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CNA - NNAAP NURSE AIDE
CERTIFICATION ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026
ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
ALREADY A GRADED |CURRENTLY
TESTING |NEW AND REVISED
FOCUS=National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) –
Basic Nursing Skills, Personal Care, Safety, Infection Control,
Mental Health, and Restorative Services
Section 1: Questions 1–50
1. A nurse aide is caring for a resident who is confused and tries to get
out of bed frequently. Which action is most appropriate to prevent falls?
A. Apply a vest restraint at bedtime
B. Place the bed in the lowest position with mats on the floor
C. Keep the side rails fully raised on both sides
D. Tell the resident to stay in bed every 15 minutes
Rationale: The least restrictive method to prevent falls includes low
bed height and fall mats; restraints require a physician order and
should be avoided. Side rails alone may increase injury risk if the
resident climbs over.
2. While bathing a resident, the nurse aide notices a red, open area on the
resident’s coccyx. What should the aide do first?
A. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area
B. Report the finding to the charge nurse immediately
C. Cover the area with a dry gauze pad
D. Document the finding as a stage 2 pressure injury
,2|P a g e
Rationale: Any skin breakdown must be reported to the nurse
immediately for assessment and treatment planning. The aide should
not diagnose or treat independently.
3. A resident with dementia repeatedly asks, “What time is dinner?”
even though dinner was served 30 minutes ago. What is the best
response by the nurse aide?
A. “You already ate dinner. Don’t you remember?”
B. “I’ll tell you when it’s time for dinner.”
C. “Dinner was at 5:00. Would you like a snack now?”
D. Ignore the question and redirect the resident to another activity
Rationale: Redirecting and offering a snack acknowledges the
resident’s need without correcting or arguing, which can reduce
anxiety and agitation.
4. When providing perineal care for a female resident, the nurse aide
should clean:
A. From the rectum toward the vagina
B. From the pubic area toward the rectum
C. Using a circular motion from the outside in
D. Using a back-and-forth scrubbing motion
Rationale: Cleaning from front to back (pubis to rectum) prevents
introducing rectal bacteria into the urethra or vagina, reducing
infection risk.
5. What is the normal adult oral temperature range?
A. 96.0°F to 97.5°F
B. 97.5°F to 98.0°F
C. 97.6°F to 99.6°F
D. 98.6°F to 100.4°F
Rationale: Normal oral temperature is approximately 97.6°F–99.6°F
(36.4°C–37.6°C), with 98.6°F being the average.
6. The nurse aide is helping a resident walk when the resident says, “I
feel dizzy.” What should the aide do first?
,3|P a g e
A. Continue walking slowly to the chair
B. Ease the resident to the floor
C. Run to get the nurse for help
D. Have the resident sit down immediately on the floor
Rationale: The aide should lower the resident gently to the floor to
prevent a fall injury. Leaving the resident unattended or forcing
continued ambulation is unsafe.
7. A resident who is on aspiration precautions is eating lunch. The nurse
aide should ensure that:
A. The resident drinks thin liquids through a straw
B. The resident sits upright at a 90-degree angle
C. The resident eats only soft, pureed foods without checking orders
D. The resident is placed in a supine position after meals
Rationale: Upright positioning (90 degrees) helps prevent food or
liquid from entering the airway; specific dietary textures are ordered
by the care team.
8. When taking a blood pressure, the nurse aide inflates the cuff to 180
mm Hg but hears a beat at 140 mm Hg and the sound disappears at 80
mm Hg. The aide should record:
A. 180/80
B. 140/80
C. 140/0
D. 180/140
Rationale: Systolic is the first Korotkoff sound (140), diastolic is the
last sound heard (80). Overinflation to 180 is correct technique to
ensure the first sound is detected.
9. A resident’s advance directive states “do not resuscitate” (DNR). The
resident goes into cardiac arrest. The nurse aide should:
A. Begin CPR immediately
B. Call for the nurse and follow facility policy regarding DNR
C. Place the resident in the recovery position
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D. Leave the room and close the door
Rationale: A DNR order means no CPR, but the aide must verify the
order and notify the nurse. Some facilities require a specific form; the
aide should not independently decide.
10. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) should the nurse aide
wear when providing oral care for a resident who has active tuberculosis
(airborne precautions)?
A. Surgical mask and gloves
B. N95 respirator, gloves, and gown
C. Gloves and eye protection only
D. Face shield and gown
Rationale: Tuberculosis requires airborne precautions, including an
N95 respirator (or PAPR), gloves, and a gown if contact with
respiratory secretions is likely.
11. A resident with a urinary catheter has not produced any urine in the
drainage bag for 4 hours. The nurse aide should first:
A. Irrigate the catheter with sterile saline
B. Check the tubing for kinks and ensure the bag is below bladder
level
C. Increase the resident’s fluid intake
D. Notify the charge nurse immediately
Rationale: The most common cause of low urine output with a
catheter is mechanical obstruction (kinks, dependent loops). The aide
should check tubing before reporting.
