New Mexico CNA cheat sheet

Normal adult ranges to memorize: pulse 60–100 beats/min, respirations 12–20/min, oral temperature 97.6–99.6 °F, blood pressure at or below 120/80 mmHg.

Count a radial pulse or respirations for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 when the rhythm is regular; count a full 60 seconds when the rhythm is irregular.

Wait 15 minutes after food, drink, or smoking before taking an oral temperature; bath water is 105–115 °F (43–46 °C).

Turn and reposition a resident who cannot move independently at least every 2 hours, checking skin at pressure points each time.

Range of motion: move each joint slowly to the point of resistance, never past pain, supporting the joint above and below.

Intake and output: 30 mL = 1 oz; record all oral, IV, and tube fluids plus urine, vomitus, and drainage; keep the Foley bag below bladder level and off the floor.

Restraints require a physician's order: check every 15 minutes, release and reposition every 2 hours, and offer fluids and toileting with each release.

Non-blanchable redness over a bony prominence signals pressure injury: keep the area off the surface and report it to the charge nurse.

Apply elastic (anti-embolic) stockings before the resident gets out of bed in the morning, and remove them for skin care as ordered.

Maslow's order governs priorities: physiological needs → safety → love and belonging → esteem → self-actualization; lower needs are met first.

Kübler-Ross stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance; people move back and forth rather than in a straight line.

For confusion, use calm and consistent reality orientation (date, time, place, who you are); when facts increase distress, acknowledge the feeling instead of arguing.

Aphasia: ask questions answerable yes or no, speak slowly, allow extra time, and never finish the resident's sentences.

Hearing loss: face the resident, get attention before speaking, lower voice pitch, reduce background noise; shouting distorts sound and hinders understanding.

Depression indicators to report: withdrawal, appetite or weight loss, sleep changes, and tearfulness lasting more than 2 weeks.

Protect privacy and dignity: knock, announce yourself, wait for permission, close the curtain and door, and keep the resident covered during care.

Ask about and record culture and religion on the care plan: food rules, modesty, prayer times, and death rituals.

Denial, projection, and rationalization are unconscious coping mechanisms; accept the behavior without arguing and report significant changes in mood or behavior.

Scope of practice: perform only tasks taught in the approved training program and delegated by a licensed nurse - no sterile technique, no medication administration, no resident teaching requiring a license.

Chain of command: nurse aide → charge nurse/LPN → RN supervisor → director of nursing → administrator.

Five rights of delegation: right task, right circumstance, right person, right direction and communication, right supervision.

Charting is objective, factual, and timely - exact times and measurements, no opinions or blank lines, no white-out; correct errors with a single line, the word "error," and initials.

Incident reports are completed promptly per facility policy with facts only; they are not part of the medical record and do not assign blame.

Suspected abuse, neglect, or misappropriation: report immediately to the charge nurse and, as state law requires, to the state agency; the aide does not investigate.

HIPAA: share resident information only with staff who need it to give care; never discuss residents in hallways, elevators, or off duty.

Fire response uses RACE - Rescue, Alarm, Contain (close doors), Extinguish or Evacuate; extinguisher use uses PASS - Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.

OBRA baseline: at least 75 hours of state-approved training including supervised clinical hours plus a competency evaluation; keep registry status active by working at least 8 hours in a paid aide position within 24 months.

Normal adult ranges to memorize: pulse 60–100 beats/min, respirations 12–20/min, oral temperature 97.6–99.6 °F, blood pressure at or below 120/80 mmHg.

Count a radial pulse or respirations for 30 seconds and multiply by 2 when regular; count a full 60 seconds when irregular.

Wait 15 minutes after food, drink, or smoking before an oral temperature; bath water is 105–115 °F.

Turn and reposition an immobile resident at least every 2 hours and inspect pressure points each time.

Range of motion: move each joint slowly to the point of resistance, never past pain, supporting above and below.

Intake/output: 30 mL = 1 oz; keep the Foley bag below bladder level and off the floor.

Restraints require an order: check every 15 minutes, release and reposition every 2 hours, offer fluids and toileting.

Non-blanchable redness over a bony prominence is a pressure injury sign - keep the area off the surface and report it.