22 Physical Care Skills Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. The nurse aide is giving perineal care to a female client. In which direction SHOULD the nurse aide wipe?

   • A.From the back toward the front, using a clean area of the cloth each stroke
   • B.From the thigh toward the middle, using the same area of the cloth each stroke
   • C.From the front toward the back, using a clean area of the cloth each stroke✓ Answer
   • D.From side to side across the labia, using the same area of the cloth throughout

   Wiping from front to back moves organisms from the anal area away from the urethra, which lowers the risk of a urinary tract infection, and a clean area of the cloth for each stroke keeps soiled material from being dragged back over skin that was just cleaned.

   Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Perineal Care (Female): wipe from front to back and use a clean area of the washcloth for each strokeReport a problem with this question

2. 2. Before helping a client into a tub bath, what SHOULD the nurse aide do about the water?

   • A.Test the water with a bare hand and add hot water until steam rises
   • B.Have the client step in first and say whether the water is too warm
   • C.Measure the water temperature and ask the client if it feels comfortable✓ Answer
   • D.Fill the tub with very hot water and let it cool while the client undresses

   Water temperature is checked with a thermometer or according to facility policy and then confirmed with the client, because many older adults have thinner skin and reduced sensation and can be burned before they feel that the water is too hot.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Hygiene): check water temperature for safety and comfort and have the client verify itReport a problem with this question

3. 3. When giving mouth care to an unconscious client, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

   • A.Turn the client's head to the side and use a small amount of liquid✓ Answer
   • B.Raise the head of the bed and hold the mouth open with a bare finger
   • C.Lay the client flat on the back and rinse the mouth with a cup of water
   • D.Turn the client face down and swab the mouth with a soaked sponge

   An unconscious client cannot swallow or protect the airway, so the head is turned to the side and only a little liquid is used, allowing fluid to run out of the mouth instead of into the lungs; the mouth is cleaned about every two hours to keep it moist.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Hygiene): mouth care for the unconscious client, performed every two hours with aspiration precautionsReport a problem with this question

4. 4. When cleaning a client's dentures at the sink, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

   • A.Wrap them in a dry paper towel and leave them on the overbed table
   • B.Line the sink with a towel and put water in it before brushing them✓ Answer
   • C.Hold them over the empty sink and scrub them with a scouring powder
   • D.Soak them in hot water for several minutes before starting to brush them

   Dentures are slippery and break easily, so the sink is padded with a towel and water is left in the basin to cushion them if they slip; hot water and abrasive powders warp and scratch the plastic, and dentures are stored in cool water in a labeled container.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Hygiene): oral care and denture handlingReport a problem with this question

5. 5. A client with diabetes has long, thick toenails. During foot care, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

   • A.File the toenails with an emery board until they are short and smooth
   • B.Soak the feet in hot water and push the cuticles back with a stick
   • C.Wash and dry the feet carefully and report the thick toenails to the nurse✓ Answer
   • D.Trim the toenails straight across with clippers kept at the bedside

   Cutting or filing the nails of a client with diabetes is outside the nurse aide's role because reduced circulation and sensation turn a small nick into an ulcer or infection; the aide washes and dries the feet, checks the skin, and reports the nails so licensed staff can care for them.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline (Hygiene) and (Legal and Ethical Behavior): nail care for a client with diabetes is outside the nurse aide's scope of practiceReport a problem with this question

6. 6. Which action is correct when the nurse aide shaves a client and combs the client's hair?

   • A.Shave against the way the hair grows and comb tangles from the roots down
   • B.Shave in the way the hair grows and comb out tangles starting at the ends✓ Answer
   • C.Shave the neck first without lather and cut matted hair out with scissors
   • D.Shave over dry skin with long strokes and pull the comb through in one pass

   Shaving with the direction of hair growth over lathered skin, holding the skin taut, prevents nicks and razor burn, and combing a tangle from the ends toward the scalp in small sections removes it without pulling the hair or the scalp.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Dressing and Grooming): shaving and hair careReport a problem with this question

7. 7. A client has weakness on the right side. When putting a shirt on the client, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

   • A.Put the left arm in the sleeve first and take the right arm out first
   • B.Put the right arm in the sleeve first and take the right arm out last✓ Answer
   • C.Put both arms in the sleeves together while the client stands at the bed
   • D.Put the left arm in the sleeve first and take the left arm out last

   The weak or affected arm goes into the garment first and comes out of it last, so the stronger arm does the reaching and bending; this keeps the aide from stretching a painful joint through a sleeve that is already partly on.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Dressing and Grooming): dress the affected side first and undress it lastReport a problem with this question

8. 8. To lower a client's risk of choking during a meal in bed, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

   • A.Turn the client onto the side and offer the food with a large spoon
   • B.Lower the head of the bed so the client lies flat during the meal
   • C.Raise the head of the bed so the client sits upright during the meal✓ Answer
   • D.Raise the knee section of the bed and feed the client half reclined

   Sitting upright at about a ninety degree angle lets gravity carry food and fluid down the esophagus and keeps the airway protected; the client is also kept upright for about thirty minutes after the meal so stomach contents do not come back up.

   Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Nutrition and Hydration): position the client upright for eatingReport a problem with this question

9. 9. The nurse aide is positioning a client on the side. What SHOULD the nurse aide do?

   • A.Place a folded blanket under the upper hip so the client leans back
   • B.Keep both knees straight and tuck the lower arm under the chest
   • C.Place a pillow between the knees and keep the upper knee slightly bent✓ Answer
   • D.Place a pillow under the lower shoulder so the client rests on it

   A pillow between the knees keeps the upper leg from pressing on the bony surfaces of the lower leg and holds the hips in line, and the lower shoulder is drawn forward so the client is not lying on that arm, which would cut off circulation.

   Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Positions Client on Side: supportive devices behind the back and between the legs, with the top knee flexedReport a problem with this question

10. 10. A client's right ankle is swollen. While the client rests in bed, how SHOULD the nurse aide support that leg?

    • A.Flat on the mattress with the foot pressed against the footboard
    • B.On pillows along its length, with the ankle higher than the heart✓ Answer
    • C.On one pillow under the knee, letting the lower leg hang down
    • D.Over the edge of the bed, with the foot hanging below the mattress

    Raising the swollen part above the level of the heart lets gravity help blood and tissue fluid drain back toward the trunk, which reduces the swelling, and supporting the whole limb keeps pressure off the back of the knee where circulation is easily blocked.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Basic Nursing Skills (therapeutic and technical procedures): positioning and support of a swollen extremity above heart levelReport a problem with this question

11. 11. A client stays in bed all day and has red areas over the sacrum, hips, and heels. How often SHOULD the nurse aide change the client's position?

    • A.At least every 2 hours, checking the skin over the bony areas✓ Answer
    • B.At least every 4 hours, checking the skin over the bony areas
    • C.At least every 8 hours, checking the skin over the bony areas
    • D.At least every 12 hours, checking the skin over the bony areas

    Body weight resting on a bony prominence squeezes the small vessels shut, and the skin over the sacrum, hips, and heels can begin to break down within about two hours, so position is changed at least that often to let blood return to the tissue.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Basic Nursing Skills: pressure injury prevention through repositioning at least every two hoursReport a problem with this question

12. 12. The nurse aide sees a red area over a client's hip that does not turn white when pressed. What SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Rub lotion into the red area to bring more blood flow to the hip
    • B.Cover the area with a bandage and turn the client onto that hip
    • C.Report the red area to the nurse and keep pressure off that hip✓ Answer
    • D.Wait until the next shift to see whether the red area fades away

    Redness that does not blanch means the tissue under the skin is already injured, which is the earliest stage of a pressure injury; rubbing damages the fragile tissue further and continued pressure deepens the wound, so the finding is reported and the area kept free of pressure.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Basic Nursing Skills (data collection and reporting): report skin changes to the nurse and do not massage reddened bony prominencesReport a problem with this question

13. 13. A client's care plan orders thickened liquids. The client asks the nurse aide to add water to the drink. What SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Add a little water to the drink so that it is easier to swallow
    • B.Hold the drink until a family member comes to help with the meal
    • C.Serve the drink as ordered and tell the nurse what the client asked✓ Answer
    • D.Bring a glass of plain water with a straw and stay with the client

    Thin liquids move fast and are easily breathed into the lungs by a client with a swallowing problem, which is why the thickened consistency is ordered; the consistency can be changed only by the nurse or dietitian, so the aide serves what is ordered and reports the request.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline (Nutrition and Hydration) and: follow the diet ordered in the care plan and report requests to the nurseReport a problem with this question

14. 14. At lunch a client drank 240 mL of milk, 120 mL of juice, and 180 mL of broth. What SHOULD the nurse aide record as the intake?

    • A.540 mL✓ Answer
    • B.600 mL
    • C.480 mL
    • D.560 mL

    Fluid intake is the total of everything the client takes in that is liquid at room temperature, so 240 plus 120 plus 180 equals 540 mL; broth, gelatin, and ice cream are counted the same way as beverages.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Basic Nursing Skills: measuring and recording fluid intake and outputReport a problem with this question

15. 15. A client refuses to eat the food on the lunch tray. What SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Feed the client small bites until most of the meal has been eaten
    • B.Leave the tray in the room and take it away when meal time ends
    • C.Ask what the client would like instead and report it to the nurse✓ Answer
    • D.Tell the client that the tray must be finished before leaving the table

    A client has the right to refuse food and cannot be pressured or fed against that refusal, but poor intake leads to weight loss and dehydration, so the aide offers a substitute allowed by the care plan and reports the refusal so the nurse and dietitian can act.

