HCAC exam questions with well elaborated answers

As a HHA you arrive at Mr. Walker's home, young grandson meets you at the door. You immediately notice a strong chemical/ammonia smell and that the young man's behavior is not normal. You should: a. Make an excuse to go back to the car and promptly call the nursing supervisor about the unusual odors and not feeling comfortable with the grandson's behavior b. Go inside to meet the patient and ask what the smell could be c. Act like nothing is unusual and finish the patient's care quickly d. None of the above - Correct Answersa As a HHA, you must know the importance of monitoring skin when bathing a bed bound patient. To improve skin conditions and avoid skin breakdown, the aide should: a. Turn the patient at least every six hours b. Massage the bony prominence areas vigorously c. Keep skin clean and dry, free from urine and stool d. Never apply moisture bather creams - Correct Answersc Why is the thumb NOT used when checking a client's pulse? a. The flat part of the thumb is less sensitive then the flat part of other fingertips b. The thumb can place too much pressure on the client's pulse c. The thumb's pulse may be felt instead of the client's pulse d. The thumb's tip is in a more awkward position than the other fingertips - Correct Answersc Washing hands must done properly to avoid germ transmission. Which of the following is a good hand washing practice? a. Wash hands with soap and water at least 15 seconds b. Wash gloved hands instead of changing gloves between procedures c. Wash hands with soap and water for a full three minutes d. Use a paper towel to turn on the faucet before and after washing hands - Correct Answersc Elderly patients tend to have age-related changes in functioning of the digestive system. Which of the following symptoms may occur? a. Slower intestinal movement causing constipation b. More gas and bloating c. Decrease in appetite d. All of the above - Correct Answersd How should the HHA respond if asked by the client's daughter about client's health? a. Suggest the daughter ask her father directly about his health b. Discuss what the RCA has been Involved with, such as doctor visits c. Review the care plan and the client's progress with activities of daily living (ADL) with the daughter - Correct Answersa Physical therapy is started on your client. Which of these statements about exercises is true? a. if a client cannot talk, do not explain the exercises to the client b. during exercises, all joints should be moved in all directions c. when the client does not assist when the joint is moved through the range of motion, the exercise is called active range of motion d. it is important to support body parts above and below the joints when they are being moved during range of motion - Correct Answersd Professional boundaries are necessary in care giving because they help the home health aide: a. avoid doing tasks that are unpleasant b. keep a healthy relationship with the client c. decide when the care plan should be followed - Correct Answersb During ambulation with a cane, Mrs. Morris suddenly lost balance and fell sideways to the floor. The patient immediately complained of pain in one hip and leg. The aide should: a. "Ask the patient to try to sit up b. Assist the patient to roll onto the non-painful side c. Place a pillow under the knees until help arrives d. Call the nursing supervisor immediately but do not move the patient - Correct Answersd Following are patterns of normal bowel movement except: a. Soft, formed brown stool b. Thick liquid, black tarry stool c. Passing stool twice a day d. Passing stool every other day - Correct Answersb There may be occassions when clients express religious beliefs and the HHA does not agree with those. What should the HHA do in those situations? a. clients have a right to their own beliefs, which should be respected b. clients should be told not to discuss their beliefs with aides c. home health aides should explain their beliefs to clients d. home health aides should pretend to have the same beliefs that clients have - Correct Answersa How long do you wait before taking an oral temperature when a client has been drinking fluids? a. 10-15 minutes b. 35-45 minutes c. 5-10 minutes d. 1-5 minutes - Correct Answersb What must the HHA do when reporting suspected abuse to DSHS? a. get the client's approval b. Inform the supervisor/case manager first c. describe the facts about what has been observed - Correct Answersc The aide should immediately report to the registered nurse supervisor when an oral temperature is above: a. 98.6 degrees F (Fahrenheit) b. 99.0 degrees F c. 96.6 degrees F d. 100.4 degrees F - Correct Answersc To prevent pressure sores in the elderly, you should: a. change the client's position every two hours if they are unable to do so themselves b. get the client out of bed if they are allowed to do so c. ensure adequate nutrition with special emphasis on protein d. all of the above - Correct Answersd As a bath aide, you should stay home (call in sick) when you have symptoms of possible contagious infection such as: a. Temperature of 101, nausea and vomiting b. Draining wound or skin rash c. Conjunctivitis (pink eye) d. All of the above - Correct Answersd After a major automobile accident a teenage patient has just been admitted to home health. The patient is now a paraplegic and is receiving therapy. The bath