Free CNA Practice Review: 10 Essential Concepts
Welcome to your Free CNA Practice Review!
This lesson covers 10 important concepts every CNA should understand. As you work through each section, focus on why the correct action is important. Understanding the reasoning behind these concepts will help you recognize the correct response when you encounter similar situations on an exam.
1. Understanding Normal Body Temperature
Knowing normal vital-sign ranges is an important part of recognizing changes in a resident’s condition.
A normal oral temperature for an adult is generally:
97.6°F to 99.6°F
Knowing the normal range helps a CNA recognize temperatures that may indicate fever or hypothermia.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Know normal vital-sign ranges and be prepared to recognize when a measurement falls outside of the expected range.
2. Responding to a Choking Resident
Imagine that a resident begins choking while eating and cannot speak or cough.
This is an emergency.
What should the CNA do?
Perform abdominal thrusts.
When a person cannot speak or cough, this indicates a complete airway obstruction. Immediate abdominal thrusts should be performed to help remove the obstruction.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Pay close attention to whether a choking resident can speak or cough. The inability to do either signals a potentially complete airway obstruction requiring immediate action.
3. Understanding a CNA’s Scope of Practice
CNAs provide many important aspects of direct resident care, but certain medical procedures fall outside of the CNA’s scope of practice.
One example is inserting a urinary catheter.
If a nurse asks a CNA to insert a urinary catheter, the CNA should understand that this procedure must be performed by a licensed nurse.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Know your scope of practice. When a procedure falls outside the CNA’s permitted responsibilities, it should be performed by the appropriate licensed healthcare professional.
4. Knowing When Gloves Are Required
Gloves should be worn whenever there is potential contact with body fluids.
For example:
Providing mouth care requires gloves.
Mouth care involves possible exposure to saliva and mucous membranes, making gloves essential.
By comparison, routine activities such as talking with a resident do not automatically require gloves.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Think about potential exposure to body fluids, mucous membranes, or other potentially infectious material when deciding whether gloves are necessary.
5. Using Proper Body Mechanics When Lifting
Safe body mechanics protect both the CNA and the resident.
When lifting, the CNA should:
Bend the knees, keep the back straight, and lift with the legs.
The CNA should avoid bending at the waist or twisting while lifting.
This technique reduces the risk of back injury and promotes safer lifting practices.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Remember:
Bend your knees → Keep your back straight → Lift with your legs.
6. Reporting Sudden Changes in Mental Status
A resident who suddenly becomes more confused than usual may be experiencing a serious change in condition.
The CNA should:
Report the change to the nurse at once.
Sudden confusion can indicate an underlying problem such as infection, stroke, or a medication reaction.
It is important for the nurse to evaluate the resident promptly.
CNA Exam Takeaway
A new or sudden change in a resident’s condition should not simply be watched to see whether it improves. Report significant changes promptly.
7. Respecting the Resident’s Bill of Rights
Residents have important legal rights regarding their healthcare.
One of those rights is:
The right to refuse medication.
Residents have the legal right to refuse treatment, including medication. This protection is part of the resident’s Bill of Rights.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Residents have choices.
A CNA should respect resident rights while following the proper procedure for reporting refusals or concerns to the nurse.
8. Safely Responding to Wandering
A resident with Alzheimer’s disease may wander because of confusion or changes in cognition.
The appropriate CNA response is to:
Redirect the resident to a safe activity.
Gentle redirection helps manage the situation safely without unnecessary confrontation or restraint.
CNA Exam Takeaway
When caring for a resident with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, think:
Safety + calm redirection.
9. Maintaining Professional Boundaries
CNAs often develop positive relationships with the residents they care for, but professional boundaries must always be maintained.
Sharing personal problems with a resident is not appropriate.
Residents should not be placed in a position where they feel responsible for the CNA’s personal concerns.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Be warm, supportive, and compassionate while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
10. Positioning a Resident Safely Before Feeding
Before feeding a resident who is lying in bed, positioning comes first.
The CNA should:
Raise the head of the bed to at least 75–90 degrees.
Elevating the resident before feeding helps reduce the risk of aspiration and makes swallowing safer and easier.
CNA Exam Takeaway
Before feeding, think:
Position first → Feed second.
Proper positioning is an important part of resident safety.
Review What You Learned
You just reviewed 10 important CNA concepts involving:
- Normal body temperature
- Choking and airway emergencies
- CNA scope of practice
- Proper glove use
- Safe body mechanics
- Changes in mental status
- Resident rights
- Alzheimer’s disease and wandering
- Professional boundaries
- Safe positioning for feeding
The goal isn’t simply to memorize an answer. Pay attention to the reasoning behind each concept so you can apply what you’ve learned when a question is presented differently on your CNA exam.
Ready for More Practice?
Continue your CNA Review Pro training to test your knowledge with additional practice questions, explanations, and exam preparation.