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Iowa CNA practice questions

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Question 1Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Who has the legal authority to decide which nursing tasks may be delegated to a nurse aide?

  1. The resident's family, by written request
  2. The registered nurse who supervises the aide Correct answer.
  3. The aide, based on years of experience
  4. The facility's director of activities

Explanation

Delegation of nursing tasks is a registered nurse function. The nurse considers the resident's condition, how complex the task is, and the aide's training before assigning it. Aides, families, and non-nursing staff cannot decide what nursing tasks an aide may perform.

Question 2Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Under federal resident rights requirements, a nursing home resident may do which of the following?

  1. Be told by staff when to wake up and go to bed
  2. Have personal mail opened by staff before delivery
  3. Refuse a treatment and be told the results of that choice Correct answer.
  4. Be denied use of a telephone in the room

Explanation

Residents have the right to make choices about their own care, including refusing treatment, and the facility must explain what may happen as a result. Rights also protect private phone use, personal schedules, and unopened mail.

Question 3Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Which team member is responsible for helping a resident relearn to walk after a stroke?

  1. The medical social worker
  2. The activity director
  3. The dietitian
  4. The physical therapist Correct answer.

Explanation

Physical therapists evaluate mobility problems and direct the exercises, gait training, and equipment a resident needs to walk again. Dietitians address nutrition, social workers address psychosocial and financial needs, and activity staff plan recreation.

Question 4Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Which task is part of the basic nurse aide role?

  1. Assisting the resident with a bed bath Correct answer.
  2. Deciding what goes in the care plan
  3. Performing the initial nursing assessment
  4. Writing the resident's diet order

Explanation

Personal care such as bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting is the core of the nurse aide job description. Assessment, care planning, and diet orders are nursing or medical decisions made by licensed staff.

Question 5Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A resident who is alert and oriented refuses a morning shower. What should the nurse aide do?

  1. Give the shower despite the refusal
  2. Explain that policy requires a daily shower
  3. Respect the refusal and report it Correct answer.
  4. Have a coworker talk the resident into it

Explanation

A resident who has decision-making capacity may refuse any care, and the aide must honor that choice rather than force or pressure the person. The refusal and any reason given should be reported to the nurse so the team can follow up.

Question 6Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Which action by a nurse aide protects resident confidentiality?

  1. Discussing a resident's diagnosis in the cafeteria
  2. Posting a photo of a resident on social media
  3. Sharing information only with the resident's care team Correct answer.
  4. Telling a friend which resident has dementia

Explanation

Resident health information may be shared only with the people who need it to provide care or conduct facility business. Discussing a resident in public areas, naming the person to outsiders, or posting photos all violate privacy rules.

Question 7Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A nurse aide is unsure whether a resident may get out of bed. Whom should the aide ask first?

  1. The state survey agency
  2. The resident's family
  3. The charge nurse on duty Correct answer.
  4. The nursing home administrator

Explanation

The charge nurse is the aide's immediate supervisor and the correct first contact for questions about a resident's care. Going to the administrator or a state agency skips the chain of command, and family members cannot make nursing decisions.

Question 8Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

An RN asks the nurse aide to perform a sterile dressing change. The aide has never been trained for this skill. What is the best action?

  1. Read the steps quickly, then do the change
  2. Ask a coworker to do the dressing change
  3. Do the dressing change and hope it goes well
  4. Tell the nurse it is outside the aide's training Correct answer.

Explanation

An aide may perform only tasks that are within the aide's training and the facility's approved skills list, and must speak up when a request falls outside that scope. Doing an untrained procedure, or handing it to another untrained aide, puts the resident at risk.

Question 9Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Under federal rules, a nurse aide must complete how many hours of in-service education each year?

  1. 2 hours
  2. 40 hours
  3. 12 hours Correct answer.
  4. 75 hours

Explanation

OBRA requires at least 12 hours of in-service education every year for nurse aides, covering topics such as infection control, resident rights, and dementia care. The other figures match training-program or unrelated requirements.

