16 Physical Care Skills Practice Questions & Answers

Every Physical Care Skills practice question from the CNA Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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1. When washing a resident's eyes during a bed bath, the nursing assistant should:
- A.Wipe from the inner corner toward the outer corner, using a clean part of the washcloth for each eye✓ Answer
- B.Wash both eyes with the same part of the washcloth to save time
- C.Use soap on the washcloth to remove any drainage
- D.Wipe from the outer corner toward the inner corner of the eye
Wiping from the inner corner (near the nose) outward carries drainage away from the tear duct, and using a clean section of the cloth for each eye prevents transferring germs from one eye to the other. Soap is never used on the eyes because it irritates them.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.1 (Activities of Daily Living – Hygiene): bed bath / eye care procedureReport a problem with this question
2. A resident has weakness on the right side after a stroke. When helping the resident put on a shirt, the nursing assistant should:
- A.Put the right (weak) arm into the sleeve first✓ Answer
- B.Ask the resident which arm to dress first, since the order does not matter
- C.Put both arms into the sleeves at the same time
- D.Put the left (strong) arm into the sleeve first
The weak (affected) side is dressed first because the garment can be slid onto that arm with minimal movement while the sleeve is still loose; this avoids twisting or straining the weak limb. When undressing, the order is reversed and the strong side is removed first.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.2 (Activities of Daily Living – Dressing and Grooming): dressing a resident with an affected/weak sideReport a problem with this question
3. When cleaning a resident's dentures, the nursing assistant should:
- A.Soak them overnight in mouthwash mixed with hot water
- B.Dry them well and wrap them in a paper tissue on the bedside table
- C.Hold them over a sink lined with a towel or partly filled with water, and clean them with cool or lukewarm water✓ Answer
- D.Clean them under very hot running water to kill germs
Dentures are slippery and expensive, so working over a towel-lined or water-filled sink cushions them if they are dropped. Cool or lukewarm water is used because hot water can warp the denture material, and dentures must be stored moist in a labeled container—never wrapped in tissue, where they are easily thrown away.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.1 (Hygiene): mouth care – denture cleaning skill (cool/tepid water, protected sink, labeled cup)Report a problem with this question
4. When giving perineal care to a female resident, the nursing assistant should wipe:
- A.From back to front with firm strokes
- B.In a circular motion, starting at the anal area
- C.Back and forth until the area looks clean
- D.From front to back, using a clean area of the washcloth for each stroke✓ Answer
Wiping from front to back (from the urethral area toward the anus) prevents bacteria such as E. coli from the anal area from being carried to the urethra, which is a major cause of urinary tract infections. Using a clean area of the cloth for each stroke further reduces the spread of germs.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.4 (Elimination) / perineal care skill: front-to-back cleansing to prevent urinary tract infectionReport a problem with this question
5. Before feeding a resident who eats in bed, the most important action to prevent choking and aspiration is to:
- A.Offer all liquids first, then all solid foods
- B.Lay the resident flat so food goes down more easily
- C.Give large spoonfuls so the meal finishes quickly
- D.Raise the head of the bed so the resident sits upright, as close to 90 degrees as possible✓ Answer
Sitting upright uses gravity to direct food down the esophagus instead of the airway, which greatly reduces the risk of aspiration; lying flat makes food and liquids more likely to enter the lungs. The resident should also remain upright for a period after eating, and bites should be small.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.3 (Nutrition and Hydration): feeding technique – upright (high Fowler's) positioning to prevent aspirationReport a problem with this question
6. Which observation should the nursing assistant report because it suggests a resident is dehydrated?
- A.Asking for a second glass of water at lunch
- B.Large amounts of pale yellow urine
- C.Moist lips and moist mucous membranes
- D.Dark, strong-smelling urine and a dry mouth✓ Answer
When the body lacks fluid, the kidneys conserve water by concentrating the urine, making it dark and strong-smelling, and the mouth and mucous membranes become dry. Pale plentiful urine and moist membranes are signs of good hydration, and asking for more water is normal behavior, not a warning sign by itself.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.3 (Nutrition and Hydration) and I.B.4 (Data Collection and Reporting): signs of dehydration – concentrated urine, dry mucous membranesReport a problem with this question
7. When using a gait (transfer) belt to move a resident from the bed to a wheelchair, the nursing assistant should:
- A.Lift the resident by grasping under the arms instead of holding the belt
- B.Fasten the belt loosely around the resident's chest, over the ribs
- C.Place the wheelchair on the resident's weaker side so the strong side does the pushing
- D.Place the wheelchair on the resident's stronger side and pivot the resident toward that side✓ Answer
Transferring toward the stronger side lets the resident bear weight and pivot on the leg that can support them, making the transfer safer and more stable. The belt is applied snugly around the waist over clothing—never around the chest—and lifting under the arms can injure the resident's shoulders.
Source: NNAAP Skills / Content Outline I.C (Restorative Skills – Mobility): transfer with gait belt – move toward the resident's stronger side, belt snug at waistReport a problem with this question
8. To use good body mechanics when lifting a heavy object from the floor, the nursing assistant should:
- A.Hold the object at arm's length to see it better
- B.Keep the feet close together and twist at the waist to set the object down
- C.Keep the knees straight and bend forward from the waist
- D.Bend the knees, keep the back straight, and hold the object close to the body✓ Answer
Bending the knees makes the strong leg and hip muscles do the lifting instead of the small muscles of the lower back, and holding the load close to the body keeps its weight over the base of support, reducing strain. A wide stance and pivoting the feet (never twisting the spine) also protect the back from injury.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.B.2 (Basic Nursing Skills – Safety): principles of body mechanics – lift with legs, back straight, load close, wide baseReport a problem with this question
