CNA WOCC(C) Exam flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Scope of practice

The range of tasks a nursing assistant may legally perform under delegated authority from a licensed nurse, excluding assessment, care planning, teaching, and invasive procedures.

Mandatory reporting

The legal duty to report witnessed or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation to the nurse and, per facility policy and law, to the appropriate agency promptly.

Resident right to refuse

A competent resident may decline any care or treatment; the assistant documents and reports the refusal rather than forcing or persuading the resident to comply.

Standard precautions

Infection control practices applied to every resident regardless of diagnosis, including hand hygiene and gloves for contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, and excretions.

Hand hygiene exceptions

Soap and water rather than alcohol rub is required when hands are visibly soiled and after contact with spore-forming organisms such as Clostridioides difficile.

Contact precautions

Gown and gloves are worn for every entry into the room, equipment is dedicated to the resident, and hands are cleaned before leaving the room.

Airborne precautions

Used for infections spread by small droplets that remain suspended in air, requiring a fit-tested N95 respirator and a negative-pressure room with the door closed.

Normal adult vital signs

Temperature about 36.1 to 37.8 C oral, pulse 60 to 100 beats per minute, respirations 12 to 20 per minute, blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg, oxygen saturation 95 percent or higher.

Pain assessment elements

Report the location, quality, intensity on a 0 to 10 scale, onset and duration, and factors that relieve or worsen the pain to the licensed nurse.

Body mechanics rules

Keep the load close to the body, bend at the knees and hips, maintain a wide base of support, and pivot the feet instead of twisting the spine when moving a resident.

Gait belt use

A belt placed around the resident's waist is used only for residents who can bear weight and stand, applied over clothing, grasped from underneath, and never used to lift.

Repositioning schedule

A dependent resident is turned and repositioned at least every two hours, with skin over bony prominences inspected at each turn and findings reported.

Pressure injury stage 1

Intact skin with a localized area of non-blanchable redness, typically over a bony prominence, indicating early tissue damage that must be reported immediately.

Pressure injury stage 2

Partial-thickness loss of skin with a shallow open wound or intact or ruptured blister; subcutaneous fat, bone, and tendon are not visible.

Fall prevention measures

Bed in the lowest position with wheels locked, call light within reach, non-skid footwear, clear pathways, adequate lighting, and scheduled toileting assistance.

After a fall

Do not move the resident; check responsiveness and for injury, call for the nurse, stay with the resident, and document and report the event per policy.

Intake and output record

All fluids taken by mouth, tube, or vein are intake; urine, vomit, liquid stool, and wound drainage are output, reported when output falls below 30 mL per hour.

Dysphagia feeding precautions

Position the resident upright at about 90 degrees, offer small bites, avoid talking during eating, and keep the resident upright for 30 minutes after the meal.

Signs of aspiration

Coughing or choking while eating, a gurgling or wet voice, difficulty breathing, or new fever; stop feeding and notify the nurse immediately.

Hypoglycemia signs

Sweating, shakiness, hunger, confusion, irritability, or dizziness in a diabetic resident, reported at once because blood glucose may be dangerously low.

Dehydration indicators

Dry mucous membranes, poor skin turgor, dark concentrated urine, reduced urine output, confusion, and weakness, all reported to the licensed nurse.

Fluid intake target

Most adults need roughly 1500 to 2000 mL of fluid daily unless a restriction is ordered; offer preferred fluids and record amounts accurately.

Confidentiality rule

Resident information is shared only with the care team and only in private settings, never in hallways, elevators, waiting areas, or on social media.

Dementia communication

Use short simple sentences, one instruction at a time, maintain routines, redirect rather than argue, and validate the resident's feelings instead of correcting facts.

Restraint alternatives

Try toileting, pain relief, repositioning, distraction, and family presence first; any device that limits movement requires a physician order and monitoring.

Range of motion care

Perform only the prescribed active or passive exercises, support the joint above and below, move slowly to the point of resistance, and stop if pain occurs.

Elopement prevention

Know which residents wander, keep exit alarms active, monitor during shift changes, and report a missing resident immediately without searching alone off the unit.

Skin inspection timing

Check skin at every repositioning, during bathing, and at each shift; report redness, blisters, warmth, or breaks in skin over bony prominences.

Specimen collection basics

Verify the resident's identity, use the correct container, avoid contaminating the inside or lid, label at the bedside, and send the specimen promptly.

Urinary catheter care

Keep the drainage bag below bladder level and off the floor, avoid kinks, perform routine perineal hygiene, and report cloudy urine, odor, or fever.

Post-mortem care

After death is pronounced, provide dignified care per policy, position the body, attend to dentures and belongings, and support the family with respect.

End-of-shift reporting

Report changes in condition, refusals, falls, skin findings, intake and output totals, and unresolved concerns to the licensed nurse before leaving.