This free CNA practice test has 25 questions like the ones on the state CNA written (knowledge) exam. Click an answer to see right away if you got it, plus a rationale for every option. Your score shows at the end.
The questions cover the three areas the written exam tests: physical care skills, the role of the nurse aide, and psychosocial care. They start easier and get harder as you go.
Question 1 of 25 Physical Care Skills
When washing hands with soap and water, the nurse aide should rub all surfaces of the hands together with lather for at least how long?
- 5 seconds. Incorrect. Five seconds is too short for friction and soap to remove germs from all hand surfaces.
- 10 seconds. Incorrect. Ten seconds does not give enough time to clean between the fingers, the thumbs, and under the nails.
- 20 seconds. Correct. Current hand hygiene guidance calls for rubbing lathered hands for at least 20 seconds. Friction over this time loosens and removes germs from all surfaces before rinsing.
- 2 minutes. Incorrect. Two minutes is not required for routine handwashing; at least 20 seconds of lathering with friction is the standard.
Question 2 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
Before giving care, what is the best way for the nurse aide to confirm a resident’s identity?
- Check the ID band and ask the resident’s name. Correct. Checking the identification band (or facility photo ID) and asking the resident to state their name uses the resident’s own identifiers. This prevents giving care to the wrong person.
- Read the name card posted on the door. Incorrect. Door cards are not reliable because residents may be in the wrong room or the card may be outdated.
- Ask the roommate to point out the resident. Incorrect. A roommate may be confused or mistaken and is not an approved way to identify a resident.
- Go by the bed number on the assignment sheet. Incorrect. Residents can change beds or rooms, so a bed number alone does not confirm who the person is.
Question 3 of 25 Physical Care Skills
A resident lying flat on the abdomen, face down with the head turned to one side, is in which position?
- Supine. Incorrect. Supine means lying flat on the back.
- Lateral. Incorrect. Lateral means lying on one side.
- Fowler’s. Incorrect. Fowler’s position is a semi-sitting position with the head of the bed raised.
- Prone. Correct. Prone means lying on the abdomen. The head is turned to the side so the resident can breathe easily.
Question 4 of 25 Physical Care Skills
Which resting pulse rate for an adult resident is within the normal range?
- 48 beats per minute. Incorrect. A rate below 60 is slower than normal for most adults and should be reported to the nurse.
- 76 beats per minute. Correct. The normal resting pulse for an adult is 60 to 100 beats per minute. A rate of 76 falls within this range.
- 112 beats per minute. Incorrect. A rate above 100 is faster than normal and should be reported to the nurse.
- 130 beats per minute. Incorrect. This rate is well above the normal adult range and must be reported to the nurse promptly.
Question 5 of 25 Physical Care Skills
The nurse aide raised the bed to give a resident a bed bath. Before leaving the room after care, the aide should
- leave the bed at the aide’s working height. Incorrect. A bed left high increases the chance of a serious injury if the resident tries to get out of bed or falls.
- raise the head of the bed as high as it goes. Incorrect. The head of the bed is positioned based on the care plan and resident comfort, not raised fully as a routine.
- unlock the bed wheels so it can be moved. Incorrect. Bed wheels should stay locked so the bed does not roll when the resident gets in or out.
- lower the bed to its lowest position. Correct. The bed is raised only while care is given to protect the aide’s back. Returning it to the lowest position reduces the risk of falls and injury.
Question 6 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
The nurse is very busy and asks the nurse aide to give a resident his morning pills. The aide is not a certified medication aide. What should the aide do?
- Give the pills, since the nurse asked. Incorrect. A nurse’s request does not make a task legal for an aide; giving medications is outside the nurse aide’s scope.
- Let the resident take the pills on his own. Incorrect. Leaving medications for a resident to take unsupervised is unsafe and is not the aide’s decision.
- Explain that giving medicine is outside the aide’s role. Correct. Giving medications is outside the scope of practice for a nurse aide. The aide should politely decline and let the nurse know so the medications are given on time by qualified staff.
- Give the pills only if the resident agrees to take them. Incorrect. The resident’s agreement does not change the aide’s scope of practice.
Question 7 of 25 Physical Care Skills
The nurse aide has just finished perineal care for a resident who was incontinent of stool, and the aide’s gloves are soiled. Next, the aide will put a clean gown on the resident. What should the aide do?
