Physical Care and Basic Nursing Skills
Core skills and safety
Physical care questions test whether you can perform basic nursing skills safely and know when to stop and report. Master hand hygiene and standard precautions first: wash hands before and after resident contact, before gloves and after removing them; gloves do not replace handwashing. Know the sequence for donning and doffing PPE and the rule that sharp, contaminated items go in sharps containers, never regular trash. For bed baths, keep water comfortably warm, expose only the body part being washed, wash eyes from inner to outer corner with a clean area of cloth, and wash perineal area front to back. Never massage reddened bony areas; reposition and report. Check skin during care and report redness, breaks, or blisters.
Observation and measurement
Be able to take and report temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, height and weight, intake and output, and urine or stool characteristics. Count respirations without telling the resident, since awareness changes breathing. Report a pulse under 60 or over 100, respirations under 12 or over 20, or a temperature at or above 100.4°F (38°C) orally unless facility policy says otherwise. Measure I&O in mL and record everything that goes in or out. When collecting specimens, label at the bedside, use the correct container, and send promptly.
Traps and rule of thumb
Trap answers often suggest doing something outside CNA scope: giving medication, changing sterile dressings, inserting catheters, or deciding a resident is fine. Another trap is using restraints or raising all side rails for convenience. A useful rule: if a task is not in the care plan, not taught in your training, or not delegated, stop and ask the nurse. Worked example: you find a resident's skin red over the tailbone. Do not rub it; reposition off the area, keep skin clean and dry, document what you saw, and report it to the charge nurse.