Legal and Ethical Behavior CNA Practice Test 4 with Answers

Question 1

HIPAA stands for:

Accepted Answer

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. A (correct): HIPAA is a federal privacy law that requires healthcare facilities, insurance companies, and clearinghouses to protect patient information. B, C, D (incorrect): These are fabricated titles that do not correspond to any actual legislation. Only option A correctly identifies the full name of this important privacy law.

Question 2

Long-term care facilities are required to have an independent advocate who investigates resident rights complaints. This person is called:

Accepted Answer

Ombudsman. C (correct): All long-term care facilities are required by federal law to have an ombudsman — an independent patient advocate who is not associated with the facility and can investigate resident complaints, specifically regarding resident rights. All patients should have access to ombudsman contact information. A, B (incorrect): These titles do not refer to the federally mandated independent advocate role. D (incorrect): The Director of Nursing is an employee of the facility and therefore not independent.

Question 3

A resident reports she has been unable to afford her daily medications because her son has been using her money to pay his bills. This is an example of:

Accepted Answer

Financial abuse. C (correct): Elder financial abuse is the improper or illegal use of an older adult's money, property, or assets. This includes theft, exploitation, fraud, and identity theft. The CNA should report all suspected abuse to a supervisor immediately. A (incorrect): Neglect refers to failing to meet a patient's basic physical needs such as hygiene, nutrition, or safety. This situation involves the misuse of funds, which is financial abuse. B (incorrect): Characterizing this as a family issue minimizes the seriousness of what is occurring. Financial exploitation by a family member is still abuse and must be reported. D (incorrect): There is no indication in the scenario that insurance is involved. The son is directly using the resident's money for his own expenses.

Question 4

Which of the following tasks is NOT within the CNA scope of practice?

Accepted Answer

Administering medication. B (correct): Administering medications is not within the scope of practice of a CNA. In order to administer medications, caregivers must earn additional certifications such as certified medication technician. A (incorrect): Measuring vital signs is within the CNA scope of practice. C (incorrect): Assisting with ambulation is within the CNA scope of practice. D (incorrect): Providing assistance with a bed bath is within the CNA scope of practice.

Question 5

A family friend approaches the CNA in the dining room and asks about what kind of personal care their friend has been receiving in the facility. Which of the following is the BEST response?

Accepted Answer

Inform the friend that you cannot share healthcare information. C (correct): Under HIPAA, the CNA must not share a resident's healthcare information without their consent, especially in public areas such as hallways and dining rooms. A (incorrect): Providing a copy of the chart to an unauthorized individual is a serious HIPAA violation regardless of location. B (incorrect): Sharing any details about a resident's care with an unauthorized person violates their privacy rights. D (incorrect): While the nurse should ultimately be involved, telling the visitor to ask the nurse does not address the HIPAA concern or explain to the visitor why the information cannot be shared in this setting.

Question 6

During a busy shift, the CNA is unable to complete a resident's bed bath. They chart that the bath was 'completed' at 0800, stating that they will come back and do it later. This is considered:

Accepted Answer

Fraud. A (correct): Charting false information is considered fraudulent documentation and is taken very seriously in healthcare. If the CNA does not have enough time to complete resident cares, they should chart accurate information and report concerns about time constraints to the nurse or their supervisor. B (incorrect): It does not matter whether the bath is eventually completed. Documenting that care was provided at a specific time when it was not is a falsification of medical records. C (incorrect): This is not a simple error — it is the deliberate documentation of care that was not performed, which constitutes fraud. D (incorrect): Assault involves making a resident fear physical harm. This situation involves documentation fraud, which is a different type of professional violation.

Question 7

During a night shift, a resident repeatedly leaves their room and wanders around the hallways, shouting loudly and disturbing the other residents. What is the BEST response by the CNA?

Accepted Answer

Redirect them to a quiet activity. C (correct): Redirection is an appropriate and therapeutic non-pharmacological intervention for a resident who is wandering and agitated. Engaging the resident in a calm, quiet activity can help reduce the behavior without violating their rights. A (incorrect): Locking a resident inside their room is never appropriate. Confining a resident without a physician's order constitutes unlawful restraint. B (incorrect): The CNA cannot administer any medications, including sleep aids, under any circumstances. D (incorrect): Threatening to restrict a resident's participation in activities as punishment is a violation of their rights. Residents cannot be threatened or disciplined.

Question 8

Which of the following is an appropriate task for a CNA?

Accepted Answer

Reporting a fever to the RN. B (correct): Measuring a temperature and reporting findings to the RN are within the CNA's scope of practice. Observation and reporting are core CNA responsibilities. A (incorrect): Wound assessment requires clinical judgment and is within the scope of practice of an LPN or RN, not a CNA. C (incorrect): Patient teaching, including education about medications such as insulin, requires an advanced license. D (incorrect): Administering any medication, including over-the-counter drugs such as ibuprofen, is outside the CNA scope of practice.

