Washington CNA study plan
Washington CNA · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Physical Care Skills: Activities of Daily Living & Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills
Define each activity of daily living (bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting, eating, ambulation) and state the nurse aide's role in each
Demonstrate handwashing and apply standard precautions and donning/doffing of gloves to a simulated care scenario
Identify safety hazards in a resident room and state the corrective action for each
Explain how to respect privacy, dignity, and resident preference while completing personal care
Your checkpoint
Pass a 30-item self-quiz on ADLs, hand hygiene, and safety with a score of 80% or higher, and self-check handwashing against a written 10-step checklist.
Physical Care Skills: Activities of Daily Living & Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills
Perform bed bathing, oral care, and denture care in the correct sequence, describing each step aloud
Demonstrate safe positioning, turning, and alignment for a dependent resident, naming pressure-relief points
Describe the transfer sequence for bed-to-chair and chair-to-toilet using a gait belt
Measure and record temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure, and state normal adult ranges
List the observations to report immediately during personal care (skin breakdown, redness, swelling, pain, change in breathing)
Your checkpoint
Complete a written skills sequence sheet for five ADL tasks, listing every step in order from memory with no more than two prompts.
Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills
Differentiate intake and output measurement, and calculate a 24-hour fluid total from sample data
Describe the nurse aide's role in specimen collection (urine, stool, sputum) and the labeling and transport steps
Explain catheter care, perineal care, and the signs of urinary tract infection to report
Describe applying warm and cold treatments, including skin checks and time limits
State the safety rules for oxygen use and for restraining alternatives
Your checkpoint
Score 80% or higher on a 40-item basic nursing skills quiz, and correctly calculate fluid intake and output on two practice worksheets.
Physical Care Skills: Restorative Skills
Demonstrate range-of-motion exercises for the upper and lower extremities and distinguish active from passive ROM
Describe ambulation with a cane, walker, and gait belt, including the correct side and sequence
Explain bladder and bowel retraining programs and the aide's role in prompting and scheduled toileting
Identify ways to encourage self-care and independence in eating, dressing, and grooming
Describe the use of assistive devices for eating and dressing and how to report functional change
Your checkpoint
Complete a 60-item mixed practice test covering all four physical care domains with a score of 75% or higher, and list every missed item with the correct fact beside it.
Psychosocial Care Skills
Apply therapeutic communication techniques, including active listening, open questions, and clarifying
Distinguish reality orientation from validation approaches when caring for a resident with dementia
Describe de-escalation steps for agitated or combative behavior and when to call for help
Explain how to respect cultural, religious, and language differences in daily care
Describe emotional support for a dying resident and for grieving family members
Your checkpoint
Write and rehearse three short scripts (dementia redirection, an angry resident, a grieving family member) and self-score each against a five-point communication checklist.
Role of the Nurse Aide & Psychosocial Care Skills
Summarize resident rights, including the right to refuse care, privacy, and access to visitors
Identify the categories of abuse, neglect, and misappropriation and state the mandated reporting steps
Describe the nurse aide's scope of practice and which tasks must be delegated by a licensed nurse
Explain accurate documentation and reporting of changes in condition, including the chain of command
Describe teamwork, conflict resolution, and professional boundaries with residents and coworkers
Your checkpoint
Produce a one-page reference sheet of resident rights and reporting duties written from memory, verified against notes with all required elements present.
Physical Care Skills: Activities of Daily Living & Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills & Physical Care Skills: Restorative Skills & Psychosocial Care Skills & Role of the Nurse Aide
Complete two full-length timed practice exams under test conditions
Categorize every missed question by domain to identify the two weakest areas
Re-study the two weakest areas and re-test those areas only
Rehearse the ten most commonly tested skills out loud in sequence
Build a one-page memory sheet of numbers, ranges, and reporting triggers
Your checkpoint
Timed practice exam scores of 80% or higher on both attempts, plus a written error log showing the domain, the missed fact, and the corrected fact for every wrong answer.
Physical Care Skills: Activities of Daily Living & Physical Care Skills: Basic Nursing Skills & Physical Care Skills: Restorative Skills & Psychosocial Care Skills & Role of the Nurse Aide
Review the error log and memory sheet daily until every item is recalled without notes
Perform a full dry run of all hands-on skills in sequence with a practice partner scoring each step
Answer 50 rapid-fire scenario questions and justify each choice in one sentence
Explain test-taking strategies for scenario items: read the whole stem, eliminate unsafe choices, choose the most resident-centered option
Plan exam-day logistics: arrival time, required identification, and rest schedule
Your checkpoint
Complete a final timed mock exam with a score of 85% or higher and a partner-scored skills dry run in which every skill is performed with no critical step missed.
Milestones
Week 2: Recite the correct sequence for bed bath, oral care, denture care, and a bed-to-chair transfer without notes.
Week 4: Score 75% or higher on a 60-item mixed test of domains 1 through 3.
Week 6: Explain resident rights, abuse reporting, and scope of practice in a five-minute verbal summary with no factual errors.
Week 7: Score 80% or higher on two separate full-length timed practice exams.
Week 8: Score 85% or higher on a final timed mock exam and pass a partner-scored skills dry run with no critical step errors.