CNA Foundations
Certified Nursing Assistant
What does "CNA" stand for?
Verbal and Nonverbal
What are two major forms of communication?
A person's health information and privacy.
What is included under HIPAA protection?
The single most important way to prevent the spread of infection in healthcare.
What is hand hygiene?
This term defines a person who has credentials (such as a CNA certification) obtained through specialized training, allowing them to provide a specific service.
What is professionalism?
A licensed nurse, such as an RN or LPN/LVN.
What is a licensed healthcare professional under which the CNA works under and reports to.
What the resident tells you or reports experiencing vs. What you can observe, measure, hear, see, or otherwise determine directly.
Examples include:
"I feel dizzy" vs.
Resident's blood pressure is 90/60
What is objective and subjective information
Threatening or attempting to make someone fear unwanted contact is called ___.
Actually touching or performing a procedure without consent is called ___.
What is assault and battery?
Before resident care, after resident care, before putting on gloves, after removing gloves, after contact with body fluids, after touching contaminated items, whenever hands are contaminated
What are appropriate times to perform hand hygiene?
This quality—defined as acting with integrity and being completely honest—is the single most important character trait for a nursing assistant.
What is honesty? (or trustworthiness)
Change in behavior or mental status, skin condition, pain, etc.
What are patient/resident changes that a CNA should observe and report about a resident?
A resident tells you, "My stomach hurts."
What is a symptom?
Something the resident is experiencing and reporting.
This has been violated when a CNA tells another resident, "Did you hear that Mrs. Smith has cancer?"
What is confidentiality/privacy.
Under standard precautions, a CNA must always don gloves before coming into contact with these four bodily fluids, abbreviated as "BBMS.
What are blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, and non-intact skin?
When compiling a resume or fillable application, these are individuals who can testify to your character, clinical skills, and professional background.
What are references?
Stop. Safe. Stay. Report.
What are steps a CNAs must take when he/she recognizes abnormal changes in body functioning?
Be patient, face the resident, give full attentions, allow them time to respond, listen attentively, avoid finishing their sentences or rushing them, use open-ended questions.
What is active listening?
What has been violated when a resident tells a CNA, "I don't want a shower today." and he/she CNA responds, "You don't have a choice. I'm your CNA. I have a job to do."
What is "resident rights"?
The resident has rights and should be treated with dignity and respect. The CNA should not simply force care because it is part of the routine. The CNA should communicate respectfully, explore the reason for refusal, offer choices when possible, and follow the care plan/facility procedure and report refusal as appropriate.
A CNA performs proper hand hygiene after handling a resident's soiled linens, primarily interrupting this specific link in the chain of infection.
What is the mode of transmission?
When resigning from a nursing assistant position, it is professional behavior and recommendable to give your employer a minimum of this much advanced notice.
What is two weeks?
A CNA notices that a resident has become unusually confused, has a new change in mobility, and is refusing breakfast. The resident's family says, "That's just what happens when people get old."
What is the CNA responsible for doing?
What is to observe ANY changes and report changes to the nurse.
A resident says, "Nobody here cares about me. You all just rush in, do your job, and leave." The CNA responds, "I'm sorry you're feeling that way. Tell me what is concerning you." The CNA has effectively showed the resident ____ rather than becoming defensive or dismissive.
What is therapeutic communication?
The CNA should not force the procedure simply because they were instructed to perform it by the nurse. The CNA must obtain ___ from the resident. If the resident refuses care, the CNA should follow appropriate facility procedures and involve the nurse. This is a an example of their ___.
What is informed consent?
What is right to refuse care?
In the chain of infection, a CNA breaking a resident’s skin during rough bathing would be creating this type of "portal."
What is a portal of entry?
CNA Study Rationale: Intact skin is the body's primary defense. Any tear, cut, or abrasion creates a portal of entry for environmental pathogens to invade the body and cause an infection.
Arriving on time, avoiding unplanned absences, and consistently completing your assigned tasks makes you this type of asset, which is highly sought after by nursing employers.
What is a reliable employee? (or reliability/dependability)