only has suspicions of possible verbal abuse without any substantiated proof.

ANSWER: B (nursing assistants are mandated reporters who are legally mandated to report all instances of witnessed abuse, as well as any suspected abuse and neglect. The nursing assistant does not need proof of suspected abuse in order to report it; rather, a designated person will investigate the allegation of abuse. The nursing assistant should not call the sheriffs department since the administrator and/or charge nurse knows to adhere to facility procedures for initiation of investigations of alleged abuse).

QUESTION: The nursing assistant student is currently learning about principles of infection control during this evening’s nurse aide lessons at school. The instructor has made all students in the classroom aware that some questions regarding infection control might be included on the written section of the CNA state test. The student answers the instructor’s question correctly if she responds that the following entity is a host of infection:

A. A wadded piece of toilet paper contaminated with stool

B. A stethoscope contaminated with the microbe that causes whopping cough

C. A sick patient who is currently infected with tuberculosis

D. A sick dog who is currently infected with rabies

ANSWER: C (according to the chain of infection, an infected human being is a host of infection. A vector is a living nonhuman, such as an infectious dog, mice, tick or mosquito, that can transmit infections to humans. A fomite is an inanimate object, such as used toilet paper, contaminated equipment, and unclean door knobs, that can potentially spread infection via direct contact).