Question 10Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

For a nurse aide to renew certification after time away from work, federal rules generally require that within the previous 24 months the aide has:

  1. Repeated the entire training program
  2. Completed 100 hours of volunteer work
  3. Been retested by a physical therapist
  4. Worked at least 8 hours for pay as an aide Correct answer.

Explanation

Renewal requires that the aide has provided nursing-related services for pay for at least 8 hours during the previous 24 months, or has completed retraining and testing. Unpaid or unrelated activity does not satisfy the requirement.

Question 11Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A resident's family cannot pay for needed medications and seems overwhelmed. Which team member is best to involve?

  1. The medical social worker Correct answer.
  2. The physical therapist
  3. The activity director
  4. The dietitian

Explanation

The medical social worker helps residents and families with financial problems, insurance, placement, and emotional stress. Therapists, dietitians, and activity staff focus on mobility, nutrition, and recreation.

Question 12Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

What is the nurse aide's role in the resident's care plan?

  1. Approving the plan as the facility's agent
  2. Following the plan and reporting changes Correct answer.
  3. Writing the plan with no nurse review
  4. Signing the plan as the responsible nurse

Explanation

The interdisciplinary team develops the care plan, and the aide carries it out while observing the resident and reporting any changes. Aides do not write, approve, or sign care plans in a nursing capacity.

Question 13Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A resident tells the aide that a coworker was rude and wants to file a complaint. What should the aide do?

  1. Help the resident use the grievance process Correct answer.
  2. Ask the coworker to apologize and move on
  3. Tell the resident to ignore it for now
  4. Promise to keep the complaint confidential

Explanation

Residents have the right to voice complaints without fear of retaliation, and facilities must maintain a grievance process for them. The aide should support the resident in using that process rather than promising secrecy or settling it informally.

Question 14Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A nurse aide sees a coworker yell at and grab a resident roughly. What should the aide do?

  1. Confront the coworker in front of the resident
  2. Wait to see whether it happens again
  3. Stop it if safe and tell the nurse right away Correct answer.
  4. Ask the other aides what they think first

Explanation

The aide's first duty is to protect the resident, then to report suspected abuse immediately so it can be investigated and reported as state law requires. Delaying or handling it informally leaves the resident at risk.

Question 15Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Under federal OBRA requirements, a nurse aide training program must include at least:

  1. 50 hours of total training
  2. 75 hours of total training Correct answer.
  3. 200 hours of total training
  4. 25 hours of total training

Explanation

OBRA requires a nurse aide training program of at least 75 hours, including at least 16 hours of supervised practical training. A shorter program would not meet the federal standard for certification.

Question 16Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

Which staff member is licensed to assess a resident and develop the nursing care plan?

  1. The registered nurse Correct answer.
  2. The certified nurse aide
  3. The unit clerk
  4. The restorative aide

Explanation

Assessment and nursing care planning are licensed nursing functions performed by the registered nurse, who then directs the rest of the team. Aides and clerical staff do not hold a nursing license.

Question 17Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

An experienced nurse aide is asked to hand off a nursing task to a newly hired aide. Which statement is accurate?

  1. Nurse aides may not delegate nursing tasks Correct answer.
  2. Aides may delegate tasks they have mastered
  3. Aides may delegate personal care tasks only
  4. An aide may delegate when the nurse is busy

Explanation

Delegation flows from a licensed nurse to an assistive worker; an aide has no authority to reassign nursing tasks to another aide. If the aide cannot complete an assignment, the nurse must be told so the nurse can reassign it properly.

Question 18Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A resident gives the nurse aide a $50 gift and asks the aide to keep it private. What is the best response?

  1. Split the money with the other aides
  2. Keep the money and tell no one
  3. Thank the resident and follow facility gift policy Correct answer.
  4. Accept it, since refusing would be rude

Explanation

Accepting gifts can create a conflict of interest, so facilities limit or prohibit them and require staff to report offers. The aide thanks the resident and follows policy rather than accepting cash quietly.

