Physical Care Skills
39%of exam
ADLsVitalsBathingFeedingMeasurements
Restorative Skills
9%of exam
Psychosocial Care
8%of exam
DementiaBehaviorValidationRoutineGrief
Nurse Aide Role
10%of exam
Infection Control
11%of exam
Safety and Emergency
10%of exam
FallsTransfersFireRestraintsEmergency Picker
Communication
9%of exam
SBARDocumentationObjectiveSubjectiveHIPAA
Resident Rights
9%of exam
PrivacyDignityRefusalAbuseChoice
Quick Facts
- Exam
- INACE
- Vendor
- SIUC Testing
- Regulator
- Illinois IDPH
- Written
- 85 questions
- Time
- 90 minutes
- Skills
- Clinical evaluation
- Registry
- IDPH HCWR
- Training
- 120 hours
- Theory
- 62 hours
- Lab
- 18 hours
- Clinical
- 40 hours
- Results
- HCWR official
Care Opening
Hands, ID, explain, privacy, safety
HandsIDExplainPrivacySafety
Skill Picker
- Begin any care→Identify resident(Explain first)
- Bathing resident→Clean to dirty(Perineal last)
- Perineal care→Front to back(Prevent infection)
- Catheter care→Away from meatus(One stroke)
- Unconscious mouth→Side-lying(Prevent aspiration)
- Dentures handled→Line sink(Avoid breaking)
- Output measured→Eye level(Record amount)
- Skill ends→Comfort, safety(Call light)
Personal Care
- Privacy
- Curtain and drape
- Bathing
- Clean to dirty
- Partial bath
- Face, hands, perineal
- Water check
- Use inner wrist
- Perineal
- Front to back
- Catheter care
- Away from meatus
- Dentures
- Cool water
- Oral unconscious
- Side-lying position
- Nails
- File only
- Feeding
- Small bites
Basic Nursing
- Temperature
- Report abnormal
- Pulse
- Rate and rhythm
- Respirations
- Count quietly
- Blood pressure
- Correct cuff size
- Weight
- Same scale
- I&O
- Measure accurately
- Output
- Read eye-level
- Skin
- Report redness
- Pain
- Resident report
- Edema
- Swelling observed
Weak Side
Dress weak first; undress strong first
Dress weakUndress strongGuard weak
Mobility Picker
- Standing transfer→Gait belt(Check snug)
- Wheelchair transfer→Lock brakes(Footrests clear)
- Weak side present→Guard weak(Close support)
- Dress stroke arm→Weak first(Protect joint)
- Undress stroke arm→Strong first(Less strain)
- Passive ROM→Support joint(No forcing)
- Walker use→Stabilize walker(Resident steps)
- Dizziness appears→Sit resident(Call nurse)
Restorative Care
- ROM
- Move gently
- Active ROM
- Resident moves
- Passive ROM
- CNA assists
- Contracture
- Shortened muscle
- Ambulation
- Maintain independence
- Walker
- Resident moves first
- Cane
- Strong side
- Dressing
- Weak side first
- Undressing
- Strong side first
Dementia vs Delirium
Dementia
- Gradual decline
- Routine helps
- Redirect calmly
Delirium
- Sudden confusion
- Report fast
- Medical concern
Gradual vs sudden
Mental Health
- Dementia
- Progressive decline
- Delirium
- Sudden confusion
- Validation
- Accept feelings
- Redirection
- Shift attention
- Wandering
- Safety risk
- Sundowning
- Evening confusion
- Depression
- Report mood change
- Hallucination
- Report calmly
- Routine
- Reduces anxiety
HCWR vs Email
HCWR
- Official status
- Employer verification
- IDPH source
- Unofficial notice
- Personal result
- Not employment proof
Registry beats email
Exam Format
- INACE
- Illinois competency exam
- Administrator
- SIUC Nurse Aide
- Regulator
- Illinois IDPH
- Written
- 85 questions90 min
- Format
- Computer or paper
- Home test
- Written only option
- Lockdown
- Respondus browser
- Login
- Required at test
- Photo ID
- Current, signed
CNA vs Nurse
CNA
- Observes facts
- Reports changes
- Assigned care
Nurse
- Assesses condition
- Changes plan
- Gives medications
Report vs assess
Illinois Rules
- BNATP
- Approved training program
- Total hours
- 120 minimum
- Theory
- 62 hours
- Lab
- 18 hours
- Clinical
- 40 hours
- Program length
- Four weeks minimum
- Maximum length
- 120 days
- Background
- Started before class
- Registry
- HCWR official status
Registry Results
- HCWR
- Official verification
- Unofficial email
- Third day notice
- Official upload
- Monday before noon
- Employer check
- Registry required
- Pass code
- P on HCWR
- Fail code
- F on HCWR
- No show
- NS on HCWR
- Status proof
- HCWR listing only
Scope
- CNA role
- Assigned basic care
- Care plan
- Follow exactly
- Nurse
- Delegates and supervises
- Assessment
- Nurse responsibility
- Diagnosis
- Never CNA duty
- Medication
- Not basic CNA
- Sterile task
- Nurse duty
- Change noted
- Report promptly
Standard vs Transmission
Standard
- Every resident
- Blood fluids
- Hand hygiene
Transmission
- Added PPE
- Isolation sign
- Specific pathogen
Always vs added
Infection Picker
- Visible soil→Soap water(Full wash)
- Body fluids→Gloves(Standard precautions)
- Splash likely→Gown mask(Protect mucosa)