9. The main reason two caregivers use a draw (lift) sheet to move a resident up in bed is that it:
- A.Reduces friction and shearing on the resident's skin✓ Answer
- B.Keeps the bed linens from wrinkling
- C.Lets the resident be moved without asking permission
- D.Makes it unnecessary to lock the bed wheels
A draw sheet lifts the resident slightly so the body slides on the sheet instead of dragging across the mattress; dragging creates friction and shearing forces that tear fragile skin and underlying tissue and can lead to pressure injuries. Consent must still be obtained and the bed wheels must still be locked for any move.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.C.1 (Restorative Skills – Prevention) / skin integrity: draw sheet use to prevent friction and shear injuriesReport a problem with this question
10. To help prevent pressure injuries (bedsores), a resident who cannot move independently in bed should be repositioned at least every:
- A.4 hours
- B.30 minutes
- C.2 hours✓ Answer
- D.8 hours
Constant pressure on skin over bony areas squeezes shut the small blood vessels that feed the tissue; if blood flow is cut off for too long, the tissue dies and a pressure injury forms. Repositioning at least every 2 hours relieves the pressure and restores circulation before permanent damage occurs.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.C.1 (Restorative Skills – Prevention): pressure injury prevention – reposition dependent residents at least every 2 hours (standard of care, NPIAP/AHRQ)Report a problem with this question
11. While the nursing assistant is performing passive range-of-motion exercises, the resident complains of pain in the joint. The nursing assistant should:
- A.Push the joint slightly past the point of pain to improve flexibility
- B.Stop the exercise and report the pain to the nurse✓ Answer
- C.Skip that joint permanently without telling anyone
- D.Continue the exercise more quickly to finish sooner
Pain is the body's warning that the joint is being moved beyond its safe limit, so forcing it further can tear muscles, ligaments, or injure the joint. Exercises are always done slowly and gently only to the point of resistance or pain, and any pain must be reported to the nurse, who decides how to proceed.
Source: NNAAP Skills / Content Outline I.C (Restorative Skills): passive range of motion – move joints slowly, never past the point of pain or resistance; report painReport a problem with this question
12. Why does the nursing assistant count a resident's respirations without telling the resident it is being done?
- A.Because residents do not have the right to know about their care
- B.Because it saves time during the shift
- C.Because a resident who knows their breathing is being watched may change their breathing rate✓ Answer
- D.Because respirations can only be counted while the resident is asleep
Unlike the pulse, breathing is partly under voluntary control, so a person who is aware of being observed often unconsciously breathes faster, slower, or deeper, making the count inaccurate. That is why the assistant typically keeps the fingers on the wrist as if still taking the pulse while counting respirations.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.B.4 (Basic Nursing Skills – Data Collection and Reporting): counting respirations unobtrusively after the pulseReport a problem with this question
13. To obtain an accurate record of a resident's weight over time, the nursing assistant should weigh the resident:
- A.At any convenient time, since body weight does not change during the day
- B.Right after a large meal so the reading is at its highest
- C.At the same time of day, on the same scale, wearing similar clothing✓ Answer
- D.On a different scale each time to double-check the accuracy
Body weight normally varies during the day with meals, fluids, and elimination, and different scales can read slightly differently. Keeping the time of day, the scale, and the clothing consistent removes these variables, so any change in the reading reflects a true change in the resident's weight—often an early sign of fluid retention or poor nutrition.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.B.4 (Data Collection and Reporting): measuring weight – same time, same scale, similar clothing for comparable readingsReport a problem with this question
14. Which action by the nursing assistant best promotes a resident's rest and sleep at night?
- A.Serving coffee or strong tea at bedtime to relax the resident
- B.Leaving the television on loudly for company
- C.Waking the resident during the night for a complete bath
- D.Providing a quiet, darkened room and offering a back rub before sleep✓ Answer
Noise and light interrupt the sleep cycle, while a gentle back rub relaxes muscles and signals the body that it is time to rest, so a calm, dark environment plus comfort measures promotes deeper sleep. Coffee and strong tea contain caffeine, a stimulant that keeps people awake, and unnecessary nighttime awakenings fragment sleep.
Source: NNAAP Written Exam Content Outline I.A.5 (Activities of Daily Living – Rest/Sleep/Comfort): comfort measures – quiet dark environment, back rub, avoid stimulantsReport a problem with this question
15. A nursing assistant is transferring a resident with left-sided weakness from the bed to a wheelchair using a transfer (gait) belt. Where should the locked wheelchair be positioned before the transfer?
- A.On the resident's stronger (right) side✓ Answer
- B.Wherever there is the most open floor space
- C.Directly at the foot of the bed, facing the resident
- D.On the resident's weaker (left) side
The wheelchair is placed on the resident's stronger (unaffected) side so the resident can lead the pivot with the stronger leg and bear weight on the side that has more control, which reduces the risk of falls and injury during the transfer.
Source: NNAAP Skills Evaluation – Transfer using transfer belt (bed to wheelchair); standard CNA fall-prevention body-mechanics practiceReport a problem with this question
16. Before and while a nursing assistant feeds a resident who is at risk for aspiration, in what position should the resident be placed?
- A.Lying flat on the back (supine)
- B.Sitting upright at about 90 degrees✓ Answer
- C.Reclined on the left side
- D.Head turned down toward the chest while lying back
An upright sitting position of about 90 degrees uses gravity to help food and liquids move down the esophagus rather than into the airway, which lowers the risk of choking and aspiration; the resident should also remain upright for a period after eating.
Source: NNAAP Skills Evaluation – Feeding the resident; standard CNA aspiration-precaution practice (upright ≈90° positioning)Report 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 →

