Across all 50 states, those looking to become a CNA and be accredited with their state CNA registry must pass a CNA exam once their training courses have been completed. CNA exam can be stressful for candidates as they look to take one of the final steps to becoming a CNA with their state. Candidates are encouraged to take practice test questions to prepare.
Most CNA exams cover question sets that are related to the nine different areas of CNA training. Typical these test sections are:
Basic Nursing Skills
Activities of Daily Living
Member of the Health Care Team
Communication
Restorative Skills
Client Rights
Spiritual and Cultural Needs
Emotional and Mental Health
Legal and Ethical Behavior
Sample test questions from the Basic Nursing Skills section may include:
The pulse located in the wrist is called the:
radial pulse
femoral pulse
apical pulse
carotid pulse
A client is to be assisted out of bed to sit in a wheelchair. Which action would make this procedure safe?
place a pillow on the wheelchair seat
lower both footrest pedals
place the bed in the low position
release the wheel brakes on the wheelchair
When using crutches, the client’s weight must
rest on the
shoulders
hand rests
armpit
knees
Sample test questions from the Activities of Daily Living section may include:
A nurse aide should give an unconscious client oral hygiene at least every:
6 hours
8 hours
4 hours
2 hours
H.S. care is care that is given
before bedtime.
after meals.
upon awakening.
before meals.
A client consumed 180 cc of tea, 60 cc of soup, and 120 cc of ice cream. What is her total fluid intake?
180 cc
400 cc
240 cc
360 cc
Sample test questions from Member of the Health Care Team section may include:
Which is a valid reason for a nurse aide to refuse to perform a task?
The nurse aide can refuse if he / she is at the end of a shift.
The nurse aide can refuse if he / she has not been trained to do this task.
The nurse aide can refuse if the client is difficult to deal with.
The nurse aide can refuse if he / she can find another nurse aide to complete the task.
When a nurse aide cannot work due to illness, the nurse aide should:
arrange for someone to cover his or her shift.
contact the supervisor as soon as possible.
call the charge nurse one hour before the shift begins.
wait until the charge nurse calls to find out where the aide is.
Sample test questions from the Communication section may include:
When communicating with a client, which of the following is the most important to observe and pay attention to.
the words the patient uses
the conversations a patient has when speaking on their personal mobile phone.
the patient’s non-verbal cues
the things a patient says when they think no one is listening
What is most important to show the client in his new room?
how to lower and raise the bed
where to store personal belongings
the television remote control
the location of the call bell and how to use it
A client is hard of hearing and repeatedly turns her call light on. The nurse aide should
tell the supervisor that the client is uncooperative.
talk loudly to her since she is hard of hearing.
take time to listen to her to determine her needs.
unplug the call light.
Sample test questions from the Restorative Skills section may include:
A client who had a CVA is going through a selfcare/grooming program. The main goal of this
program is for the client to:
improve his body image.
be discharged sooner.
gain independence.
learn to accept the disability.
If a client has hand tremors, the nurse aide should:
assist the client on an as-needed basis.
restrain the hand that has the tremor.
instruct the client to stop shaking and control the tremors.
do everything for the client.
A button hook and a sock assist are all part of what kind of nursing care?
Restorative and Rehabilitation
Activities of Daily Living
Disability and Reactivity
Prosthetic Mobility
Sample test questions from the Client Rights section may include:
After assisting a client to the bedside commode, the nurse aide should:
leave the curtain open so she can see the client.
tell the client that she can use the commode only once a shift.
provide privacy with the curtain pulled.
make the client’s bed while she is sitting on the commode.
When giving a bed bath, the nurse aide should
wash the perineal area from back to front.
place dirty towels and linens on the floor.
cover the resident with a bath blanket.
put the bed in the low position.
When a client confides a specific grievance to a nurse aide, it is that nurse aide’s responsibility to report that grievance to:
the client’s doctor.
no one. The client’s trust in the nurse aide is more important than a grievance.
the client’s family.
the nurse in charge.
Sample test questions from the Spiritual and Cultural Needs section may include:
On Good Friday, a Catholic client is served chicken and requests a meatless meal. The
nurse aide should
offer to get another meal within the client’s diet.
call the client’s priest for a dispensation.
tell the client that it is all right since she is in the hospital.
tell her the aide will check with the dietician for the next day’s meal.
The client’s religion forbids eating pork. Bacon is being served for breakfast. The most appropriate response is to
tell the client that restrictions are not as important as her health.
encourage the client to eat it because she needs protein.
tell the client it is all right since her doctor ordered the diet.
call the kitchen for a tray without bacon.
The client’s religion forbids eating meat. Beef stew is being served for lunch. The nurse aide should
tell the client to eat it because she needs protein.
tell the client it is all right since her doctor ordered the diet.
tell the client that religious restrictions are not as important as her health.
ask the nurse to call the kitchen
Sample test questions from the Emotional and Mental Health Needs section may include:
Dying patients and their families
must go through all stages of dying before they die.
may go back and forth among the five stages.
always accept death before it occurs.
always pass through five stages of dying in order.
A resident is blind. It is important NOT to
announce yourself before entering the room.
explain the location of food on the plate, using the face of the clock to assist.
leave the door completely closed.
rearrange the furniture.
Nurse aides can provide a client with a sense of security by
leave the room without speaking
explaining all routines and procedures
talking to another nurse aide while providing care
rushing through care
Sample test questions from the Basic Nursing Skills section may include:
A nurse aide observes a client falling in the hallway. It is important that the nurse aide report
what may have happened that day.
nothing, if this is not the nurse aide’s client.
exactly what the nurse aide observed.
what the nurse aide thinks happened.
When documenting a client’s vital signs, the nurse aide makes a mistake. The nurse aide should
cover the mistake with heavy black marker.
ignore it.
make a single line over it, write “error,” and initial it.
cover the mistake with correction fluid.
A client’s daughter offers the nurse aide $50 to thank her for caring for the client. The nurse
aide should
politely refuse it.
accept it to be polite.
use the money for the client.
report this to the charge nurse
As CNAs prepare to take the CNA test in their state, they will benefit from studying and working through practice test questions. Regardless of the state registry that they are applying for, states break up their question sets into the nine sections that cover varying degrees of CNA job work and responsibilities. It is critical that an aspiring CNA be ready to answer these questions and be up to date on these practices to be effective at caring for clients and patients.