aide should know the patient's greatest fear may be: a. Loss of friends due to body image changes b. Loss of independence c. Loss of privacy/ modesty d. All of the above - Correct Answersd A member of the client's family has taken several valuable items from the client's home without permission. This could be a sign of: a. lack of independence b. financial exploitation c. abandonment - Correct Answersb As a home health aide you are attending to a 80 year-old old patient who lives alone. When you assist the patient to walk toward the bathroom, the incontinent patient leaked urine and diarrhea stool on the dining room tile floor. You should: a. Leave it for a family member to clean up later b. Cover body substances with paper towels to absorb, and then wear gloves to clean up and dispose of the paper and waste according to your agency policy c. Spray the incontinence area with deodorizer or disinfectant spray d. Call your supervisor - Correct Answersb The care plan of client helps the home health aide to do the following: a. give appropriate medical advice to the client b. identify what personal care tasks the client needs c. understand the needs of the client's family members - Correct Answersb On the first visit to give the adult male patient a bath, he introduced his girlfriend. The aide should: a. Avoid talking to the girlfriend b. Wait to give the bath until the girlfriend leaves c. Ask the patient if he wants the girlfriend to stay during the personal care d. Assume the patient would not want the girlfriend around during care - Correct Answersc As a home health aide, which temperature should you report immediately? a. An oral temperature of 98.4 degrees F b. A rectal temperature of 99.6 degrees F c. An axillary temperature of 99.6 degrees F d. An oral temperature of 99.0 degrees F - Correct Answersb A month ago, Mrs. Wright was in a car accident and sustained multiple fractures. She is now being cared for in her home. Her right leg is still in a cast. When you ambulate this client with her walker, where would you stand? a. on her left side to support her strong side b. on her right side slightly behind her c. behind her d. in front of her so that you can move either way to her strong side or weak side if needed - Correct Answersb A client's son asks you, the home health aide, to do the family's laundry along with the client's. You should: a. suggest the son ask another caregiver to do the laundry b. explain that the RCA can only provide services for the client c. add the family's laundry since helping the family, helps the client - Correct Answersb What would be your first reaction as an aide if a patient's family member lit a cigarette in the room where the patient is on oxygen? a. Inform the family member it is unsafe to smoke around oxygen, if they continue, he/she will need to leave immediately b. Ask the family member if they always smoke around the oxygen c. Throw water on the cigarette and scold the family member for endangering the patient and the aide d. Call 911 - Correct Answersa The client with dementia... a. Has difficulty in making judgements b. May lose the ability to perform self care c. May be angry, restless, or irritable d. All of the above - Correct Answersd When removing the patient's dirty or wet bed linens, the aide should: a. Keep the linens at their waist level away from their body b. Keep the linens up above the aide's waist level, held close to the chest c. Throw dirty linens in the trash d. Throw the linens on the floor to pick up later - Correct Answersa As a bath aide you should avoid handling the following without wearing gloves: a. Soiled or wet incontinence briefs b. Dentures that the patient just spit out c. A wound dressing that accidentally fell off d. All of the above - Correct Answersd When Mr. Gomes came to the door, he told you that he just accidentally cut his wrist on a broken glass. You also notice blood streaming down his hand from the cut. What should you do immediately? a. Apply pressure to the cut with a clean cloth (such as a hand towel) b. Call the nursing supervisor c. Put the wrist under running water and try to see how deep the cut is d. Both A and B - Correct Answersd A client who has been on bed rest is to get up in a chair. You assist him to sit on the edge of the bed. The client says, "I'm dizzy." What should you do? a. rub the client's feet b. help the client to a standing position and see if the dizziness goes away c. put a cool compress on the client's head d. support the client in a sitting position and wait a minute or so to see if the dizziness goes away - Correct Answersd Which of these statements describe good body mechanics? a. carry heavy objects as far from your body as possible b. bend the knees when lifting an object off the floor c. bend over at the waist when lifting an object from the floor d. lift rather than push a heavy object - Correct Answersb You should do the following when speaking to a client who is hard of hearing and does not wear a hearing aide: a. Face the client when speaking to him or her b. Speak as loud as you must in order to be heard c. Speak slowly and clearly d. All of the above - Correct Answersd Your client Mr Shiu is on a special diet and wants to add some new foods to the diet. Your most appropriate response is to: a. explain that the HCA may only prepare foods on the current diet b. encourage the client to discuss this with the doctor