CNA Activities of Daily Living Practice Questions
Activities of Daily Living makes up 8 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest CNA practice test. Here are 10 of the 32 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.
Updated by the Tigertest team. Weighted to the NNAAP written exam content outline. Your state may use Prometric or Headmaster with a similar outline.
1. While giving a complete bed bath, the nurse aide washes the resident's eyes first. The correct method is to:
- A.Skip the eyes unless crusting is seen
- B.Wipe inner to outer corner, clean cloth area each eye
- C.Wipe outer to inner corner with mild soap and warm water
- D.Use the same part of the cloth for both eyes
Answer: B. Eyes are washed first, with water only, from the inner to the outer canthus using a clean part of the washcloth for each eye so debris is not carried toward the tear duct or into the other eye. Soap irritates the eyes, and reusing the same area spreads infection.
2. A female resident was incontinent of urine and needs perineal care. The nurse aide should wipe:
- A.In small circles, starting at the anus and moving outward
- B.Only the outer thighs and buttocks
- C.Back to front, toward the urethra
- D.Front to back, using a clean area each stroke
Answer: D. Wiping front to back, from the cleanest area to the dirtiest, keeps bacteria from the anal area away from the urethra and helps prevent urinary tract infection. Wiping back to front carries stool bacteria toward the urethra.
3. What water temperature is generally safe for a resident's bath, and how should the aide check it?
- A.About 105-115 F, checked with a thermometer or wrist
- B.About 135 F, checked by feel
- C.About 85-95 F, checked with the fingertips
- D.About 120-130 F, checked by asking the resident to test it
Answer: A. Bath water should be about 105 to 115 F and tested with a bath thermometer or the inside of the wrist before the resident touches it. Elderly skin burns easily, and residents may have reduced sensation, so they should not test it themselves.
4. A resident is scheduled for a partial bath today. Which areas does a partial bath include?
- A.Hair, scalp, and feet only
- B.The entire body except for the face and the hair
- C.Face, hands, underarms, and perineal area
- D.Back, legs, and feet only
Answer: C. A partial bath cleans the areas that cause odor or discomfort if not washed daily: face, hands, underarms, and perineum. The other choices leave out key areas or describe a complete bath.
5. A resident who is unsteady on her feet wants to take a shower. Which action best promotes her safety?
- A.Leave her alone to respect her privacy
- B.Turn on the hot water before the cold
- C.Use a shower chair and stay nearby
- D.Apply lotion to her feet before showering
Answer: C. A shower chair, nonslip surfaces, and staying with an unsteady resident prevent falls. Leaving her alone risks a fall, and lotion on the feet makes the floor more slippery; privacy is protected by draping and closing the curtain, not by leaving.
6. The nurse aide is giving mouth care to an unconscious resident. How should the resident be positioned?
- A.On the side with the head turned
- B.Supine with the head tilted back on a pillow
- C.Flat on the back with chin up
- D.Prone with the face down
Answer: A. An unconscious resident is placed on the side so fluid drains out of the mouth instead of being aspirated. Supine positions let liquid run to the back of the throat; use swabs with very little fluid and never place fingers in the mouth.
7. A resident asks the nurse aide to clean his dentures at the sink. To prevent breakage, the aide should:
- A.Rinse the dentures in very hot water
- B.Hold them high over the empty sink
- C.Soak them in bleach before brushing
- D.Line the sink with a towel or water
Answer: D. Lining the sink with a towel or partly filling it with water cushions the dentures if they slip. Hot water can warp them, bleach damages them, and a bare sink lets them crack if dropped.
8. A resident who takes warfarin, a blood thinner, asks to be shaved. The nurse aide should use:
- A.A new razor blade for each pass
- B.An electric razor
- C.A disposable safety razor
- D.A straight razor with cream
Answer: B. Residents on anticoagulants bleed easily, so an electric razor is used to avoid nicks and cuts. Any blade razor, even a new one, can cut the skin and cause prolonged bleeding.
9. A resident with diabetes asks the nurse aide to trim her long, thick toenails. The nurse aide should:
- A.Cut the corners to prevent ingrown nails
- B.Tell the nurse, who arranges trimming
- C.Trim them straight across with clippers
- D.Soak her feet, then cut them short
Answer: B. Diabetes causes poor circulation and slow healing, so a small cut can become a serious infection or ulcer. Nurse aides do not cut diabetic residents' toenails; a nurse or podiatrist does.
10. A resident's long hair is badly tangled after a nap. When combing it, the nurse aide should:
- A.Start at the scalp and pull to the ends
- B.Cut out the tangles with scissors
- C.Wet it with very hot water first
- D.Start at the ends and work up
Answer: D. Combing from the ends toward the scalp, holding the hair above the tangle, removes knots with less pulling and pain. Cutting hair requires the resident's consent and is not the routine fix.
Practice all 32 activities of daily living questions, and the rest of the 200-question bank, in the free CNA training sets. Questions you miss come back until you have mastered them.
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