CNA Certification Vital Signs Comprehensive
Study Guide: Pass Your Exam on the First
Attempt and Avoid Resits - Based on Mosby's
Textbook for Nursing Assistants 10th Edition
by Sheila A. Sorrentino and Leighann Remmert
Ad hoc interpreter - ANSWER//Using a patient's family
member, friend, or child as an interpreter for a patient with
limited English proficiency (LEP). Animism -
ANSWER//Imagining that inanimate objects (e.g., a blood
pressure cuff) come alive and have human characteristics.
Auscultatory gap - ANSWER//A brief period when
Korotkoff sounds disappear during blood pressure
auscultation; may occur with hypertension. Avoidance
language - ANSWER//The use of euphemisms to avoid
reality or to hide feelings. Bradycardia - ANSWER//A heart
rate fewer than 50 or 60 beats/min in an adult (depending
on agency guidelines). Bradypnea - ANSWER//A
decreased respiratory rate, typically fewer than 8-12
breaths/min in an adult (depending on agency guidelines).
Clarification - ANSWER//An examiner's response used
when the patient's word choice is ambiguous or confusing.
Closed questions - ANSWER//Questions that ask for
specific information and elicit a short, one- or two-word
answer, a 'yes' or 'no,' or a forced choice. Confrontation -
ANSWER//A response in which the examiner gives honest
feedback about what they have seen or felt after
observing a certain patient action, feeling, or statement.
Cultural and linguistic competence - ANSWER//A set of
congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come
together in a system among professionals that enables
work in cross-cultural situations. Cultural care -
ANSWER//Professional health care that is culturally
sensitive, appropriate, and competent. Cultural awareness
- ANSWER//Recognition of differences and similarities
between cultures; recognition and understanding of one's
own culture. Cultural humility - ANSWER//Recognition of
,the value and worth of cultures other than one's own;
respect for intracultural variation. Cultural knowledge -
ANSWER//Knowledge of different cultural characteristics.
Cultural skills - ANSWER//Ability to complete a thorough
cultural assessment and recognize potential variations in
people based on cultural background. Culture -
ANSWER//The nonphysical attributes of a person—the
thoughts, communications, actions, beliefs, values, and
institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups.
Distancing - ANSWER//The use of impersonal speech to
put space between oneself and a threat. Elderspeak -
ANSWER//Infantilizing and demeaning language used by
a health professional when speaking to an older adult.
Empathy - ANSWER//Viewing the world from the other
person's inner frame of reference while remaining yourself;
recognizing and accepting the other person's feelings
without criticism. Ethnicity - ANSWER//A social group
within the social system that claims to possess variable
traits such as a common geographic origin, migratory
status, and religion. Explanation - ANSWER//Examiner's
statements that inform the patient; examiner shares
factual and objective information. Facilitation -
ANSWER//An examiner's response that encourages the
patient to say more, to continue with the story. Folk healer
- ANSWER//A lay healer in the person's culture apart from
the biomedical or scientific health care system. Gender
identity - ANSWER//How a person sees themselves in
relation to roles and behaviors that are socially assigned
to different genders. Geographic privacy - ANSWER//A
private room or space with only the examiner and patient
present. Health or illness - ANSWER//The balance or
imbalance of the person, both within one's being (physical,
mental, and/or spiritual) and in the outside world (natural,
communal, and/or metaphysical). Interpretation -
ANSWER//An examiner's statement that is not based on
direct observation but on inference or conclusion; links
events, makes associations, or implies cause. Interview -
,ANSWER//A meeting between the examiner and patient
with the goal of gathering a complete health history.
Jargon - ANSWER//Medical vocabulary used with a
patient in an exclusionary and paternalistic way. Leading
question - ANSWER//A question implying one answer is
better than another. Nonverbal communication -
ANSWER//Messages conveyed through body language—
posture, gestures, facial expression, eye contact, touch,
and even where one places the chairs. Open-ended
question - ANSWER//Asks for longer narrative information;
unbiased; leaves the person free to answer in any way.
Reflection - ANSWER//An examiner's response that
echoes the patient's words; repeats part of what the
patient has just said. Religion - ANSWER//An organized
system of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and
purpose of the universe, as well as attendance at regular
services. Sexual orientation - ANSWER//Refers to sexual
and emotional attraction to others (i.e., heterosexual,
bisexual, gay). Socialization - ANSWER//The process of
being raised within a culture and acquiring the
characteristics of that group. Sphygmomanometer -
ANSWER//An instrument for measuring arterial blood
pressure. Spirituality - ANSWER//A broad term focused on
a connection to something larger than oneself, and a
belief in transcendence. Stroke volume - ANSWER//The
amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each
heartbeat. Summary - ANSWER//A final review of what
the examiner understands the patient has said,
condensing facts and presenting a survey of how the
examiner perceives the health problem or need.