12. When giving a bed bath, the nurse aide should keep the resident
covered as much as possible to:
A. Prevent hypothermia
B. Maintain privacy and dignity
C. Reduce the risk of skin tears
D. Prevent the spread of infection
CNA - NNAAP NURSE AIDE
CERTIFICATION ACTUAL EXAM PREP 2026
ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
ALREADY A GRADED |CURRENTLY
TESTING |NEW AND REVISED
FOCUS=National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) –
Basic Nursing Skills, Personal Care, Safety, Infection Control,
Mental Health, and Restorative Services
Section 1: Questions 1–50
1. A nurse aide is caring for a resident who is confused and tries to get
out of bed frequently. Which action is most appropriate to prevent falls?
A. Apply a vest restraint at bedtime
B. Place the bed in the lowest position with mats on the floor
C. Keep the side rails fully raised on both sides
D. Tell the resident to stay in bed every 15 minutes
Rationale: The least restrictive method to prevent falls includes low
bed height and fall mats; restraints require a physician order and
should be avoided. Side rails alone may increase injury risk if the
resident climbs over.
2. While bathing a resident, the nurse aide notices a red, open area on the
resident’s coccyx. What should the aide do first?
A. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area
B. Report the finding to the charge nurse immediately
C. Cover the area with a dry gauze pad
D. Document the finding as a stage 2 pressure injury
,2|P a g e
Rationale: Any skin breakdown must be reported to the nurse
immediately for assessment and treatment planning. The aide should
not diagnose or treat independently.
3. A resident with dementia repeatedly asks, “What time is dinner?”
even though dinner was served 30 minutes ago. What is the best
response by the nurse aide?
A. “You already ate dinner. Don’t you remember?”
B. “I’ll tell you when it’s time for dinner.”
C. “Dinner was at 5:00. Would you like a snack now?”
D. Ignore the question and redirect the resident to another activity
Rationale: Redirecting and offering a snack acknowledges the
resident’s need without correcting or arguing, which can reduce
anxiety and agitation.
4. When providing perineal care for a female resident, the nurse aide
should clean:
A. From the rectum toward the vagina
B. From the pubic area toward the rectum
C. Using a circular motion from the outside in
D. Using a back-and-forth scrubbing motion
Rationale: Cleaning from front to back (pubis to rectum) prevents
introducing rectal bacteria into the urethra or vagina, reducing
infection risk.
5. What is the normal adult oral temperature range?
A. 96.0°F to 97.5°F
B. 97.5°F to 98.0°F
C. 97.6°F to 99.6°F
D. 98.6°F to 100.4°F
Rationale: Normal oral temperature is approximately 97.6°F–99.6°F
(36.4°C–37.6°C), with 98.6°F being the average.
6. The nurse aide is helping a resident walk when the resident says, “I
feel dizzy.” What should the aide do first?
,3|P a g e
A. Continue walking slowly to the chair
B. Ease the resident to the floor
C. Run to get the nurse for help
D. Have the resident sit down immediately on the floor
Rationale: The aide should lower the resident gently to the floor to
prevent a fall injury. Leaving the resident unattended or forcing
continued ambulation is unsafe.
7. A resident who is on aspiration precautions is eating lunch. The nurse
aide should ensure that:
A. The resident drinks thin liquids through a straw
B. The resident sits upright at a 90-degree angle
C. The resident eats only soft, pureed foods without checking orders
D. The resident is placed in a supine position after meals
Rationale: Upright positioning (90 degrees) helps prevent food or
liquid from entering the airway; specific dietary textures are ordered
by the care team.
8. When taking a blood pressure, the nurse aide inflates the cuff to 180
mm Hg but hears a beat at 140 mm Hg and the sound disappears at 80
mm Hg. The aide should record:
A. 180/80
B. 140/80
C. 140/0
D. 180/140
Rationale: Systolic is the first Korotkoff sound (140), diastolic is the
last sound heard (80). Overinflation to 180 is correct technique to
ensure the first sound is detected.
9. A resident’s advance directive states “do not resuscitate” (DNR). The
resident goes into cardiac arrest. The nurse aide should:
A. Begin CPR immediately
B. Call for the nurse and follow facility policy regarding DNR
C. Place the resident in the recovery position
, 4|P a g e
D. Leave the room and close the door
Rationale: A DNR order means no CPR, but the aide must verify the
order and notify the nurse. Some facilities require a specific form; the
aide should not independently decide.
10. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) should the nurse aide
wear when providing oral care for a resident who has active tuberculosis
(airborne precautions)?
A. Surgical mask and gloves
B. N95 respirator, gloves, and gown
C. Gloves and eye protection only
D. Face shield and gown
Rationale: Tuberculosis requires airborne precautions, including an
N95 respirator (or PAPR), gloves, and a gown if contact with
respiratory secretions is likely.
11. A resident with a urinary catheter has not produced any urine in the
drainage bag for 4 hours. The nurse aide should first:
A. Irrigate the catheter with sterile saline
B. Check the tubing for kinks and ensure the bag is below bladder
level
C. Increase the resident’s fluid intake
D. Notify the charge nurse immediately
Rationale: The most common cause of low urine output with a
catheter is mechanical obstruction (kinks, dependent loops). The aide
should check tubing before reporting.
12. When giving a bed bath, the nurse aide should keep the resident
covered as much as possible to:
A. Prevent hypothermia
B. Maintain privacy and dignity
C. Reduce the risk of skin tears
D. Prevent the spread of infection
