Basic Nursing Skills 20 Flashcards
6 cards from real CNA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Basic Nursing Skills 20 flashcards as text
What precaution must the CNA take when handling any body fluid specimen?
Answer: Apply standard precautions — including gloves, proper disposal of contaminated materials, and hand hygiene after removal
Standard precautions treat all body fluids as potentially infectious. Gloves, proper disposal, and hand hygiene are mandatory when handling specimens.
A resident cannot provide a sufficient sputum specimen and produces only saliva. What should the CNA do?
Answer: Discard the saliva, reassess the resident's ability to deep-cough, and notify the nurse
Saliva is not an acceptable sputum specimen. The nurse should be notified so alternative collection methods (physiotherapy, induced sputum) can be arranged.
What does a guaiac (fecal occult blood) test detect?
Answer: Hidden blood in the stool not visible to the naked eye
A guaiac or FOBT test detects small amounts of blood in the stool that are not visible, which can indicate GI bleeding, colorectal cancer, or other conditions.
How should a urine specimen collected from a resident with an indwelling catheter be obtained?
Answer: By temporarily clamping the tubing then aspirating from the specimen port with a sterile syringe
Catheter urine specimens must be aspirated from the specimen port after brief clamping to obtain fresh urine from the bladder rather than old, potentially contaminated urine from the bag.
A resident's stool specimen must be sent at body temperature for an ova and parasite test. What does this mean?
Answer: Transport the specimen immediately to the lab while still warm
Certain organisms (such as protozoan cysts) must be examined while still warm to remain viable for identification; immediate transport preserves specimen integrity.
What information should the CNA give the resident before collecting a clean-catch urine specimen?
Answer: Explain the entire procedure including cleaning, where to start and stop the urine stream, and which container to use
Clear, step-by-step instructions improve specimen quality by reducing contamination and ensuring the resident understands each step of the clean-catch procedure.