Indiana CNA study plan
Indiana CNA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide
List and explain the nurse aide's scope of tasks for bathing, grooming, oral care, and dressing, and identify which tasks must be reported to the nurse
Demonstrate on a peer or mannequin the sequence for a bed bath, including privacy draping and perineal care, and narrate each step aloud
Write out the steps for assisting with a bedpan, urinal, and bedside commode, then recite them from memory without notes
Explain how to measure and record fluid intake and urine output, and calculate a 24-hour total from a sample record
Your checkpoint
Completed 40-item Domain 4 self-quiz with every missed item rewritten as a corrected flashcard
Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide & Promotion of Function and Health of Residents
Perform and narrate range-of-motion exercises for upper and lower extremities, naming each joint movement
Describe positioning techniques for supine, lateral, Sims, and Fowler positions and state one reason each is used
Explain how to apply anti-embolic stockings and how often to remove them for skin checks
Identify three signs of skin breakdown and state the nurse aide's reporting responsibility for each
Your checkpoint
A one-page positioning and skin-care quick-reference sheet written in your own words, checked against a textbook for accuracy
Promotion of Function and Health of Residents
Explain the components of a balanced diet and list four texture- or fluid-modified diets with one food example each
Describe aspiration precautions during feeding, including positioning, pacing, and what to do if choking occurs
Outline how to encourage hydration and how to recognize and report dehydration
Explain how to assist a resident with a hearing aid, eyeglasses, and dentures, including cleaning and storage
Your checkpoint
Flashcard set of at least 25 cards covering diets, feeding safety, and assistive devices, self-tested to 90% recall
Promotion of Function and Health of Residents & Promotion of Safety
Identify fall risk factors and describe three interventions to prevent falls in a resident's room
Explain the correct use of a gait belt and a transfer belt during ambulation and transfers
Describe how to respond to a fire, including RACE sequence and evacuation priorities
Explain the purpose of side rails, restraints, and bed alarms, and state the resident's rights related to each
Your checkpoint
Score 80% or higher on a 50-item mixed quiz covering Domains 3 and 2, with a written error analysis of every missed item
Promotion of Safety
Demonstrate and narrate standard precautions, including correct donning and doffing of gloves and gown
Explain how to identify a resident before care and describe the procedure for handling a non-responsive resident
Describe how to respond to a bleeding injury, a seizure, and a resident found on the floor
Explain the purpose of the chain of infection and name one nurse aide action that breaks each link
Your checkpoint
Completed infection-control and emergency-response worksheet with all scenario questions answered in full sentences
Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changed Conditions and End-of-Life Care
Describe how to measure and record vital signs, including temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation, and state normal adult ranges
Explain how to recognize and report signs of pain, shortness of breath, and changes in level of consciousness
Describe care for a resident with a urinary catheter, an IV line, and a wound dressing, including what the aide may and may not do
Explain the physical and emotional signs of approaching death and describe post-mortem care steps in general terms
Your checkpoint
A completed vital-signs practice log with 20 sets of measurements taken and recorded, plus a 20-item Domain 5 quiz at 80% or higher
Role of the Nurse Aide & Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changed Conditions and End-of-Life Care
Explain the nurse aide's role within the healthcare team and list five tasks that must be reported to the nurse rather than handled independently
Describe resident rights, including privacy, dignity, confidentiality, and the right to refuse care
Explain how to recognize and report suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including the aide's mandatory reporting duty
Describe how to provide comfort-focused and culturally sensitive care to a dying resident and their family
Your checkpoint
Written role-play response to four ethical and reporting scenarios, each answered with the correct action and the rationale
Role of the Nurse Aide & Promotion of Safety & Promotion of Function and Health of Residents & Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide & Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changed Conditions and End-of-Life Care
Complete two full-length timed practice exams and record the score for each domain on both
Reteach yourself every domain where practice-exam accuracy falls below 80% using flashcards and notes
Recite from memory the steps for handwashing, glove use, and a safe transfer without referring to notes
Build a one-page summary sheet of numbers, ranges, and reporting rules that you will review the morning of the exam
Your checkpoint
Both full-length practice exams completed with an overall score of 85% or higher and a written remediation list showing every weak area resolved
Milestones
Week 2: Can perform and narrate a bed bath, a transfer with a gait belt, and range-of-motion exercises without referring to notes
Week 4: Scores 80% or higher on a 50-item mixed Domain 3 and Domain 2 quiz and can list fall-prevention and fire-response steps from memory
Week 6: Records 20 accurate vital-sign sets and passes a 20-item Domain 5 quiz at 80% or higher
Week 7: Correctly answers all four reporting and ethics scenarios and can state the mandatory reporting duty without prompting
Week 8: Scores 85% or higher overall on two full-length timed practice exams with no domain below 80%