- Contact sign→Gloves gown(Before entry)
- Droplet sign→Mask(Near resident)
- Airborne sign→Respirator(Special room)
- Clean item drops→Replace item(Contaminated now)
- Gloves removed→Hand hygiene(Always after)
Infection Control
- Hand hygiene
- Best prevention
- Soap wash
- Visible soil
- Friction
- Scrub all surfaces
- Fingertips
- Point downward
- Faucet
- Use towel barrier
- Standard
- Every resident
- Gloves
- Body-fluid risk
- Gown
- Splash risk
- Dirty linen
- Away from uniform
- Soiled items
- Never on floor
Precautions
- Contact
- Gloves and gown
- Droplet
- Mask near resident
- Airborne
- Special respirator
- C. diff
- Soap water preferred
- MRSA
- Contact precautions
- TB
- Airborne precautions
- Clean supplies
- Keep clean
- Contamination
- Replace immediately
Care Closing
Comfort, low bed, call light, hands
ComfortLow bedCall lightHands
Restraint vs Alternative
Restraint
- Order required
- Limits movement
- Check often
Alternative
- Least restrictive
- Redirect first
- Safer option
Least restrictive first
Mobility Safety
- Bed
- Low and locked
- Call light
- Within reach
- Wheelchair
- Brakes locked
- Gait belt
- Snug, checked
- Shoes
- Non-skid before standing
- Weak side
- Guard closely
- Fall
- Stay, call nurse
- Transfer
- Pivot, no twisting
- Oxygen
- No flames
Fire Safety
RACE first; PASS only if safe
RescueAlarmContainExtinguishPullAim
Emergency
- RACE
- Fire response order
- PASS
- Extinguisher use
- Choking
- Call help first
- Bleeding
- Apply pressure
- Seizure
- Protect from injury
- Restraint
- Order required
- Elopement
- Report immediately
- Disaster
- Follow facility plan
Rapid Report
Sudden, severe, unsafe: report now
SuddenSevereUnsafeReport
Objective vs Subjective
Objective
- Measured data
- Observed facts
- Chart exact
Subjective
- Resident says
- Pain report
- Use quotes
Measured vs stated
Report Picker
- Resident refuses care→Respect, report(Never force)
- Sudden confusion→Tell nurse(Acute change)
- Chest pain→Get nurse(Emergency cue)
- Fall occurs→Stay, call(Do not move)
- New skin redness→Report promptly(Pressure risk)
- Abuse suspected→Protect, report(Mandatory concern)
- Vital abnormal→Notify nurse(Do not diagnose)
- Pain reported→Report words(Quote resident)
Communication
- SBAR
- Organized nurse report
- Objective
- Seen or measured
- Subjective
- Resident says
- Documentation
- Facts, not opinions
- Late entry
- Mark per policy
- HIPAA
- Need-to-know only
- Aphasia
- Language impairment
- Hearing loss
- Face resident
- Reportable
- Sudden, severe, unsafe
Privacy vs Confidentiality
Privacy
- Curtain closed
- Body draped
- Knock first
Confidentiality
- PHI protected
- Need-to-know
- No public talk
Body vs data
Rights
- Dignity
- Respectful address
- Privacy
- Body and information
- Choice
- Resident preference
- Refusal
- Respect and report
- Confidentiality
- No hallway talk
- Property
- Protect belongings
- Abuse
- Protect and report
- Neglect
- Unmet needed care
- Ombudsman
- Resident advocate
Common Traps
Registry proof
HCWR is official ≠ Email is unofficial
Training hours
Illinois requires 120 ≠ Not just 75
Scope trap
CNA reports facts ≠ Nurse assesses meaning
Refusal trap
Resident may refuse ≠ Never force care
Fall trap
Do not move ≠ Stay and call
Denture trap
Cool water only ≠ Hot water warps
Documentation trap
Chart facts only ≠ Avoid blame words
Privacy trap
Close curtain first ≠ Drape during care
Last Minute
- 1.INACE: 85 questions
- 2.Written time: 90 minutes
- 3.SIUC administers INACE
- 4.IDPH maintains HCWR
- 5.HCWR is official proof
- 6.BNATP total: 120 hours
- 7.Theory/lab/clinical: 62/18/40
- 8.Hands before resident care
- 9.Resident can refuse care
- 10.CNA reports; nurse assesses
- 11.Falls: stay and call
- 12.Bathing: clean to dirty
- 13.Perineal: front to back
- 14.Dress weak side first
- 15.Document facts, not opinions
- 16.Protect privacy every time
Flashcards on MometrixSame family resources
Explore More CNA
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
VideoCNA Certification Requirements 2026: State Steps + TimelineVideoCNA Exam 2026: 70-87% Pass Rate, Hardest SkillsVideoCNA Pass Rate 2026 + FREE 4-Week Study Plan to Pass Your First TimeVideoCNA Salary 2026: $38K Average — Pay by State & SettingArticleBest Gait Belts for CNA Skills Test & Patient Transfers (2026)12 min readArticleBest Manual Blood Pressure Cuffs for Nursing Students (2026): 5 Aneroid Sphygmomanometers Reviewed13 min readArticleBest Medical Penlights for Nurses & Clinical Students (2026): 5 Top Picks Reviewed12 min readArticleBest Medical Scrubs for Healthcare Students (2026): 5 Affordable Sets Reviewed13 min read