1. When washing a resident's eyes during a bed bath, the nursing assistant should:

2. A resident has weakness on the right side after a stroke. When helping the resident put on a shirt, the nursing assistant should:

3. When cleaning a resident's dentures, the nursing assistant should:

4. When giving perineal care to a female resident, the nursing assistant should wipe:

5. Before feeding a resident who eats in bed, the most important action to prevent choking and aspiration is to:

6. Which observation should the nursing assistant report because it suggests a resident is dehydrated?

7. When using a gait (transfer) belt to move a resident from the bed to a wheelchair, the nursing assistant should:

8. To use good body mechanics when lifting a heavy object from the floor, the nursing assistant should:

9. The main reason two caregivers use a draw (lift) sheet to move a resident up in bed is that it:

10. To help prevent pressure injuries (bedsores), a resident who cannot move independently in bed should be repositioned at least every:

11. While the nursing assistant is performing passive range-of-motion exercises, the resident complains of pain in the joint. The nursing assistant should:

12. Why does the nursing assistant count a resident's respirations without telling the resident it is being done?

13. To obtain an accurate record of a resident's weight over time, the nursing assistant should weigh the resident:

14. Which action by the nursing assistant best promotes a resident's rest and sleep at night?

15. A nursing assistant is transferring a resident with left-sided weakness from the bed to a wheelchair using a transfer (gait) belt. Where should the locked wheelchair be positioned before the transfer?

16. Before and while a nursing assistant feeds a resident who is at risk for aspiration, in what position should the resident be placed?