Tachycardia - ANSWER//A heart rate greater than 95
beats/min in an adult. Tachypnea - ANSWER//A rapid
respiratory rate, respiratory rate above 25 breaths/min in
an adult. Telegraphic speech - ANSWER//Speech used by
age 3 or 4 years in which three- or four-word sentences
contain only the essential words. Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 - ANSWER//A federal law that mandates that
, when people with limited English proficiency (LEP) seek
health care, services cannot be denied to them. Values -
ANSWER//A desirable or undesirable state of affairs and a
universal feature of all cultures. Verbal communication -
ANSWER//Messages sent through spoken words,
vocalizations, or tone of voice. Biographic Data -
ANSWER//Name, age, birthdate, gender, preferred
pronoun, occupation, language, relationship status, race,
ethnic origin. Source of History - ANSWER//Record who
provides information, their reliability, and any special
circumstances like interpreter use. Reason for Seeking
Care - ANSWER//A brief statement in the patient's own
words (use quotation marks), describing the symptom(s)
or sign(s) and their duration. Present Health / History of
Present Illness (HPI) - ANSWER//A chronological record
of the reason for seeking care. PQRSTU - ANSWER//A
mnemonic for collecting data on eight critical
characteristics of a symptom: Provocative or Palliative,
Quality or Quantity, Region or Radiation, Severity Scale,
Timing, Understand Patient's Perception. Past Medical
History - ANSWER//Childhood illnesses, accidents/injuries,
chronic illnesses, hospitalizations/surgeries, obstetric
history, immunizations, last examination dates, allergies
(note reaction type), current medications (prescription,
OTC, herbal, dosage, purpose, side effects). Family
History - ANSWER//Identify health status or cause of
death for close relatives across at least three generations.
Genogram - ANSWER//A visual representation using
symbols for family relationships, key life events, and
health information. Review of Systems -
ANSWER//Evaluate past and current health of each body
system in a head-to-toe format, focusing on subjective
data (symptoms) and health promotion practices.
Functional Assessment (ADLs) - ANSWER//Measures
self-care ability in daily living, including nutrition, hygiene,
relationships, coping, self-esteem, activity/exercise,
sleep/rest, elimination, spiritual resources, personal habits
Study Guide: Pass Your Exam on the First
Attempt and Avoid Resits - Based on Mosby's
Textbook for Nursing Assistants 10th Edition
by Sheila A. Sorrentino and Leighann Remmert
Ad hoc interpreter - ANSWER//Using a patient's family
member, friend, or child as an interpreter for a patient with
limited English proficiency (LEP). Animism -
ANSWER//Imagining that inanimate objects (e.g., a blood
pressure cuff) come alive and have human characteristics.
Auscultatory gap - ANSWER//A brief period when
Korotkoff sounds disappear during blood pressure
auscultation; may occur with hypertension. Avoidance
language - ANSWER//The use of euphemisms to avoid
reality or to hide feelings. Bradycardia - ANSWER//A heart
rate fewer than 50 or 60 beats/min in an adult (depending
on agency guidelines). Bradypnea - ANSWER//A
decreased respiratory rate, typically fewer than 8-12
breaths/min in an adult (depending on agency guidelines).
Clarification - ANSWER//An examiner's response used
when the patient's word choice is ambiguous or confusing.
Closed questions - ANSWER//Questions that ask for
specific information and elicit a short, one- or two-word
answer, a 'yes' or 'no,' or a forced choice. Confrontation -
ANSWER//A response in which the examiner gives honest
feedback about what they have seen or felt after
observing a certain patient action, feeling, or statement.
Cultural and linguistic competence - ANSWER//A set of
congruent behaviors, attitudes, and policies that come
together in a system among professionals that enables
work in cross-cultural situations. Cultural care -
ANSWER//Professional health care that is culturally
sensitive, appropriate, and competent. Cultural awareness
- ANSWER//Recognition of differences and similarities
between cultures; recognition and understanding of one's
own culture. Cultural humility - ANSWER//Recognition of
,the value and worth of cultures other than one's own;
respect for intracultural variation. Cultural knowledge -
ANSWER//Knowledge of different cultural characteristics.
Cultural skills - ANSWER//Ability to complete a thorough
cultural assessment and recognize potential variations in
people based on cultural background. Culture -
ANSWER//The nonphysical attributes of a person—the
thoughts, communications, actions, beliefs, values, and
institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups.
Distancing - ANSWER//The use of impersonal speech to
put space between oneself and a threat. Elderspeak -
ANSWER//Infantilizing and demeaning language used by
a health professional when speaking to an older adult.