Question 19Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

The main role of the long-term care ombudsman is to:

  1. Supervise the nursing staff on each shift
  2. Order medications for uninsured residents
  3. Inspect the kitchen and food service
  4. Advocate for residents and resolve complaints Correct answer.

Explanation

The ombudsman is an independent advocate who helps residents understand and exercise their rights and works to resolve their complaints. The ombudsman does not supervise staff, order medications, or inspect food service.

Question 20Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team

A resident who used to walk independently now needs help and seems more confused. What is the nurse aide's best action?

  1. Assume it is normal aging and say nothing
  2. Wait until the next care conference to mention it
  3. Write it in the record and tell no one
  4. Report the change to the charge nurse promptly Correct answer.

Explanation

A change in a resident's condition must be reported promptly to the charge nurse, who decides whether further assessment or provider notification is needed. Holding the information until a meeting or keeping it in the record alone delays care.

Question 21Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

When a resident is admitted to a nursing facility, federal law requires the facility to do which of the following?

  1. Give the resident a copy of the facility's staffing schedule.
  2. Require the resident to sign a form giving up the right to file complaints.
  3. Provide the resident's medical records to any family member who asks for them.
  4. Give the resident a written statement of rights and explain them in a way the resident understands. Correct answer.

Explanation

Federal nursing home law requires that residents be informed of their rights at admission, in writing and in a language and manner they understand, and be given the chance to exercise those rights. Rights cannot be traded away as a condition of admission.

Question 22Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

Which action by a nurse aide would violate a resident's right to be free from restraints?

  1. Applying a gait belt before helping a resident walk down the hall.
  2. Offering a bedpan to a resident every two hours.
  3. Lowering the bed to its lowest position after care.
  4. Tying a bedsheet around a resident's waist to keep the resident seated in a chair. Correct answer.

Explanation

Residents have the right to be free from physical and chemical restraints used for discipline or staff convenience. Tying a sheet to hold someone in a chair is a restraint and is prohibited, while a gait belt used briefly for safe walking is an assistive device.

Question 23Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident who is alert and oriented refuses a prescribed medication. What should the nurse aide do?

  1. Mix the medication into pudding so the resident still receives it.
  2. Tell the resident that refusing care will lead to discharge.
  3. Respect the refusal and report it to the charge nurse. Correct answer.
  4. Skip the medication and say nothing to anyone.

Explanation

An alert, oriented resident may refuse any treatment or medication. The aide respects the refusal, never hides medication in food, and reports the refusal so the nurse can document it and follow up.

Question 24Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A nurse aide is giving a bed bath. Which action best protects the resident's right to privacy?

  1. Closing the door and keeping the resident covered except for the area being washed. Correct answer.
  2. Discussing the resident's skin condition with the resident's roommate present.
  3. Leaving the door open in case help is needed.
  4. Allowing a visitor to stay in the room because the visitor is a relative.

Explanation

Residents have the right to privacy during care, which includes closing the door and keeping the body covered except for the part being washed. The resident, not the family or staff, decides who stays in the room.

Question 25Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident offers the nurse aide $50 for being kind. What is the appropriate response?

  1. Politely decline and explain that aides cannot accept money from residents. Correct answer.
  2. Accept the money and buy the resident a gift of equal value.
  3. Accept the money and say nothing because it is the resident's choice.
  4. Accept the money but share it with the other aides on the shift.

Explanation

Nurse aides may not accept money, gifts, or tips from residents. Accepting them can be viewed as exploitation and violates federal and state rules, so a polite refusal protects both the resident and the aide.

Question 26Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A nurse aide's friend asks about a resident who was just admitted. What should the aide say?

  1. Confirm that the resident is in the facility but give no details.
  2. Explain that resident information cannot be discussed and change the subject. Correct answer.
  3. Share the resident's diagnosis but not the room number.
  4. Tell the friend only what is already posted on the resident's door.

Explanation

Resident health information is confidential and may be shared only with staff who need it to provide care. Aides should not confirm, deny, or discuss a resident's presence or condition with friends or the public.

