Arizona CNA study guide
Arizona CNA · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Arizona Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation is the state-required pathway to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) - the entry-level credential for people who provide direct personal care in nursing homes, assisted living, hospitals, and home care. Candidates normally finish a state-approved nurse aide training program first, then pass a competency evaluation before being placed on the Arizona nurse aide registry and working as a CNA. The Arizona CNA study guide has 8 sections and about 3,131 words.
01Personal Care Skills and Activities of Daily Living
Personal care is not a list of chores; every task is a chance to protect dignity, privacy, and independence. Before any care, knock, identify yourself, explain what you are going to do, and get permission.
344 words, about 2 min02Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs
Vital signs are the aide's early-warning system. Know the adult normal ranges cold: oral temperature 97.6 to 99.6 F, pulse 60 to 100 beats per minute, respirations 12 to 20 per minute, blood pressure under 120/80, and pain rated 0 to 10 as the fifth vital sign.
323 words, about 2 min03Safety and Emergency Procedures
Safety work is mostly prevention: call light within reach, bed in the lowest position, wheels locked, side rails used only as ordered, floor dry, path clear, clothing and shoes that fit. The resident most likely to fall is one who is new, on a diuretic or sedative, confused, or in a hurry to reach the bathroom.
339 words, about 2 min04Infection Control and Standard Precautions
Standard precautions apply to every resident, every time, because you cannot tell by looking who carries a pathogen. Hand hygiene is the single most important action: wash with soap and water when hands are visibly soiled, before eating, after toileting, and when caring for a resident with Clostridioides difficile or a norovirus-like illness; alcohol-based rub is fine for most other routine moments.
300 words, about 2 min05Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Therapeutic communication is purposeful: it helps the resident express what they feel and need. Use open-ended questions such as 'Tell me more about how your back feels,' restate and reflect what you hear, and allow silence and time.
305 words, about 2 min06Resident Rights, Legal and Ethical Issues
Federal law, through OBRA and its residents' rights provisions, guarantees each resident protections the aide must uphold every shift. These include dignity and respect; privacy during care, visits, phone calls, and mail; confidentiality of the medical record; the right to make choices about daily life, including rising and sleeping times, food, activities, and roommates; the right to refuse treatment; freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation; freedom from physical and chemical restraints used for convenience or discipline; the right to keep and use personal possessions; the right to communicate and receive visitors; the right to voice grievances without retaliation; and freedom from discrimination.
621 words, about 3 min07Mental Health, Psychosocial and Cognitive Care
Mental health care in long-term care begins with recognizing change. Depression is common and often missed in older adults: look for sadness, withdrawal, loss of appetite, poor sleep, irritability, hopelessness, and loss of interest in things that used to matter.
584 words, about 3 min08Nutrition and Hydration
Nutrition questions reward knowing the diets, the swallowing precautions, and the observation skills. Know common therapeutic diets: regular, mechanical soft, pureed, clear and full liquid, low-sodium, low-fat, diabetic (consistent carbohydrate), renal, and high-fiber.
315 words, about 2 min