- Remove the gloves and clean the hands before going on. Correct. Soiled gloves are removed and hand hygiene is done before moving from a dirty task to a clean one. This keeps germs from stool off the clean gown, the linen, and the resident. New gloves are put on if contact with body fluids is still expected.
- Rinse the gloved hands under running water and continue. Incorrect. Rinsing gloves does not remove germs, and gloves are not meant to be washed and reused.
- Wipe the gloves with a clean towel, then continue. Incorrect. Wiping soiled gloves still leaves germs that would be spread to the clean gown and linen.
- Keep the same gloves on until all care is finished. Incorrect. Wearing soiled gloves carries germs from the perineal area to clean items and other parts of the body.
Question 8 of 25 Psychosocial Care Skills
Which situation is an example of neglect?
- Yelling at a resident who is slow to eat. Incorrect. Yelling at a resident is verbal abuse, not neglect.
- Leaving a resident in a soiled brief all shift. Correct. Neglect is failing to give care a resident needs. Leaving a resident in a soiled brief for hours harms skin and dignity and must be reported.
- Taking cash from a resident’s wallet. Incorrect. Taking a resident’s money is financial abuse (misappropriation of property).
- Pushing a resident roughly into a chair. Incorrect. Rough handling that can cause injury is physical abuse.
Question 9 of 25 Physical Care Skills
During range-of-motion exercises, moving the arm out to the side, away from the body, is called
- adduction. Incorrect. Adduction is moving a body part toward the midline of the body.
- flexion. Incorrect. Flexion is bending a joint, such as bending the elbow.
- abduction. Correct. Abduction is moving a body part away from the midline of the body. Raising the arm out to the side is an example.
- rotation. Incorrect. Rotation is turning a body part around its own axis, such as turning the head from side to side.
Question 10 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
A resident speaks only Spanish, and the nurse aide does not. The resident looks upset and is trying to explain something. What should the aide do?
- Speak English more loudly and slowly. Incorrect. Speaking louder does not help a person understand a language they do not speak and may seem threatening.
- Ask a visitor in the hallway to translate. Incorrect. Using a stranger to translate violates the resident’s privacy and may give incorrect information.
- Nod and smile until the resident calms down. Incorrect. Nodding without understanding may hide a serious problem and is not honest communication.
- Tell the nurse so an interpreter can be used. Correct. Residents have the right to understand and be understood. The nurse can arrange a trained interpreter or language line so the resident’s concern is heard accurately.
Question 11 of 25 Physical Care Skills
When should the nurse aide empty a resident’s ostomy pouch?
- When it is one-third to one-half full. Correct. Emptying the pouch when it is one-third to one-half full keeps it from pulling away from the skin and leaking. It also reduces odor and skin irritation.
- Only when it is completely full. Incorrect. A full pouch is heavy and may loosen or leak, which irritates the skin around the stoma.
- Only at the end of each shift. Incorrect. Pouches are emptied based on how full they are, not on a set schedule.
- Only when the resident asks for it. Incorrect. The aide checks the pouch during care and empties it as needed, even if the resident does not ask.
Question 12 of 25 Physical Care Skills
A resident with weakness on the left side is walking with a gait belt. Where should the nurse aide walk?
- On the right side, slightly ahead. Incorrect. Walking ahead on the strong side leaves the weak side unsupported if the resident starts to fall.
- On the left side, slightly behind. Correct. The aide walks on the resident’s weak side, slightly behind, holding the gait belt. This position gives the most support where the resident is most likely to lose balance.
- Directly in front, walking backward. Incorrect. Walking backward is unsafe for the aide and does not allow a secure hold on the gait belt.
- On the right side, slightly behind. Incorrect. Standing on the strong side leaves the weak left side without support.
Question 13 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
A resident tells the nurse aide she wants to complain about the food but is afraid staff will treat her badly if she does. What should the aide tell her?
- Only family members can make complaints. Incorrect. Residents themselves have the right to voice complaints; they do not need family to do it.
- She should wait until she has more concerns. Incorrect. A resident does not have to wait or collect complaints before raising a concern.
- Complaining may affect the care she receives. Incorrect. Care must never be changed or withheld because a resident complains; this would be retaliation.
- She can complain without fear of punishment. Correct. Residents have the right to voice grievances without fear of punishment or retaliation. The aide reassures her and lets the nurse know so the concern is addressed.
Question 14 of 25 Physical Care Skills
A resident’s lunch tray has four items of about the same size. The resident eats all of the soup, half of the sandwich, half of the salad, and none of the dessert. What percentage of the meal should the nurse aide record?