Question 27Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A nurse aide sees a bruise in the shape of a hand on a resident's arm, and the resident says, "She grabbed me." What should the aide do first?

  1. Wait to see whether more marks appear before acting.
  2. Call the resident's family to ask what happened.
  3. Confront the aide who is suspected and ask for an explanation.
  4. Report the suspected abuse to the charge nurse immediately, following facility policy. Correct answer.

Explanation

Suspected abuse must be reported right away to the charge nurse or administrator, who then notifies the proper state agency. A hand-shaped bruise plus a statement from the resident is enough to require a report, and aides never investigate on their own.

Question 28Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

Which situation is an example of misappropriation of resident property?

  1. A nurse aide takes a resident's watch from the bedside stand and keeps it for personal use. Correct answer.
  2. A nurse aide documents in the record that a resident's hearing aid is missing.
  3. A housekeeper moves a resident's chair to vacuum underneath it and puts it back.
  4. A resident gives a sweater to a roommate as a gift.

Explanation

Misappropriation means taking, misusing, or keeping a resident's property without authorization. Personal use of a resident's belongings is theft and must be reported.

Question 29Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident is left in soiled linens for several hours because staff members were busy. This situation is best described as which of the following?

  1. False imprisonment.
  2. Misappropriation.
  3. Neglect. Correct answer.
  4. Physical abuse.

Explanation

Neglect is the failure to provide needed care or a safe, clean environment, such as leaving a resident in soiled linens. Abuse involves a deliberate act that causes harm, and no intentional harm, theft, or confinement occurred here.

Question 30Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

Which statement describes the role of the Iowa long-term care ombudsman?

  1. The ombudsman inspects the facility's kitchen and food storage areas.
  2. The ombudsman supervises nurse aides during direct care.
  3. The ombudsman advocates for residents and helps them resolve complaints. Correct answer.
  4. The ombudsman writes physician orders for residents.

Explanation

The long-term care ombudsman is an independent advocate who helps residents understand and exercise their rights and works to resolve complaints on their behalf.

Question 31Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident files a complaint that a nurse aide was rude. Later that shift, the aide ignores the resident's call light. This behavior is best described as which of the following?

  1. Acceptable as long as no physical injury occurs.
  2. A private matter for the resident and family to work out.
  3. Retaliation that violates the resident's rights and must be reported. Correct answer.
  4. Acceptable if the aide apologizes before the end of the shift.

Explanation

Residents may file grievances without fear of retaliation. Ignoring call lights after a complaint is retaliation and also neglect, and it must be reported to the nurse or administrator.

Question 32Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident has a signed living will and a do-not-resuscitate order in the chart. What does this mean for the nurse aide?

  1. The aide should follow the care plan and call the nurse right away if the resident's condition changes. Correct answer.
  2. The aide should begin CPR if the resident stops breathing.
  3. The aide should remove the DNR form from the chart because it is outdated.
  4. The aide should ask a family member whether to start CPR.

Explanation

A living will and DNR order record the resident's own choices about end-of-life care. The aide follows the care plan and alerts the nurse to changes instead of starting CPR or making treatment decisions.

Question 33Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident asks the nurse aide to hold $20 in the aide's pocket for safekeeping during a shower. What is the best response?

  1. Give the money to another resident to hold during the shower.
  2. Put the money in the aide's own locker with a note.
  3. Suggest the resident use the facility's trust account or a locked drawer in the room. Correct answer.
  4. Keep the money in the aide's pocket until the end of the shift.

Explanation

Residents have the right to manage their own money, and facilities must safeguard resident funds. Aides should never hold or keep resident cash and instead use the facility's established procedure.

Question 34Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident's adult daughter arrives at 9 a.m. and asks to visit. Facility policy allows visitors at any time consistent with the resident's wishes. What should the aide do?

  1. Tell the daughter to return during posted visiting hours.
  2. Refuse the visit because it was not scheduled in advance.
  3. Ask the resident whether the visit is wanted and help arrange privacy if desired. Correct answer.
  4. Ask the daughter to wait until after lunch because the resident is not yet dressed.

