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Free CNA practice test

20 questions on the topics every approved CNA program must teach. Answer them all, then check: each answer explains why and links to the rule or health guidance it comes from.

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  • Answers explained
  • Sources checked November 2, 2026

Practice, not the real exam. The All CNA Classes Editorial Team wrote these questions from federal nursing-home rules, CDC infection-control guidance and MedlinePlus. They aren't real exam questions, and the real written test words things differently. Topics: residents' rights, infection control, safety and emergencies, basic nursing skills, your role and the rules.

  1. 1. Residents' rightsA resident says she doesn't want her shower this morning. What should the nurse aide do?
  2. 2. Residents' rightsA letter arrives for a resident. What is the right way to handle it?
  3. 3. Residents' rightsA resident keeps getting up from his chair during a busy shift. Can staff tie him to the chair so they can keep working?
  4. 4. Residents' rightsA resident wants to complain about cold meals. What is true about her complaint?
  5. 5. Residents' rightsBefore helping a resident change clothes in a shared room, what should you do first?
  6. 6. Your role and the rulesA resident tells you another staff member hit her. Under federal rules, how soon must the allegation be reported to the administrator and state officials?
  7. 7. Your role and the rulesWhile helping a resident wash, you notice her skin feels much hotter than usual and she seems confused. What should you do?
  8. 8. Your role and the rulesFederal rules say trainees need at least how many hours of training before any direct contact with a resident?
  9. 9. Infection controlYour hands aren't visibly dirty, and you're about to help a resident who doesn't have C. diff or norovirus. Which is the preferred way to clean your hands?
  10. 10. Infection controlWhen should you wash your hands with soap and water instead of using hand sanitizer?
  11. 11. Infection controlYou've just taken off your gloves after helping a resident to the toilet. What next?
  12. 12. Infection controlWho should standard precautions, such as hand hygiene and gloves when you may touch body fluids, be used for?
  13. 13. Safety and emergenciesA resident at lunch suddenly can't speak and is clutching her throat, with only a weak cough. Which first aid matches MedlinePlus guidance for a conscious adult?
  14. 14. Safety and emergenciesA resident on oxygen asks to light a cigarette in his room. What is the safe answer?
  15. 15. Safety and emergenciesA resident who can't move on her own stays in bed all day. How often does MedlinePlus advise changing position in bed to prevent pressure sores?
  16. 16. Basic nursing skillsA resident sits in a wheelchair most of the day. How often does MedlinePlus suggest shifting weight to relieve pressure?
  17. 17. Basic nursing skillsWhat is the normal resting heart rate for an adult?
  18. 18. Basic nursing skillsWhere do you usually feel for a pulse at the wrist?
  19. 19. Basic nursing skillsIn a blood pressure reading of 118/76 mm Hg, what is 118?
  20. 20. Basic nursing skillsWhich reading is in the normal range, according to MedlinePlus?
0 of 20 answered
Show the answer key (spoilers)
  1. A resident says she doesn't want her shower this morning. What should the nurse aide do?
    Answer: Respect her choice, ask if another time suits her, and tell the nurse. Residents have the right to request, refuse or stop treatment. Respect the refusal, offer another time, and report it so the nurse can follow up. 42 CFR §483.10(c)(6) (Cornell LII).
  2. A letter arrives for a resident. What is the right way to handle it?
    Answer: Give it to the resident promptly and unopened. Residents have the right to privacy in their written communications, including the right to send and promptly receive unopened mail. 42 CFR §483.10(h) (Cornell LII).
  3. A resident keeps getting up from his chair during a busy shift. Can staff tie him to the chair so they can keep working?
    Answer: No. A restraint can't be used for staff convenience or as discipline. Residents have the right to be free from physical or chemical restraints used for discipline or convenience and not required to treat a medical symptom. 42 CFR §483.10(e)(1) (Cornell LII).
  4. A resident wants to complain about cold meals. What is true about her complaint?
    Answer: She has the right to complain without fear of punishment or unfair treatment. Residents have the right to voice grievances without discrimination or reprisal, and without fear of either. 42 CFR §483.10(j) (Cornell LII).
  5. Before helping a resident change clothes in a shared room, what should you do first?
    Answer: Close the door and pull the privacy curtain. Residents have a right to personal privacy, and the rule names personal care as part of that privacy. 42 CFR §483.10(h) (Cornell LII).
  6. A resident tells you another staff member hit her. Under federal rules, how soon must the allegation be reported to the administrator and state officials?
    Answer: Immediately, and no later than 2 hours after the allegation. Alleged abuse, and anything that causes serious bodily injury, must be reported immediately and no later than 2 hours after the allegation is made. Other alleged violations must be reported within 24 hours. 42 CFR §483.12(c)(1) (Cornell LII).
  7. While helping a resident wash, you notice her skin feels much hotter than usual and she seems confused. What should you do?
    Answer: Report the change to the nurse right away. Recognizing abnormal changes in body functioning, and reporting them to a supervisor, is one of the basic nursing skills every approved program must teach. 42 CFR §483.152(b)(2) (Cornell LII).
  8. Federal rules say trainees need at least how many hours of training before any direct contact with a resident?
    Answer: 16 hours. Trainees need at least 16 hours of training, in communication, infection control, safety and emergencies, independence and residents' rights, before any direct contact with a resident. The whole program must be at least 75 hours. 42 CFR §483.152(b)(1) (Cornell LII).
  9. Your hands aren't visibly dirty, and you're about to help a resident who doesn't have C. diff or norovirus. Which is the preferred way to clean your hands?
    Answer: Alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Unless hands are visibly soiled, CDC says alcohol-based hand sanitizer is preferred over soap and water in most clinical situations. CDC: Clinical safety, hand hygiene for healthcare workers.
  10. When should you wash your hands with soap and water instead of using hand sanitizer?
    Answer: When your hands are visibly soiled. CDC says to use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled, before eating, after using the restroom, and during C. diff or norovirus outbreaks when caring for patients with suspected or confirmed infection. CDC: Clinical safety, hand hygiene for healthcare workers.
  11. You've just taken off your gloves after helping a resident to the toilet. What next?
    Answer: Clean your hands. Gloves are not a substitute for hand hygiene. CDC says to always clean your hands after removing gloves, and to change gloves between patients. CDC: Clinical safety, hand hygiene for healthcare workers.
  12. Who should standard precautions, such as hand hygiene and gloves when you may touch body fluids, be used for?
    Answer: Every resident, in all care. CDC says standard precautions are used for all patient care, not just for people known to have an infection. CDC: Standard Precautions.
  13. A resident at lunch suddenly can't speak and is clutching her throat, with only a weak cough. Which first aid matches MedlinePlus guidance for a conscious adult?
    Answer: Call for help and give cycles of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts. Inability to speak and a weak, ineffective cough are signs of choking. For a conscious adult, MedlinePlus describes repeated cycles of 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts. Federal rules require training in the Heimlich maneuver before resident contact. MedlinePlus: Choking, adult or child over 1 year.
  14. A resident on oxygen asks to light a cigarette in his room. What is the safe answer?
    Answer: No. Nobody should smoke, or have an open flame, near oxygen. MedlinePlus says not to smoke when using oxygen and to keep it away from open flames and heat sources. MedlinePlus: Using oxygen at home.
  15. A resident who can't move on her own stays in bed all day. How often does MedlinePlus advise changing position in bed to prevent pressure sores?
    Answer: Every 1 to 2 hours. MedlinePlus advises changing position every 1 to 2 hours to keep pressure off any one spot, and keeping skin clean, dry and checked daily. MedlinePlus: Preventing pressure ulcers.
  16. A resident sits in a wheelchair most of the day. How often does MedlinePlus suggest shifting weight to relieve pressure?
    Answer: Every 15 to 20 minutes. MedlinePlus says people in a wheelchair should shift their weight, leaning forward, left and right, every 15 to 20 minutes to relieve pressure. MedlinePlus: Preventing pressure ulcers.
  17. What is the normal resting heart rate for an adult?
    Answer: 60 to 100 beats a minute. MedlinePlus gives 60 to 100 beats a minute as the normal resting heart rate for adults, including seniors. Report a reading outside the usual range to the nurse. MedlinePlus: Pulse.
  18. Where do you usually feel for a pulse at the wrist?
    Answer: On the palm side of the wrist, on the thumb side. MedlinePlus says to place your index and middle fingers on the underside of the wrist, below the base of the thumb, and count for a full minute (or 30 seconds and double it). MedlinePlus: Pulse.
  19. In a blood pressure reading of 118/76 mm Hg, what is 118?
    Answer: The systolic (top) number. The top number is the systolic pressure and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure. MedlinePlus says a normal reading is lower than 120/80 most of the time. MedlinePlus: High blood pressure.
  20. Which reading is in the normal range, according to MedlinePlus?
    Answer: 112/74 mm Hg. MedlinePlus says normal blood pressure is lower than 120/80 mm Hg most of the time. Only 112/74 is below both numbers. MedlinePlus: High blood pressure.

