Minnesota CNA flashcards

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

Resident refusal of care

A resident with decision-making capacity may decline any care task; the nursing assistant documents the refusal, may offer again later, and reports it to the charge nurse without forcing or bargaining.

Mandated abuse reporting

Nursing assistants are mandated reporters; suspected physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse or neglect must be reported immediately to the charge nurse and administrator under facility policy.

Chemical restraint

A drug used to control behavior or restrict freedom rather than to treat a diagnosed condition; it requires a physician order and may never be used for staff convenience or discipline.

Aphasia communication

Aphasia is difficulty understanding or producing language after brain injury; use short yes-or-no questions, gestures, pictures, and extra response time instead of pretending to understand.

Hearing aid care

Before speaking, check that the hearing aid is turned on, the battery works, and the ear mold is clean; reduce background noise and face the resident rather than shouting.

Validation for dementia

Accepting a confused resident's reality, responding to the feeling behind the words, and calmly redirecting instead of arguing about facts or correcting the person.

RACE fire response

Fire acronym meaning Rescue anyone in danger, Alarm or pull the alarm, Contain the fire by closing doors, then Extinguish or Evacuate according to facility policy.

PASS extinguisher use

Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side from a safe distance while keeping an exit behind you.

Adult CPR ratio

For adult CPR, give 30 chest compressions at 100 to 120 per minute and at least 2 inches deep, followed by 2 rescue breaths, repeating the cycle.

Seizure safety

Protect the head, move hazards away, do not restrain the resident or put anything in the mouth, time the seizure, and turn the resident to the side afterward.

Fall prevention basics

Keep the bed low with wheels locked, the call light within reach, non-skid footwear on, the floor clear, and lighting adequate to reduce resident falls.

Hand hygiene duration

Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or use alcohol-based sanitizer when hands are not visibly soiled, before and after every resident contact.

C. difficile handwashing

Alcohol sanitizer does not kill C. difficile spores, so soap and water handwashing is required after contact with a resident who has C. difficile or norovirus diarrhea.

PPE removal order

Remove gloves first, then goggles, then the gown, then the mask, and perform hand hygiene afterward; contaminated items go into the designated waste container.

Droplet precautions

Used for infections spread by large droplets such as influenza; staff wear a mask and the resident is placed in a private room or with a roommate who has the same infection.

Perineal care direction

Wash the perineal area from front to back using a separate washcloth, which prevents moving rectal bacteria toward the urethra and reduces urinary tract infection risk.

Denture care

Remove dentures at night and clean them with a brush and denture cleanser over a sink lined with a washcloth or filled with water so they do not break if dropped.

Bath water temperature

Bath water should be comfortably warm, about 105 degrees Fahrenheit or 40.5 degrees Celsius, tested on the inner wrist before the resident gets in.

Oral care for unconscious

For an unresponsive resident, clean the mouth with a moistened sponge swab while turning the head to the side; avoid toothpaste and never pour liquids into the mouth.

Normal adult vital signs

Typical adult ranges are oral temperature 97.6 to 99.6 Fahrenheit, pulse 60 to 100 beats per minute, respirations 12 to 20 per minute, and oxygen saturation 95 to 100 percent.

Radial pulse counting

Count the radial pulse for 30 seconds and multiply by two when the rhythm is regular; count a full 60 seconds when irregular, recording rate, rhythm, and strength.

Pulse deficit

The difference between the apical and radial pulse rates counted at the same time by two staff; a deficit reflects ineffective heartbeats and is reported to the nurse.

Oral temperature waiting

Wait 15 to 30 minutes after the resident eats, drinks hot or cold liquids, smokes, or chews gum before taking an oral temperature for an accurate reading.

Blood pressure cuff size

The cuff bladder should encircle about 80 percent of the upper arm; a cuff that is too small gives falsely high readings and one too large gives falsely low readings.

Aspiration precautions

Sit the resident upright at about 90 degrees for meals and for 30 minutes afterward, offer small bites, and stop feeding if coughing or a wet voice occurs.

Thickened liquids

Liquids thickened to nectar or honey consistency are ordered for swallowing problems and must never be thinned with water or ice, which raises aspiration risk.

Dehydration indicators

Dark concentrated urine, dry mouth, poor skin turgor, confusion, and decreased urine output suggest dehydration and should be reported to the nurse promptly.

Urinary catheter bag placement

Keep the drainage bag below the level of the bladder but off the floor, with tubing unkinked, to prevent urine from flowing back and causing infection.

Constipation reporting

Report to the nurse when a resident has had no bowel movement for three days or has hard dry stool, abdominal discomfort, or a change from their usual pattern.

Bedpan placement

Warm and dry the bedpan, place the wide end toward the head, raise the head of the bed if the resident's condition allows, and stay with a weak resident.

Repositioning schedule

Turn and reposition an immobile resident at least every two hours, and more often if skin is reddened or the care plan directs, to prevent pressure injuries.

Gait belt use

A gait belt is fastened snugly around the resident's waist over clothing and used to support transfers and walking; it is not a lifting device for a dependent resident.