CNA Ethics and Professionalism — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A resident asks a CNA not to tell anyone about a personal problem they shared. What should the CNA do?
- Promise to keep the secret no matter what
- Ignore the resident's request and immediately tell all staff
- Explain that some information must be shared with the care team but will be kept professional (Correct answer)
- Document the information publicly in the break room
Correct answer: Explain that some information must be shared with the care team but will be kept professional
CNAs must maintain appropriate confidentiality but cannot promise absolute secrecy. If a resident shares information that affects their safety or health, it must be reported to the nurse. The CNA should explain that some information must be shared with the care team for the resident's well-being.
Question 2: Which behavior best demonstrates professionalism for a CNA?
- Sharing resident information with friends outside work
- Arriving late but compensating by working harder
- Reporting to work on time, dressed appropriately, and treating everyone with respect (Correct answer)
- Using a personal cell phone during patient care
Correct answer: Reporting to work on time, dressed appropriately, and treating everyone with respect
Arriving on time, wearing appropriate attire, treating residents and colleagues with respect, and maintaining confidentiality are all hallmarks of professionalism. CNAs represent the facility and the nursing profession through their daily conduct.
Question 3: A CNA witnesses a co-worker being verbally abusive to a resident. What is the correct response?
- Ignore it to avoid conflict with the co-worker
- Confront the co-worker aggressively in front of the resident
- Report the incident to the charge nurse or supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if it happens again before reporting
Correct answer: Report the incident to the charge nurse or supervisor immediately
Witnessing abuse or neglect creates a mandatory duty to report. The CNA must report the incident to the charge nurse or supervisor immediately. Failing to report abuse makes the CNA complicit and is also a violation of professional and legal obligations.
Question 4: What is the ethical principle that refers to a patient's right to make their own healthcare decisions?
- Beneficence
- Justice
- Autonomy (Correct answer)
- Non-maleficence
Correct answer: Autonomy
Autonomy is the ethical principle recognizing each person's right to make informed decisions about their own care. CNAs support autonomy by respecting residents' choices, offering options when possible, and not imposing personal opinions on residents.
Question 5: A CNA is offered money by a resident's family member as a personal gift in exchange for extra care. What should the CNA do?
- Accept the money since it is a gift, not a bribe
- Accept only if the amount is small
- Decline and explain that personal gifts are against policy (Correct answer)
- Take the money and report it to a supervisor later
Correct answer: Decline and explain that personal gifts are against policy
Accepting personal gifts from residents or families is typically against facility policy and professional ethics. It can create real or perceived favoritism, compromise care objectivity, and may constitute misappropriation. The CNA should politely decline and explain the policy.
Question 6: A CNA makes an error while caring for a resident. What is the most ethical course of action?
- Document it in the chart without telling anyone
- Say nothing and hope the error goes unnoticed
- Report the error to the nurse immediately and document accurately (Correct answer)
- Blame the error on another staff member
Correct answer: Report the error to the nurse immediately and document accurately
Honesty and accountability are fundamental to ethical care. CNAs must report errors immediately to the nurse so that the resident can receive appropriate follow-up care. Covering up errors can cause patient harm and violates professional and legal standards.
CNA Ethics and Professionalism
A resident asks a CNA not to tell anyone about a personal problem they shared.
What should the CNA do?