North Dakota CNA study plan
North Dakota CNA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Physical Care Skills
Define the nurse aide's scope of practice in physical care and list five findings that must be reported to the licensed nurse
Demonstrate the full handwashing sequence and put on and remove PPE in the correct order without prompting
Identify five safety hazards in a resident room and state the correction for each
Apply correct body mechanics while repositioning a resident and while lifting a 20-pound object
Your checkpoint
Score 90% or higher on a 25-question quiz on infection control, safety, and body mechanics, and complete an unassisted handwashing and PPE run-through with zero missed steps.
Physical Care Skills
Perform a partial bed bath, perineal care, and back massage on a practice partner in the correct sequence
Sequence the steps for dressing a resident with a weak side and for giving oral care to an unconscious resident
Assist a resident to ambulate with a gait belt and to pivot from bed to chair while stating each safety check aloud
Carry out passive range-of-motion exercises for upper and lower extremities and name the joint each movement targets
Your checkpoint
Complete a 12-step skills checklist for bathing, dressing, and transfer, with a peer evaluator marking every critical step as performed.
Physical Care Skills
Measure and record oral and axillary temperature, radial pulse, respirations, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation within the accepted range on repeated practice readings
Calculate and record 24-hour intake and output from a sample fluid record with no errors
Describe how to collect a clean-catch urine specimen and a stool specimen and state the labeling requirements
Identify the stages of pressure injury and list four interventions that reduce skin breakdown
Your checkpoint
Submit a vital-signs log of 20 measurements that all fall within ±4 mmHg, ±4 beats, and ±2 breaths of the instructor's readings, plus one error-free intake and output sheet.
Physical Care Skills & Role of the Nurse Aide
Re-perform every Domain 1 skill step that was missed on earlier self-checks until each is done correctly twice in a row
Explain resident rights, including refusal of care, privacy, and grievance, and describe how to respond when a resident exercises one
Rewrite three vague or subjective chart entries into factual, measurable documentation
State the chain of command and give examples of what to report, to whom, and how soon
Your checkpoint
Score 80% or higher on a 50-question Domain 1 practice test and pass a verbal rights-and-reporting quiz with a study partner.
Psychosocial Care Skills
Identify five defense mechanisms and give a resident scenario that illustrates each
Apply active listening skills, including restating, open questions, and silence, in three recorded role-plays
Describe stage-appropriate responses for a resident in early, middle, and late dementia
List three non-drug comfort measures for a resident who is anxious, lonely, or in pain
Your checkpoint
Record three 5-minute role-play scenarios and score each at 8/10 or higher on a 10-item communication rubric.
Psychosocial Care Skills & Role of the Nurse Aide
Describe how to recognize, respond to, and report suspected abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property, including the required timelines
Explain care of a dying resident and the family, and list post-mortem care steps in the correct order
Outline the aide's role during admission, transfer, and discharge, including inventory and packing of belongings
Identify cultural and spiritual preferences that affect daily care and describe how to accommodate them
Your checkpoint
Produce a two-page rights-and-reporting reference card covering abuse reporting, care of the dying resident, and transfer steps, verified line by line against the state curriculum with no factual gaps.
Role of the Nurse Aide
Distinguish tasks that may be delegated to the aide from those that may not, using ten sample scenarios
Describe first actions for fire, choking, falls, and seizure, stating the aide's first three steps in each
Explain the aide's role in restorative care and in promoting independence during activities of daily living
Prioritize five competing tasks on a sample shift assignment using time-management and work-ethics standards
Your checkpoint
Sort 20 task cards into 'aide may perform' and 'must refer to the nurse' with 100% accuracy and justify five of the placements aloud.
Physical Care Skills & Psychosocial Care Skills & Role of the Nurse Aide
Complete three timed full-length practice exams and log every missed item by domain and subarea
Re-teach the two weakest subareas to a study partner using the skill sheets
Rehearse 15 physical skills in a timed run-through under simulated test-day conditions
Recite from memory a one-page sheet of key numbers, timelines, and reporting rules
Your checkpoint
Score 85% or higher on two consecutive full-length practice exams and finish a timed 15-skill run-through with no critical-step errors.
Milestones
Week 2: All bathing, dressing, and transfer critical steps performed correctly on the checklist with no prompting from the evaluator.
Week 4: Domain 1 practice test at 80% or higher and a passing verbal quiz on resident rights and reporting; every previously missed skill step corrected.
Week 6: Communication rubric scores of 8/10 or higher on all three role-plays, and the rights-and-reporting reference card completed with zero factual gaps.
Week 8: Two consecutive full-length practice exams at 85% or higher, all three domains above 80%, and a clean timed 15-skill run-through.