Explanation

Residents have the right to receive visitors of their choosing at times that suit the resident and to have privacy during visits. The aide checks the resident's wishes and supports the visit.

Question 35Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident who is not agitated is given an antipsychotic medication mainly to make the resident easier for staff to manage. This practice is best described as which of the following?

  1. Acceptable because a physician ordered the medication.
  2. A chemical restraint that violates the resident's rights unless it is treating a diagnosed condition. Correct answer.
  3. An appropriate way to prevent falls at night.
  4. Acceptable because the resident's family agrees to it.

Explanation

Giving a drug to control behavior for staff convenience, without treating a diagnosed condition, is a chemical restraint and violates the resident's right to be free from unnecessary drugs and restraints. Neither a physician order nor family consent makes that use acceptable.

Question 36Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident's family brings in a framed family photo. What is the most appropriate action?

  1. Return the photo to the family because outside items are not allowed.
  2. Label the photo with the resident's name and place it where the resident chooses in the room. Correct answer.
  3. Store the photo in the facility's activity closet for safekeeping.
  4. Place the photo in the hallway to decorate the unit.

Explanation

Residents may keep personal belongings and decide how their room is arranged. Staff label items to prevent loss and respect the resident's choice of placement.

Question 37Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

An alert resident in a wheelchair says, "I'm going outside for some air." The unit has a locked exit door with an alarm. What is the aide's best action?

  1. Say nothing and let the resident go outside alone.
  2. Physically block the resident's path and push the wheelchair back to the room.
  3. Turn off the exit alarm so the resident is not embarrassed.
  4. Explain the facility's exit policy, notify the nurse, and offer to walk with the resident if allowed. Correct answer.

Explanation

A resident who is competent has the right to move about and to leave the facility, and staff may not physically confine the resident. The aide follows policy, notifies the nurse, and offers safe accompaniment or redirection rather than force.

Question 38Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

An Iowa nurse aide is found through an investigation to have abused a resident. What is the most likely result for the aide's registry status?

  1. A founded finding of abuse is entered on the Direct Care Worker Registry, which can bar the aide from long-term care work. Correct answer.
  2. The aide is transferred to another unit and the registry is unaffected.
  3. The registry is affected only if the resident files criminal charges.
  4. The finding is removed once the aide completes an inservice class on abuse.

Explanation

Iowa maintains a Direct Care Worker Registry, and a founded finding of abuse, neglect, or exploitation is entered on it. An aide with such a finding is barred from working in long-term care, and the entry does not depend on a separate transfer or on criminal charges being filed.

Question 39Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A resident's daughter holds the resident's durable power of attorney for health care. The resident is alert and oriented and says, "I don't want that bath today," but the daughter says, "Give her the bath anyway." What should the aide do?

  1. Honor the resident's refusal and inform the nurse of the disagreement. Correct answer.
  2. Give the bath and document in the record that the resident refused.
  3. Give the bath because the daughter has legal authority to make the decision.
  4. Ask the daughter to sign a form approving the refusal.

Explanation

An alert, oriented resident keeps the right to accept or refuse care even when someone else holds a health care power of attorney; the agent acts only when the resident cannot decide. The aide honors the resident's choice and tells the nurse about the conflict.

Question 40Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights

A coworker asks the nurse aide to sign a flow sheet for care the coworker did not actually provide. What should the aide do?

  1. Report the coworker to the resident's family.
  2. Sign the flow sheet because the care was probably completed later.
  3. Sign it only if the coworker promises to do the care before the shift ends.
  4. Refuse to sign and report the request to the charge nurse. Correct answer.

Explanation

Signing a record for care that was not given or observed is falsification, which is fraud and a serious legal and ethical violation. The aide must not sign and must report the request through the chain of command.

Question 41Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Which action best shows a nursing assistant is actively listening to a resident?