How the real CNA exam works

Federal rules require a two-part competency evaluation: a written or oral test, and a skills test where you show you can do nurse aide tasks. In Florida the written test has 60 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, and the skills test asks you to perform 5 skills. Read the full CNA exam guide for Texas and Florida.

Practice test questions

Are these real CNA exam questions?

No. Our editorial team wrote them from federal rules for nursing homes and nurse aide training, CDC infection-control guidance and MedlinePlus. Real exam questions are confidential.

What topics do approved CNA programs teach?

Federal rules (42 CFR §483.152) require approved programs to teach communication, infection control, safety and emergency procedures, residents' independence and rights, basic nursing skills such as vital signs, personal care skills, mental health and social needs, care of cognitively impaired residents and basic restorative care. The CNA exam guide.

How do I prepare for the skills test?

Practice each skill with your program's instructor until you can do every step in order, including hand hygiene, privacy and safety steps. Your exam provider's candidate handbook lists the skills and their steps.

Sources (checked November 2, 2026)

  1. 42 CFR §483.10(h) (Cornell LII)
  2. 42 CFR §483.12(c)(1) (Cornell LII)
  3. 42 CFR §483.152(b)(1) (Cornell LII)
  4. CDC: Clinical safety, hand hygiene for healthcare workers
  5. CDC: Standard Precautions
  6. MedlinePlus: Choking, adult or child over 1 year
  7. MedlinePlus: Using oxygen at home
  8. MedlinePlus: Preventing pressure ulcers
  9. MedlinePlus: Pulse
  10. MedlinePlus: High blood pressure

This practice test is for study only. It isn't medical advice. Follow your facility's policies and your nurse's directions.