Empathy - ANSWER//Viewing the world from the other
person's inner frame of reference while remaining yourself;
recognizing and accepting the other person's feelings
without criticism. Ethnicity - ANSWER//A social group
within the social system that claims to possess variable
traits such as a common geographic origin, migratory
status, and religion. Explanation - ANSWER//Examiner's
statements that inform the patient; examiner shares
factual and objective information. Facilitation -
ANSWER//An examiner's response that encourages the
patient to say more, to continue with the story. Folk healer
- ANSWER//A lay healer in the person's culture apart from
the biomedical or scientific health care system. Gender
identity - ANSWER//How a person sees themselves in
relation to roles and behaviors that are socially assigned
to different genders. Geographic privacy - ANSWER//A
private room or space with only the examiner and patient
present. Health or illness - ANSWER//The balance or
imbalance of the person, both within one's being (physical,
mental, and/or spiritual) and in the outside world (natural,
communal, and/or metaphysical). Interpretation -
ANSWER//An examiner's statement that is not based on
direct observation but on inference or conclusion; links
events, makes associations, or implies cause. Interview -
,ANSWER//A meeting between the examiner and patient
with the goal of gathering a complete health history.
Jargon - ANSWER//Medical vocabulary used with a
patient in an exclusionary and paternalistic way. Leading
question - ANSWER//A question implying one answer is
better than another. Nonverbal communication -
ANSWER//Messages conveyed through body language—
posture, gestures, facial expression, eye contact, touch,
and even where one places the chairs. Open-ended
question - ANSWER//Asks for longer narrative information;
unbiased; leaves the person free to answer in any way.
Reflection - ANSWER//An examiner's response that
echoes the patient's words; repeats part of what the
patient has just said. Religion - ANSWER//An organized
system of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and
purpose of the universe, as well as attendance at regular
services. Sexual orientation - ANSWER//Refers to sexual
and emotional attraction to others (i.e., heterosexual,
bisexual, gay). Socialization - ANSWER//The process of
being raised within a culture and acquiring the
characteristics of that group. Sphygmomanometer -
ANSWER//An instrument for measuring arterial blood
pressure. Spirituality - ANSWER//A broad term focused on
a connection to something larger than oneself, and a
belief in transcendence. Stroke volume - ANSWER//The
amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each
heartbeat. Summary - ANSWER//A final review of what
the examiner understands the patient has said,
condensing facts and presenting a survey of how the
examiner perceives the health problem or need.
Tachycardia - ANSWER//A heart rate greater than 95
beats/min in an adult. Tachypnea - ANSWER//A rapid
respiratory rate, respiratory rate above 25 breaths/min in
an adult. Telegraphic speech - ANSWER//Speech used by
age 3 or 4 years in which three- or four-word sentences
contain only the essential words. Title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 - ANSWER//A federal law that mandates that
, when people with limited English proficiency (LEP) seek
health care, services cannot be denied to them. Values -
ANSWER//A desirable or undesirable state of affairs and a
universal feature of all cultures. Verbal communication -
ANSWER//Messages sent through spoken words,
vocalizations, or tone of voice. Biographic Data -
ANSWER//Name, age, birthdate, gender, preferred
pronoun, occupation, language, relationship status, race,
ethnic origin. Source of History - ANSWER//Record who
provides information, their reliability, and any special
circumstances like interpreter use. Reason for Seeking
Care - ANSWER//A brief statement in the patient's own
words (use quotation marks), describing the symptom(s)
or sign(s) and their duration. Present Health / History of
Present Illness (HPI) - ANSWER//A chronological record
of the reason for seeking care. PQRSTU - ANSWER//A
mnemonic for collecting data on eight critical
characteristics of a symptom: Provocative or Palliative,
Quality or Quantity, Region or Radiation, Severity Scale,
Timing, Understand Patient's Perception. Past Medical
History - ANSWER//Childhood illnesses, accidents/injuries,
chronic illnesses, hospitalizations/surgeries, obstetric
history, immunizations, last examination dates, allergies
(note reaction type), current medications (prescription,
OTC, herbal, dosage, purpose, side effects). Family
History - ANSWER//Identify health status or cause of
death for close relatives across at least three generations.
Genogram - ANSWER//A visual representation using
symbols for family relationships, key life events, and
health information. Review of Systems -
ANSWER//Evaluate past and current health of each body
system in a head-to-toe format, focusing on subjective
data (symptoms) and health promotion practices.
Functional Assessment (ADLs) - ANSWER//Measures
self-care ability in daily living, including nutrition, hygiene,
relationships, coping, self-esteem, activity/exercise,
sleep/rest, elimination, spiritual resources, personal habits