  1. Finishing the resident's sentences to save time
  2. Writing notes without ever looking up
  3. Facing the resident and nodding at pauses Correct answer.
  4. Changing the subject when the resident pauses

Explanation

Active listening means giving full attention: facing the speaker, making eye contact, nodding, and letting the person finish without interrupting. It signals respect and encourages the resident to share concerns.

Question 42Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Which of these is an example of nonverbal communication?

  1. Writing a note in the chart
  2. Reading a care plan aloud
  3. Saying "good morning" to a resident
  4. Smiling and making eye contact Correct answer.

Explanation

Nonverbal communication is any message sent without words, such as facial expression, posture, gestures, and eye contact. A smile and eye contact convey warmth and attention without speech.

Question 43Communication and Interpersonal Skills

When speaking with an adult resident, the nursing assistant should use:

  1. a pet name such as "sweetie"
  2. the first name without asking
  3. the room number only
  4. the name the resident prefers Correct answer.

Explanation

Using the name a resident prefers shows respect for the person's identity and dignity. Pet names and room numbers can feel belittling to adults receiving care.

Question 44Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Before entering a resident's room, the nursing assistant should:

  1. wait for another staff member to go in first
  2. knock and wait for permission to enter Correct answer.
  3. open the door quietly and step inside
  4. call out the resident's name from the hallway

Explanation

Knocking and waiting protects the resident's privacy and right to control who enters their living space. It also gives the resident time to prepare for a visit.

Question 45Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Which question is open-ended?

  1. Do you want your bath now?
  2. Are you in pain?
  3. Did you sleep well?
  4. How are you feeling this morning? Correct answer.

Explanation

Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a simple yes or no, so they invite the resident to explain thoughts and feelings. Questions starting with "how" or "tell me about" are usually open-ended.

Question 46Communication and Interpersonal Skills

When a resident has trouble hearing, the nursing assistant should:

  1. shout directly into the resident's ear
  2. speak rapidly to shorten the visit
  3. face the resident and speak clearly Correct answer.
  4. repeat the same words over and over

Explanation

Facing the resident allows the person to see lip movements and facial expression, and clear speech at a normal pace is easier to understand than shouting. Shouting distorts sound and can seem disrespectful.

Question 47Communication and Interpersonal Skills

A resident says, "I don't want that test." What is the best first response?

  1. You have to do it because the doctor ordered it.
  2. Tell me what worries you about the test. Correct answer.
  3. Other residents have that test all the time.
  4. I will tell the nurse you refused everything today.

Explanation

Asking what worries the resident clarifies the concern and shows respect for the person's feelings before any action is taken. The NA can then report accurate information to the nurse.

Question 48Communication and Interpersonal Skills

A nursing assistant overhears two coworkers discussing a resident's diagnosis in the hallway. The NA should:

  1. post the details on the unit board
  2. join the conversation to learn more
  3. ignore it because it is not their assignment
  4. speak to them privately about confidentiality Correct answer.

Explanation

Resident health information may be shared only with those who need it for care, and hallway discussion can be overheard by visitors and other residents. A quiet, private reminder protects the resident's right to confidentiality.

Question 49Communication and Interpersonal Skills

While giving a bath, a nursing assistant notices a new reddened area on a resident's hip. The NA should:

  1. report the finding to the charge nurse Correct answer.
  2. record it in the chart and tell no one
  3. massage the area and continue care
  4. wait for the next care conference

Explanation

New skin changes must be reported promptly so the nurse can assess the area and revise the care plan. Reporting is a verbal communication duty separate from charting.

Question 50Communication and Interpersonal Skills

When a resident with dementia becomes upset and repeats the same question, the nursing assistant should:

  1. explain in detail why the question is unnecessary
  2. respond calmly and redirect to a simple activity Correct answer.
  3. correct the resident's memory errors firmly
  4. leave the room until the resident quiets down

Explanation

A calm tone and gentle redirection reduce distress because the resident may not be able to reason or recall the answer. Arguing about memory errors usually increases agitation.