- 25%. Incorrect. This would mean only one of the four items was eaten in total.
- 40%. Incorrect. This does not match the amounts eaten; each item is worth 25% of the meal.
- 50%. Correct. Each item is 25% of the meal. Soup (25%) plus half the sandwich (12.5%) plus half the salad (12.5%) equals 50%.
- 75%. Incorrect. This would require three full items to be eaten, but only two items’ worth was eaten in total.
Question 15 of 25 Psychosocial Care Skills
A resident with Alzheimer’s disease will not stay seated at meals and keeps getting up to walk around the dining room. Which action by the nurse aide best helps the resident get enough to eat?
- Offer finger foods the resident can eat while walking. Correct. Finger foods let a resident who paces keep eating while moving. This supports nutrition without forcing the resident to sit still.
- Remove the tray once the resident leaves the table. Incorrect. Taking the tray away means the resident misses needed food and fluids.
- Ask the nurse to restrain the resident during meals. Incorrect. Restraints are not used for staff convenience and can cause injury and distress.
- Feed the resident quickly so the meal ends sooner. Incorrect. Rushing a resident can cause choking and does not respect the resident’s needs.
Question 16 of 25 Physical Care Skills
While stripping a bed, the nurse aide finds a used needle in the sheets. What should the aide do?
- Recap the needle before throwing it away. Incorrect. Recapping used needles is a common cause of needlestick injuries and should not be done.
- Put it in the sharps container and tell the nurse. Correct. Used needles go directly into a puncture-resistant sharps container. The nurse is told so the source can be found and the problem prevented.
- Wrap it in the dirty linen and place it in the hamper. Incorrect. A needle in linen can stick laundry staff and spread bloodborne disease.
- Leave it on the bedside table for the nurse. Incorrect. Leaving a used needle out creates a needlestick risk for residents, visitors, and staff.
Question 17 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
A resident says to the nurse aide, “My stomach feels like it’s on fire.” How should the aide report this to the nurse?
- State that the resident has an ulcer. Incorrect. Nurse aides do not diagnose; naming a condition is outside the aide’s role.
- Report only what the aide can see. Incorrect. What a resident says (subjective information) is important and must also be reported.
- Wait to report it at the end of the shift. Incorrect. New complaints of pain or discomfort should be reported promptly, not held until later.
- Use the resident’s exact words. Correct. Subjective information is reported in the resident’s own words, often in quotation marks. This gives the nurse an accurate picture without the aide interpreting it.
Question 18 of 25 Physical Care Skills
When taking a tympanic (ear) temperature on an adult, the nurse aide should gently pull the outer ear
- down and back. Incorrect. Pulling down and back is used for young children, whose ear canals are shaped differently.
- straight down. Incorrect. Pulling straight down does not straighten the adult ear canal.
- forward toward the face. Incorrect. Pulling the ear forward closes the ear canal and blocks the probe.
- up and back. Correct. For adults, pulling the ear up and back straightens the ear canal. This lets the probe point toward the eardrum for an accurate reading.
Question 19 of 25 Physical Care Skills
A resident sitting in a chair suddenly has a nosebleed. While calling for the nurse, what should the nurse aide do?
- Have the resident sit up, lean forward, and pinch the nose. Correct. Sitting up and leaning forward keeps blood from running down the throat. Pinching the soft part of the nose applies pressure to help stop the bleeding.
- Lay the resident flat in bed with the head tilted back. Incorrect. Lying flat with the head back lets blood drain into the throat, which can cause choking or vomiting.
- Have the resident tilt the head back and swallow the blood. Incorrect. Tilting the head back and swallowing blood can cause nausea and vomiting.
- Pack the nostril tightly with dry tissue. Incorrect. Packing the nose is not an aide task and can injure the inside of the nose.
Question 20 of 25 Psychosocial Care Skills
A newly admitted resident looks down and avoids eye contact whenever the nurse aide speaks to her. She answers questions politely and follows directions. What is the best way for the aide to understand this behavior?
- She is being rude and should be told so. Incorrect. Assuming rudeness ignores cultural differences and can harm the relationship.
- She is not listening to what is said. Incorrect. She answers questions and follows directions, which shows she is listening even while looking away.
- Her culture may shape how she shows respect. Correct. In some cultures, avoiding direct eye contact, especially with someone seen as an authority, is a sign of respect. The aide continues to speak respectfully and does not judge the behavior by the aide’s own cultural norms.
