Personal Hygiene & Grooming Flashcards
7 cards from real PCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Personal Hygiene & Grooming flashcards as text
A client with Alzheimer's disease becomes agitated during hair care. The BEST approach is to:
Answer: Stop, comfort the client, and attempt care again later or use a simpler method
Stopping to calm the client and trying again later or adapting the approach is the safest, most person-centered response to agitation during personal care.
What is the main reason a PCA should check a client's skin during every bath or hygiene routine?
Answer: To identify early signs of skin breakdown, rashes, or injury
Regular skin assessment during hygiene routines allows early detection of pressure injuries, infections, or bruising before they become serious.
A client has a wound on their arm covered by a dressing. During a bath, the PCA should:
Answer: Keep the dressing dry and avoid the area, informing the nurse if it gets wet
PCAs do not perform wound care; the dressing should be kept dry during bathing, and the nurse should be notified if it becomes wet or displaced.
During oral care for a client with natural teeth, the PCA should brush for at least:
Answer: 30 seconds per mouth quadrant, totaling about 2 minutes
Brushing for at least 2 minutes (30 seconds per quadrant) is the standard recommendation to effectively remove plaque and bacteria.
When washing a client's feet, the PCA should pay special attention to:
Answer: Cleaning between each toe and drying thoroughly between them
Moisture trapped between toes promotes fungal growth and skin breakdown, so thorough drying between each toe is essential after washing.
A client refuses to let the PCA shave them, but the family insists the client must be shaved. The PCA should:
Answer: Honor the client's refusal and document and report the situation
A competent client's refusal of care must be respected as a fundamental right; the PCA should document and notify the supervisor rather than overriding the client's choice.
Which observation made during a hair-brushing session should be reported to the supervisor?
Answer: The client has a new bald patch or significant unusual hair loss
A new bald patch or sudden significant hair loss can signal a medical condition or medication side effect and must be reported to the supervising nurse.