Montana CNA key terms

The federally protected freedoms every nursing home resident keeps, such as privacy, dignity, choice, visitors, personal belongings, and the right to voice complaints without fear of retaliation.

A resident's voluntary agreement to a treatment or procedure after being told what will happen, the risks and benefits, and the alternatives, given without pressure.

A written document, such as a living will or durable power of attorney for health care, that states a person's wishes about medical treatment in case they can no longer speak for themselves.

Keeping a resident's personal and medical information private and sharing it only with staff who need it to give care; discussing residents where others can overhear violates this.

Any intentional act that causes physical, emotional, sexual, or financial harm to a resident, including verbal threats, rough handling, or taking their money or belongings.

Failure to provide the care and services a resident needs, such as missing meals, leaving someone in soiled linens, or ignoring calls for help, whether on purpose or from oversight.

The legal duty of nurse aides and other caregivers to report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation to the nurse in charge and to the required state agency right away.

A trained advocate provided by the state who investigates complaints made by or for nursing home residents and helps protect their rights at no cost to the resident.

The specific tasks and duties a nurse aide is legally allowed and trained to perform under state law; aides must not do tasks reserved for licensed nurses.

Care that treats each resident as an individual, honoring their preferences, routines, culture, and choices rather than fitting everyone into one fixed schedule.

Infection control steps used with every resident every time, including hand hygiene, gloves, gowns, masks, and safe handling of sharps and body fluids, because infection status may be unknown.

Cleaning hands with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer at key moments, such as before and after resident contact, after removing gloves, and after touching body fluids.

Gloves, gowns, masks, goggles, and face shields worn to create a barrier between the caregiver and blood, body fluids, or airborne germs during care.

Extra precautions used beyond standard precautions for residents with a known or suspected contagious illness, grouped as contact, droplet, and airborne, often requiring a private room and specific protective equipment.

The six linked steps needed for infection to spread: a germ, a place to live, a way out, a way to travel, a way in, and a person who can get sick; breaking any link prevents infection.

Using correct posture and body position, such as bending the knees, keeping the back straight, holding loads close, and asking for help, to move residents safely and prevent caregiver injury.

Any device, such as a belt or vest, that limits a resident's movement and is used only with a doctor's order for a specific medical reason, never for convenience or discipline.

Steps taken to reduce falling, such as keeping the call light within reach, clearing clutter, using non-skid footwear, locking bed wheels, and answering requests for toileting quickly.

A fire response sequence: Rescue anyone in danger, Alarm the fire department, Contain the fire by closing doors, and Extinguish or Evacuate depending on the situation.

Moving a joint through its normal arc, either by the resident, called active, or by the caregiver, called passive, to keep joints flexible and muscles working when a resident cannot move independently.

A permanent shortening and tightening of muscles or tendons around a joint that limits movement, often prevented by regular range-of-motion exercise and proper positioning.

Damage to skin and underlying tissue caused by unrelieved pressure, usually over bony areas, or by friction and moisture; it can develop quickly in residents who cannot reposition themselves.

Turning or shifting a resident who cannot move independently at scheduled intervals, usually at least every two hours, to relieve pressure on bony areas and protect the skin.

Measuring and recording everything a resident drinks and the urine, vomit, or drainage they produce, so the care team can tell whether fluid balance is normal.

Care that encourages residents to do as much for themselves as they safely can, using practice and support to rebuild strength and independence after illness or with a chronic condition.

Daily self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, eating, toileting, and moving from bed to chair; the amount of help a resident needs is often used to measure function.

Washing the genital and anal area using the correct technique, front to back, then rinsing and drying well, to remove secretions, prevent skin breakdown, and reduce infection risk.

Routine care of a urinary catheter, including cleaning around the tube daily, keeping the drainage bag below bladder level, and never pulling or kinking the tubing.

Difficulty swallowing that raises the risk of choking and aspiration; signs include coughing or a wet voice during meals, and it may require thickened liquids or changed food textures.

Tight compression stockings worn on the legs, usually ordered after surgery or during immobility, to help blood return to the heart and reduce swelling and clot risk.

A group of brain conditions that slowly reduce memory, judgment, and the ability to care for oneself; residents may repeat questions, wander, or become upset when routines change.

Listening and responding in a way that shows respect and encourages the resident to share feelings, using open questions, silence, and restating rather than giving advice or arguing.

An approach to a person with dementia that accepts and acknowledges their feelings and their reality instead of correcting them, which helps reduce distress and build trust.

The respectful care given after a resident dies: positioning the body, closing the eyes, washing and covering it, and treating the person and family with dignity while following facility policy.

Measurements of temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, and often pain and oxygen level, taken to detect changes in a resident's condition and guide care decisions.

A wide strap fastened around a resident's waist that gives the caregiver a secure hold while walking or transferring the person, helping prevent falls for both people.