    Source: 42 CFR 483.10 (resident right to refuse treatment and services); NNAAP Content Outline, Nutrition and Hydration: report poor intake to the nurseReport a problem with this question

16. 16. Before placing a bedpan under a client who is in bed, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Raise the side rails and ask the client to stand beside the bed
    • B.Turn the client onto the stomach and slide the bedpan under the hips
    • C.Raise the head of the bed so the client is sitting straight up
    • D.Lower the head of the bed so the client is lying flat on the back✓ Answer

    With the bed flat the client can be rolled onto the pan or lifted onto it without the skin being dragged across the sheet; the head of the bed is then raised so the client can sit in a normal position, and it is lowered again before the pan is removed.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Elimination): lower the head of the bed to place and remove a bedpan and raise it while the client uses itReport a problem with this question

17. 17. A client has an indwelling urinary catheter. Where SHOULD the nurse aide keep the drainage bag?

    • A.On the floor beside the head of the client's bed
    • B.Below the level of the bladder and up off the floor✓ Answer
    • C.Above the level of the bladder and off the floor
    • D.Level with the bladder, hanging on the side rail

    Urine drains by gravity, so a bag kept below the bladder keeps urine flowing away from the client instead of running back up the tubing and carrying organisms into the bladder; the floor is dirty and a movable side rail can pull on the catheter.

    Source: NNAAP Content Outline, Activities of Daily Living (Elimination): catheter care, keeping the drainage bag below the level of the bladder and off the floorReport a problem with this question

18. 18. During range-of-motion exercises the client says that the shoulder hurts. What SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Repeat the movement faster so the pain does not last as long
    • B.Stop moving that joint and report the pain to the nurse✓ Answer
    • C.Finish the whole set and report the pain at the end of the shift
    • D.Move the joint a little farther to loosen up the stiff shoulder

    Joints are moved only to the point of resistance and never into pain, because pain means the tissue is being stretched or injured; the aide stops that joint at once, supports it above and below, and reports the pain so the nurse can assess it.

    Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Assists with Passive Range of Motion: move the joint to the point of resistance and discontinue if the client verbalizes painReport a problem with this question

19. 19. The nurse aide is walking with a client who has left-sided weakness and wears a transfer belt. Where SHOULD the nurse aide walk?

    • A.Slightly behind on the right side, gripping the belt from above
    • B.Slightly behind on the left side, holding the belt with an upward grasp✓ Answer
    • C.Slightly ahead on the left side, holding the client's left hand
    • D.Directly in front of the client, holding both of the client's hands

    The aide stays on the weak side and slightly behind, which is the direction the client is most likely to fall, and grasps the belt at the waist from underneath, because that upward hold gives control of the client's trunk and lets the aide ease the client down instead of catching a falling body.

    Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Ambulates Client Using Transfer Belt: walk slightly behind and to one side of the client while holding the belt with an upward graspReport a problem with this question

20. 20. The nurse aide is moving a client from the bed into a wheelchair. Before the client is lowered into the chair, what SHOULD be true?

    • A.The wheels are locked and the backs of the legs touch the chair✓ Answer
    • B.The wheels are locked and the client is facing the seat of the chair
    • C.The wheels are turned outward and the client leans on the armrest
    • D.The wheels are unlocked and the footrests are down under the feet

    Locked wheels keep the chair from rolling away as the client's weight shifts onto it, and feeling the seat against the back of the legs proves the client is lined up with the chair before sitting; the footrests stay up or off until the client is seated.

    Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Transfers Client from Bed to Wheelchair Using Transfer Belt: lock the wheelchair wheels and have the backs of the client's legs touch the chair before loweringReport a problem with this question

21. 21. The nurse aide counts a client's radial pulse for one full minute and gets 112 beats per minute. What SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Take the pulse in the other wrist and record the lower rate
    • B.Count the pulse again for 30 seconds and double that number
    • C.Wait one hour, count again, and report only the second rate
    • D.Record the rate and tell the nurse about the reading right away✓ Answer

    A resting adult pulse is normally about 60 to 100 beats per minute, so 112 is outside the expected range and the nurse needs to know at once; the reading is written down exactly as counted, and a count taken for one full minute is already the accurate method.

    Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Counts and Records Radial Pulse (count for one full minute); adult resting pulse range of 60 to 100 beats per minute, American Heart AssociationReport a problem with this question

22. 22. The nurse aide is measuring a client's height and weight on an upright scale. Before the client steps on, what SHOULD the nurse aide do?

    • A.Ask the client to hold on to the walker while standing on the platform
    • B.Set the scale to zero and put non-skid shoes on the client's feet✓ Answer
    • C.Write down the weight recorded in the client's chart the day before
    • D.Move the weights to the usual weight shown in the client's chart

    A scale that does not read zero with nothing on it adds its own error to every reading, and non-skid footwear keeps the client from slipping while walking to the scale and standing still on it; the aide then records the weight actually shown and measures height with the client standing straight, heels together.

    Source: NNAAP Skills Listing, Measures and Records Weight of Ambulatory Client: set the scale to zero before the client steps on, non-skid footwear, record within 2 poundsReport a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the NNAAP written content outline. Not affiliated with Credentia/Pearson VUE or any state nurse-aide registry, and not medical advice. Requirements vary by state. About CNA testing →