Iowa CNA study plan
Iowa CNA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team & Legal and Ethical Considerations, Resident Rights
Distinguish the nurse aide's tasks from licensed-nursing tasks by listing at least three examples of each and naming the correct person to report to for each
Apply each resident right to a written daily-care scenario, producing one original example per right
Identify the reporting requirements and timeframes for suspected abuse, neglect, misappropriation of property, and exploitation
Define negligence, malpractice, assault, battery, and false imprisonment using original care examples
Your checkpoint
A one-page personal reference sheet pairing every resident right and legal term with an original care scenario, self-checked for accuracy at 90% or better
Infection Control and Asepsis & Safety and Emergency Procedures
Sequence the chain of infection and match one breaking action to each link
Write out the correct order for donning and removing gown, mask, goggles, and gloves from memory
Compare standard precautions with contact, droplet, and airborne precautions, naming one example condition for each
Apply fall-prevention, restraint, and fire/safety response steps (RACE and PASS) to three written emergency scenarios
Your checkpoint
A handwritten sequence card for PPE donning/removal and emergency response, plus a 20-item self-quiz with answer key scored at 85% or higher
Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs
List the equipment and step order for measuring temperature by each route, radial pulse, respiration, blood pressure, pulse oximetry, height, and weight
State the normal adult ranges for temperature, pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation and flag values that must be reported
Record 10 practice vital sign sets accurately on a flow sheet, including pain and intake/output entries
Describe what to do when a value falls outside the expected range, in the order the aide should act
Your checkpoint
A vital sign practice log of 10 sets with out-of-range values circled and a written report-it statement for each abnormal finding
Personal Care and Activities of Daily Living
Order the steps for bed bath, partial bath, perineal care, oral care, and dressing/undressing while preserving privacy and dignity
Explain at least four measures that prevent pressure injuries and identify three body areas to inspect during care
Demonstrate the correct procedure for assisting with toileting, including perineal hygiene and hand hygiene afterward
Adapt a personal care routine for a resident with limited mobility, contractures, or an indwelling catheter
Your checkpoint
A step-by-step checklist for six personal care skills written in correct order and checked line by line against the Iowa skills list
Nutrition, Hydration, and Feeding & Restorative Care and Mobility
Match at least six common therapeutic diets and fluid restrictions to the residents who would receive them
List the signs of swallowing difficulty and the feeding techniques that reduce aspiration risk, including positioning and pacing
Calculate and record intake and output for a full day using a practice fluid tally
Design a restorative plan that includes range-of-motion exercise, ambulation or transfer practice, and use of one assistive device
Your checkpoint
Two written case plans, one feeding plan for a resident with dysphagia and one mobility/restorative plan for a resident recovering from a stroke
Communication and Interpersonal Skills & Mental Health, Social Service Needs, and Care of the Cognitively Impaired
Respond in writing to eight communication barriers such as hearing loss, aphasia, vision loss, and language difference using plain, respectful phrasing
Describe the objective versus subjective content of a charted note and rewrite three vague notes into objective entries
Sequence the stages of dementia and match at least two supportive interventions to each stage
Select de-escalation and validation responses for five behavioral scenarios instead of arguing or correcting
Your checkpoint
A scripted response sheet for eight resident scenarios, each with a one-sentence rationale for the chosen approach
Basic Nursing Skills and Vital Signs & Personal Care and Activities of Daily Living & Infection Control and Asepsis
Complete two timed 50-item practice tests spanning all domains and record every miss by domain
Rank your three weakest domains from the error log and re-study each using notes and rewritten rationales
Re-demonstrate the five skills you missed or hesitated on, narrating each step aloud
Build a final one-page summary sheet of numbers, ranges, and safety rules you keep confusing
Your checkpoint
An error log of every missed item sorted by domain with a corrected written rationale for each, plus the completed summary sheet
Role of the Nurse Aide and Nurse Aide in the Health Care Team & Safety and Emergency Procedures
Complete a timed 100-item cumulative practice exam under test-like conditions and score at least 85%
Perform a full walk-through of the hands-on skills list, narrating each step and self-scoring against the checklist
Review the error log from week 7 and confirm that each previously missed item can now be answered correctly
Finalize logistics for test day, including identification, arrival time, and a rest plan for the night before
Your checkpoint
A scored 100-item practice exam at 85% or higher plus a completed self-scored skills walk-through checklist
Milestones
Week 2: Explain infection control and safety rules aloud without notes and score at least 85% on the 20-item self-quiz
Week 4: Score at least 80% on a cumulative 40-item quiz covering domains 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7
Week 6: Deliver all eight scripted behavioral responses and correctly sort three charted notes into objective versus subjective content
Week 8: Achieve 85% or higher on the timed 100-item exam and pass every line of the self-scored skills checklist