- She is probably hiding something from staff. Incorrect. Avoiding eye contact is not a reliable sign of dishonesty, and this assumption is unfair to the resident.
Question 21 of 25 Physical Care Skills
The nurse aide walks into a room and finds a resident lying on the floor beside the bed. What should the aide do first?
- Help the resident back into bed right away. Incorrect. Moving the resident before the nurse checks for injury could make a fracture or other injury worse.
- Stay with the resident and call for the nurse. Correct. The aide stays with the resident for safety and uses the call light or calls out for help. The nurse must assess the resident before the resident is moved.
- Leave the room to find the nurse at the station. Incorrect. Leaving the resident alone on the floor is unsafe.
- Have the resident try to stand up without help. Incorrect. Standing could worsen an injury and lead to another fall.
Question 22 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
A nurse aide raises a hand and tells a resident, “If you don’t stop yelling, I’ll slap you.” The aide does not touch the resident. This is an example of
- battery. Incorrect. Battery involves actually touching a person without consent; here, no touch occurred.
- negligence. Incorrect. Negligence is failing to give proper care, causing harm; this is an intentional threat.
- defamation. Incorrect. Defamation is making false statements that damage a person’s reputation.
- assault. Correct. Assault is threatening or attempting to harm a person so that they fear being touched. The raised hand and threat are assault even without contact, and it must be reported.
Question 23 of 25 Physical Care Skills
The nurse aide is starting a 24-hour urine collection for a resident at 7:00 a.m. What should the aide do with the resident’s 7:00 a.m. voiding?
- Discard it and then save all urine for the next 24 hours. Correct. The bladder is emptied at the start time and that urine is discarded. All urine after that, through the final voiding at 7:00 a.m. the next day, is saved.
- Save it as the first sample in the collection container. Incorrect. The first voiding was made before the test period began, so it is not included.
- Send it to the lab separately as a clean-catch sample. Incorrect. A 24-hour collection is not a clean-catch specimen, and this urine is not sent separately.
- Discard it and save only the next morning’s voiding. Incorrect. Every voiding during the 24 hours must be saved, not just one sample.
Question 24 of 25 Psychosocial Care Skills
A resident quietly tells the nurse aide, “I’m just a burden. My family would be better off if I weren’t around.” What should the aide do?
- Tell the resident not to talk like that. Incorrect. Telling the resident not to talk like that dismisses the feeling, shuts down communication, and ignores a possible warning sign.
- Stay with the resident and tell the nurse right away. Correct. Feeling like a burden can be a sign of depression or of thoughts of self-harm. The aide stays with the resident, listens without judging, and tells the nurse right away so the nurse can check on the resident’s safety.
- Keep the statement private so the resident keeps trusting the aide. Incorrect. Possible safety concerns must be reported; keeping them secret could put the resident at risk.
- Change the subject to something more cheerful. Incorrect. Changing the subject ignores the resident’s feelings and a possible safety risk.
Question 25 of 25 Role of the Nurse Aide
An alert resident asks the nurse aide to sign as a witness on her new will. What should the aide do?
- Sign it, since the resident is alert. Incorrect. Being alert does not make it appropriate for the aide to witness a legal document.
- Sign it only if family members are present. Incorrect. Having family present does not change the aide’s role, and family members may have an interest in the will.
- Politely decline and tell the nurse. Correct. Witnessing a will is a legal act that nurse aides should not do, and most facilities do not allow it. The aide politely declines and tells the nurse, who follows facility policy to help the resident find a proper witness.
- Read the will first to make sure it is fair. Incorrect. A resident’s will is private, and judging whether it is fair is not the aide’s role.
Your score
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What is on the CNA written exam?
Most states give a multiple-choice written (knowledge) test of about 60 to 70 questions, plus a separate hands-on skills test where you show an evaluator several nurse aide skills. The written test covers daily care, safety and infection control, communication, resident rights, and the emotional and mental health needs of residents. Check with your state testing company for the exact number of questions, time limit, and passing score.
Tips for passing the CNA written exam
- Read the whole question before looking at the answers. Watch for words like first, best, and except.
- When two answers look right, pick the one that keeps the resident safe and within the nurse aide role.
- If something seems wrong with a resident, the answer is usually to report it to the nurse, not to treat it yourself.
- Resident rights come first: privacy, dignity, choices, and being treated with respect.
- Take timed practice tests so the real exam feels familiar.
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