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Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) — Written Exam

Vital signs and measurements: practice questions

Our CNA bank has 19 questions on this topic. Here are 4 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.

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Question 1

What is pain sometimes called?

  1. An objective sign
  2. The first vital sign
  3. The fifth vital sign
  4. A mood
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C. The fifth vital sign — Ask residents to rate their pain and report it.

Question 2

Where is the apical pulse heard?

  1. Behind the knee
  2. At the apex of the heart, on the left side of the chest, using a stethoscope
  3. At the neck
  4. At the wrist
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B. At the apex of the heart, on the left side of the chest, using a stethoscope — Count for one full minute.

Question 3

Where is the radial pulse taken?

  1. On the thumb side of the inner wrist
  2. On the neck
  3. On the little-finger side of the inner wrist
  4. At the elbow
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A. On the thumb side of the inner wrist — Use your fingertips, not your thumb.

Question 4

Why is the correct cuff size important when taking blood pressure?

  1. It changes the pulse rate
  2. It doesn't matter
  3. A cuff that's too small gives a falsely high reading; too large gives a falsely low reading
  4. Larger cuffs are always better
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C. A cuff that's too small gives a falsely high reading; too large gives a falsely low reading — The bladder should cover about 80% of the arm's circumference.

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