Question 9

The CNA begins their shift and sees that a resident is wearing mitten restraints without a physician's order. What is the BEST response by the CNA?

Accepted Answer

Report the observation to the nurse. B (correct): Restraints should never be placed on a patient without a physician's order. This observation should be reported to the nurse immediately, and the restraints should be removed until a physician has ordered them. A (incorrect): Changing to a different type of restraint does not correct the underlying problem — no restraint of any kind is permitted without a physician's order. C (incorrect): Leaving unauthorized restraints in place causes continued harm to the resident and perpetuates the violation. D (incorrect): Asking the resident why they are in restraints does not address the safety and rights violation. The nurse must be notified immediately.

Question 10

A resident is refusing their bath for the third day in a row. Which of the following is the best response?

Accepted Answer

Accept their refusal and notify the nurse. D (correct): Residents have the right to refuse any care, including bathing. Completing a bath without consent is considered battery. The nurse should be notified so that the refusal can be documented and addressed in the care plan. A (incorrect): Providing a bath without the resident's consent, even a quick one, violates the resident's right to refuse care and constitutes battery. B (incorrect): Threatening to withhold food as a consequence of refusing a bath is a violation of the resident's rights. Food cannot be used as leverage. C (incorrect): While family involvement can sometimes be helpful, calling the family to pressure the resident is not the appropriate first response and may not respect the resident's autonomy.

Question 11

Mrs. Smith is acting confused before bedtime. Which of the following is appropriate documentation of the incident?

Accepted Answer

After finishing dinner, Mrs. Smith stated, 'I can't remember how to get back to my bedroom.'. C (correct): Documentation should include only objective, observable information such as direct quotations, specific behaviors, or measurable findings. Quoting what the resident said is objective and accurate. A (incorrect): The phrase 'acting strangely' is subjective and does not provide a clear, measurable description of behavior. B (incorrect): The CNA cannot diagnose conditions such as dementia. Documenting a diagnosis that has not been made by a licensed provider is outside the CNA's scope of practice. D (incorrect): Documenting that a resident 'needs to see a doctor' is an assessment, not an observation. The CNA should document what was observed and report it to the nurse, who can then determine the appropriate clinical response.

Question 12

While providing a bed bath, the CNA sees bruising and scratches around the resident's perineal area. The resident states that they cannot remember where the bruising came from. The CNA should:

Accepted Answer

Immediately report the observation to the nurse. A (correct): Any unexplained bruising must be reported immediately. Bruising and scratches in the perineal area can be a sign of sexual abuse. Residents may be especially hesitant to report sexual assault because they may feel embarrassed or fear retaliation, which is why it is critical that the CNA report the observation even if the resident denies knowing the cause. B (incorrect): While bruising can sometimes occur with aging, unexplained bruising in the perineal area is never normal and must always be reported. C (incorrect): The CNA should not conduct their own investigation by continuing to question the resident. This is the role of the nurse and appropriate reporting authorities. D (incorrect): Calling the family is not the appropriate reporting channel and could compromise the situation if the abuse is perpetrated by a family member.

Question 13

The CNA becomes frustrated in the middle of their shift and leaves the facility without notifying anyone. This is considered:

Accepted Answer

Abandonment. B (correct): A caregiver must not leave assigned patients or residents without ensuring continued care and supervision. Leaving without ensuring coverage puts residents in danger and constitutes abandonment, which can result in loss of certification and legal consequences. A (incorrect): A high workload is not justification for abandoning residents. The appropriate response is to notify a supervisor and request assistance. C (incorrect): Leaving without notifying anyone and ensuring coverage is not a lunch break. Meal breaks must be coordinated with proper handoff. D (incorrect): While the nurse shares responsibility for patient safety, the CNA is personally accountable for their actions and cannot abandon their assignment by placing responsibility on another staff member.

Question 14

The CNA starts to feel sick during their shift and develops a fever. What is the appropriate action?

Accepted Answer

Notify their supervisor and ensure that all residents are safe before going home for the day. C (correct): Employees are not expected to remain at work caring for patients when they are sick, as this puts residents at risk. However, proper coverage and patient safety must be ensured before leaving the facility. The supervisor must be notified and a plan made for the CNA's residents. A (incorrect): Leaving immediately without notifying anyone or ensuring coverage constitutes abandonment and puts residents at risk. B (incorrect): Wearing a mask reduces but does not eliminate the risk of transmitting illness. A CNA with a fever should not continue to care for vulnerable residents. D (incorrect): Staying in the break room does not ensure that residents receive the care they need and does not address the infection risk.

