Arkansas CNA study plan
Arkansas CNA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Personal Care, Hygiene, and Activities of Daily Living
List and sequence the full step-by-step procedure for a complete bed bath, including water temperature, order of washing, and privacy measures
Demonstrate (on a pillow or volunteer) three safe repositioning techniques and state the turn schedule rationale
Identify which ADL tasks a resident must be encouraged to perform independently versus which require full assistance
Recite the correct technique for oral care on an unconscious resident and on a resident with dentures
Your checkpoint
A handwritten or typed checklist of 10 core personal-care procedures, each with numbered steps and at least one safety or dignity note
Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs
Measure and record temperature by oral, axillary, and tympanic routes, stating one contraindication for each
Take radial pulse and respirations on two different people and record both within accepted ranges
Measure blood pressure and state when to retake a reading and whom to report an abnormal value to
Compute intake and output from a one-day sample record and convert ounces to milliliters
Your checkpoint
A completed vital-signs practice log with 10 sets of readings (temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure) plus intake/output calculations, self-scored against a reference range sheet
Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs & Safety and Emergency Procedures
Describe the nurse aide's role and scope of limits during specimen collection, catheter care, and oxygen use
Explain the correct procedure for applying and removing restraints only under ordered supervision, including required monitoring intervals
Identify five environmental fall hazards in a mock resident room and state the correction for each
Demonstrate the sequence for safe transfer from bed to chair using a gait belt and state the cues given to the resident
Your checkpoint
A hazard-and-procedure sheet listing 15 safety checks (falls, burns, scalds, restraint, transfer) with the correct action written beside each
Safety and Emergency Procedures
Outline the correct response sequence for choking, including when to call for help and when to begin abdominal thrusts
State the steps for fire response and identify the location and use of a fire alarm pull station in a described facility layout
Describe the immediate actions for a resident found on the floor and for a suspected stroke or chest pain
Explain seizure precautions and the correct actions during and after a seizure
Your checkpoint
A written emergency quick-reference card covering choking, fire, fall, seizure, and cardiac arrest, produced from memory then corrected against study materials
Resident Rights, Independence, and Client Care
Enumerate the resident rights guaranteed under federal and Arkansas rules, including the right to refuse treatment and to be free from abuse and neglect
Given five short scenarios, decide whether a right was violated and name the specific right involved
Describe the correct steps to take when a resident reports abuse or when abuse is witnessed or suspected
Explain how to support a resident's choice and independence while still maintaining safety
Your checkpoint
A score of at least 90 percent on a self-made 20-question resident-rights scenario quiz, with written rationales for any missed item
Communication, Documentation, and Infection Control
Demonstrate the complete handwashing sequence and state the minimum duration and when it is required
Identify the correct personal protective equipment for five described care situations and the correct order of donning and removal
Write objective, non-judgmental chart entries for three sample observations, avoiding vague or interpretive language
Apply reporting rules: distinguish what is charted versus what is reported immediately and to whom
Your checkpoint
Three practice chart entries written in acceptable objective format, plus a one-page donning/doffing and handwashing reference sheet
Resident Rights, Independence, and Client Care & Personal Care, Hygiene, and Activities of Daily Living & Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs & Communication, Documentation, and Infection Control
Complete a 60-question mixed practice set spanning all five domains and log the score by domain
Rank your three weakest domains and re-review each with targeted notes
Rehearse five skills aloud using the correct step order and terminology without referring to notes
Correct every missed practice question and write the reason for the correct answer
Your checkpoint
A domain-by-domain score report from two 60-question practice sets, showing improvement on at least two previously weak domains
Safety and Emergency Procedures & Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs & Communication, Documentation, and Infection Control & Resident Rights, Independence, and Client Care & Personal Care, Hygiene, and Activities of Daily Living
Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test-day conditions
Review all missed items and confirm each is understood before moving on
Recite the key safety and emergency sequences from memory in under two minutes each
Rest, hydrate, and confirm test-day logistics, required identification, and arrival time
Your checkpoint
Two completed timed practice exams with a final score at or above 80 percent on each, plus a one-page personal弱点 summary of items to review the morning of the exam
Milestones
Week 2: Take and record 10 complete sets of vital signs accurately and explain the acceptable range for each measurement
Week 4: Recite the choking, fire, fall, and seizure response sequences from memory with no prompts
Week 6: Score at least 85 percent on a 40-question mixed quiz covering the four domains studied so far
Week 8: Score at least 80 percent on two consecutive full-length timed practice exams