or dietitian first c. prepare small amounts to check for any reactions to the new foods - Correct Answersb When your patient has difficulty speaking after a stroke, communication should include: a. Watching the patient for gestures or body movement signals b. Giving the patient plenty of time to finish a sentence c. Ask questions that only require a yes or no answer d. All of the above - Correct Answersd Mrs. Enloe has terminal lung cancer. Today the aide arrived to find the patient crying and irritable. The aide should: a. Ask what could be done to make the patient more comfortable b. Ask patient if it would be better to return a different day c. Tell the patient about three other patients who were all having bad days d. Both A & B - Correct Answersa Mrs. Robinson, who is a cancer patient, has been losing weight. Her doctor has ordered a supplement to increase calorie intake. Which of the following is a good supplement? a. Skim milk and strawberries b. High protein milkshakes c. Tomato juice d. Coffee with milk and sugar - Correct Answersb What should you do to prevent pressure sores when caring for a client who is on bed rest? a. keep the top sheets well tucked in b. keep the bottom sheet free of wrinkles c. use only sheets that are 100% cotton d. use only woolen blankets to cover the client - Correct Answersb Your client has had a stroke that caused left-sided weakness. He can walk with assistance of a cane. It is best for you as a home health aide to assist him by walking: a. "directly in front of the client b. directly in back of the client c. on the client's left side d. on the client's right side - Correct Answersc What is the place place to stand as an aide when assisting a weak patient to walk with a rolling walker? a. Six feet in front of the patient b. Four feet to the side of the patient c. Behind the patient and to one side, holding the gait belt d. At least six feet behind the patient to observe - Correct Answersc The home care aide (HCA) should wear gloves when: a. going to the bathroom b. having any contact with a client c. providing care with chapped hands - Correct Answersc Mr. Jones had a history of bowel impactions. The aide should notify the nursing supervisor when: a. The patient has had no bowel movement for three days b. The patient complains of lower abdominal pain and nausea c. The patient leaks liquid, foul-smelling stool but passes no solid stool d. All of the above - Correct Answersd Mr. Thomas said he felt worse today. He was was unable to stand up to walk to the shower due to pain in the right leg and hip. As his HHA, Which of the following questions would be good to ask before calling the nursing supervisor? a. How long have you had that pain in your leg and hip b. Did you take any pain medication in the last few hours c. Did you fall down recently d. All of the above - Correct Answersd To prevent a fall, a HHA should do all the following except: a. Encourage the patient to use a night light b. Tell the patient to sit on the side of the bed for a few minutes before getting up c. Hold on to the patient's shirt sleeve while they walk d. Keep throw rugs and clutter out of the walking path - Correct Answersc Which of these actions is necessary before helping a client into or out of a wheelchair? a. have the brakes unlocked and leave the foot rests down b. lock the brakes and fold the foot rests up c. have the brakes unlocked and the foot rests up d. lock the brakes and leave the foot rests down - Correct Answersb Upon taking Mr. Roy's blood pressure, you obtain a reading of 132/86. He is over 80 years old. Which of the following would be an accurate interpretation of the reading? a. Mr. Brown has hypertension b. Mr. Brown has hypotension c. Mr. Brown's blood pressure is normal d. Mr. Brown might be anemic - Correct Answersa What should you do when an elderly client occasionally wets his trousers? a. give him fluids with his meals only b. avoid giving him coffee and tea c. tell him if he urinates on himself, he will have to wear diapers d. encourage him to go to the bathroom at least every two hours - Correct Answersd A client is feeling very weak today but wants to take a tub bath. As a home health aide you are concerned about the risk of his/her falling In the tub. What is the most appropriate response in this case? a. Setup to give the client a bed bath instead b. Explain the HCA's concerns to the client and offer to help c. Encourage Independence allowing the client to take a tub bath - Correct Answersb An example of a restraint is: a. giving prescribed medications Instead of over-the-counter medications for a client's pain b. dressing the client in clothing selected because It cannot be removed by the client c. using a pillow to help keep the client In a side lying position In bed - Correct Answersb Following food groups is high in fiber? a. Milk, cheese b. Meat, eggs c. Wheat bran, whole apples, raw vegetables d. Butter, vegetable oil, mayonnaise - Correct Answersc As a Home health aide your assignment is to encourage fluids for Mrs. Smith is 87 years old and has a history of urinary tract infections. Which of these could you do? a. Offer to get her a glass/cup of fluids at the beginning of your visit b. Before leaving patient's home, place a big glass of fresh water by her chair c. Ask about her favorite drink and if possible, prepare before the end of visit d. All of the above - Correct Answersd