Montana CNA study plan
Montana CNA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Promotion of Safety and Infection Control
Demonstrate the full hand-hygiene sequence and state the moments when it is required
Sequence the correct order for donning and removing PPE, including gloves, gown, mask, and goggles
Identify at least eight fall and injury hazards in a described resident room and state one correction for each
Explain standard precautions versus transmission-based precautions and match three common conditions to the right precaution type
Describe the nurse aide's immediate actions and reporting duties when a resident is injured or an exposure occurs
Your checkpoint
Score at least 80% on a self-made 40-question safety and infection-control quiz, and perform hand hygiene plus full PPE don/doff for a study partner using a printed checklist with zero missed steps
Basic Nursing Care and Personal Care Skills
Perform bed bath, partial bath, and perineal care in the correct front-to-back sequence while preserving privacy and dignity
Carry out mouth care, denture care, hair care, nail care, and shaving with attention to resident preference and safety
Assist a resident to dress and undress, adapting the order for an affected arm or leg
Make an occupied and an unoccupied bed while keeping linens off the floor and the resident safe
Provide feeding and fluid assistance, including positioning, pacing, and recognizing choking risk signs
Your checkpoint
Complete a printed personal-care skills checklist covering six skills, each practiced at least three times and signed off by a practice partner or instructor
Promotion of Function and Health of Residents
Position a resident in supine, lateral, Fowler's, and prone positions using pillows and alignment principles
Perform passive range-of-motion exercises for the upper and lower extremities within the resident's comfort and limits
Explain how to encourage hydration, balanced intake, and independence in eating for a resident with limited mobility
Describe bowel and bladder routine care, including toileting schedules, incontinence care, and fluid tracking
Identify interventions that promote sleep, rest, and relief of common discomfort without exceeding the nurse aide's scope
Your checkpoint
Teach back five positioning-and-transfer or mobility scenarios to a study partner, correctly naming the position, the safety checks, and the body mechanics for each
Clinical Skills Performance
Rehearse a timed sequence for at least ten core clinical skills, narrating each step aloud as you would in a skills check
Demonstrate safe body mechanics during a bed-to-chair transfer, a pivot transfer, and a mechanical lift setup
Measure and record temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure, height, and weight accurately
Collect specimens and perform routine intake-and-output measurement using correct labeling and hygiene practice
Self-correct errors immediately after each run-through by reviewing the skill checklist
Your checkpoint
Pass a mock skills check of ten randomly drawn skills with a score of at least 90% and no critical safety errors (such as leaving a resident unattended or skipping hand hygiene)
Role of the Nurse Aide and Resident Rights
List the resident rights that govern privacy, dignity, choice, personal belongings, and refusal of care
Distinguish the nurse aide's scope of practice from tasks that must be reported to or performed by the licensed nurse
Describe the steps and the chain of reporting for suspected abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property
Explain how to resolve a conflict between a resident's choice and a safety concern by escalating appropriately
Identify professional behaviors expected of a nurse aide, including confidentiality, punctuality, and respectful communication
Your checkpoint
Write responses to three resident-rights scenarios and score at least 80% on a 30-question role-and-rights quiz, then compare answers against a written rights summary
Specialized Care and Psychosocial Needs
Apply communication and redirection strategies for a resident with dementia who is agitated or repeating questions
Describe care adaptations for residents with hearing loss, vision loss, aphasia, and depression
Explain comfort-focused and end-of-life care tasks, including mouth care, positioning, and respecting cultural and spiritual practices
Identify psychosocial needs related to loss, grief, body image changes, and new admission to a facility
Describe how to support restorative nursing goals and encourage resident independence in daily activities
Your checkpoint
Produce written care approaches for three case-based scenarios (dementia, post-stroke communication, terminal care) and explain each approach aloud to a study partner in under five minutes per case
Promotion of Safety and Infection Control & Basic Nursing Care and Personal Care Skills
Re-drill the safety and infection-control items missed on earlier quizzes until each is answered correctly twice in a row
Re-practice the three personal-care skills with the lowest checklist scores from week 2
Combine infection control with personal care by performing two skills fully within a no-cross-contamination routine
Answer mixed questions that ask which skill, precaution, or reporting action comes first in a risky situation
Your checkpoint
Score at least 85% on a timed 60-question mixed quiz covering safety, infection control, and personal care, with a written list of every missed item and its corrected answer
Role of the Nurse Aide and Resident Rights & Promotion of Safety and Infection Control & Promotion of Function and Health of Residents & Basic Nursing Care and Personal Care Skills & Specialized Care and Psychosocial Needs & Clinical Skills Performance
Complete two full-length timed practice exams that mirror the exam domain weighting
Review every missed question and restate the correct rationale in your own words
Rehearse the five clinical skills you are least confident about until each is error-free
Assemble a one-page sheet of high-risk safety, reporting, and scope-of-practice facts for final review
Plan exam-day logistics, including arrival time, required identification, and rest and nutrition the night before
Your checkpoint
Two full-length practice exams scored at least 85% each, plus a completed one-page weak-area sheet with every weak item re-answered correctly
Milestones
Week 2: Baseline skills check recorded: six personal-care skills practiced, with a written score for each so weak skills are known before week 7
Week 4: Mock clinical skills check passed at 90% or better with zero critical safety errors
Week 6: At least one quiz completed in every domain, with an average score of 80% or higher and a list of remaining weak topics
Week 8: Two full-length practice exams at 85% or higher, and every domain represented above 80% on the final review