Question 15

The CNA knows that the best time to document is:

Accepted Answer

Right after the cares are completed. D (correct): Timely documentation immediately after care is completed helps ensure accuracy. Details are easily missed or forgotten when documentation is delayed until the end of a shift. A (incorrect): End-of-shift documentation increases the likelihood of errors, omissions, and inaccuracies due to the volume of activities that have occurred. B (incorrect): Charting before care is completed is falsifying documentation and constitutes fraud. C (incorrect): The CNA should not rely on the nurse to prompt their documentation. Timely and accurate charting is the CNA's own professional responsibility.

Question 16

What is the appropriate way to document the measurement of vital signs?

Accepted Answer

Heart rate: 90, Blood Pressure: 110/66, Temperature: 98.7°F. D (correct): Exact numerical measurements must be documented for vital signs. Specific values allow the care team to track trends, identify changes, and make clinical decisions. A (incorrect): Documenting that vital signs are 'within normal limits' without recording actual values is insufficient. This notation does not allow for trend analysis and may obscure subtle changes in the resident's condition. B (incorrect): Noting only that a heart rate was measured — without recording the actual value — provides no useful clinical information. C (incorrect): Documenting that values are 'normal' without recording the actual numbers is not acceptable and does not meet documentation standards.

Question 17

The CNA is helping the resident during a mealtime, and the resident states, 'I hate this dinner, I don't want to eat any of it.' What is the best response?

Accepted Answer

Ask the resident if any other options appeal to them. A (correct): Residents have a right to choose whether or not they eat at mealtimes and what type of foods they eat. Offering alternatives respects that right while still supporting the resident's nutritional needs. B (incorrect): Confining the resident to the table until they eat is a violation of their rights and constitutes a form of restraint. C (incorrect): Force-feeding a resident without consent is assault and battery. D (incorrect): Threatening to withhold food is a violation of resident rights. Food cannot be used as a threat or punishment under any circumstances.

Question 18

A resident complains to the CNA that they do not feel that they are being well cared for at the facility. What information should the CNA provide to the resident?

Accepted Answer

Contact information for the facility ombudsman. D (correct): The ombudsman is a neutral third party who is responsible for addressing resident concerns about their rights and care. They investigate complaints and can direct facilities to correct policies, procedures, and behaviors. All residents must have access to ombudsman contact information. A (incorrect): While the nursing supervisor plays a role in facility operations, they are not the appropriate resource for an independent investigation of a care complaint. B (incorrect): The owner of the facility is not a neutral party and is not trained to investigate resident rights concerns. C (incorrect): While law enforcement may be appropriate in cases involving criminal activity, concerns about quality of care should first be directed to the ombudsman.

Question 19

Failing to change a dependent, incontinent patient for several hours is considered what type of abuse?

Accepted Answer

Neglect. C (correct): Neglect means failing to meet a patient's basic needs. Failure to provide hygiene care for patients who are unable to provide it for themselves — including timely incontinence care — is considered neglect. A (incorrect): Physical abuse involves intentional actions that cause physical harm or pain, such as hitting or rough handling. Failing to provide care is neglect, not physical abuse. B (incorrect): Emotional abuse involves verbal or psychological harm. While neglect may cause emotional distress, the act itself is classified as neglect. D (incorrect): Sexual abuse involves unwanted sexual contact. This scenario involves a failure to provide basic hygiene care.

Question 20

Under what circumstances can a CNA discuss patient health information?

Accepted Answer

When transferring care responsibility to the next caregiver on shift. A (correct): Healthcare information must be shared between caregivers to ensure that safe and appropriate care is given to each patient or resident. The transfer of care at shift change is a legitimate and necessary exchange of patient information. B (incorrect): Patient health information must not be shared with any person who is not directly involved in the patient's care, regardless of the setting or location. C (incorrect): Family members and friends do not have an automatic right to a resident's health information. Sharing information with them without the resident's consent is a HIPAA violation. D (incorrect): There are circumstances — specifically the transfer of care between healthcare providers — when sharing patient information is not only allowed but required for safe care.

Legal and Ethical Behavior CNA Practice Test 4 with Answers

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This Legal and Ethical Behavior Practice Test Is Built for Real CNA Judgment

Jessica Cutler

Michele J. McCarthy

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Common Questions About Legal and Ethical Behavior on the CNA Exam

What does legal and ethical behavior mean for a CNA?

What is the safest action if you are unsure whether a task is allowed?

How should a CNA respond if a resident refuses care?

What is considered a HIPAA violation for a CNA?

When must a CNA report suspected abuse or neglect?

What should a CNA do after a fall or injury occurs?

Can a CNA accept gifts or money from a resident?

What are professional boundaries in CNA work?

What is the correct way to document care?

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