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Cheat sheet

Maryland CNA Cheat Sheet

Physical Care Skills

57%of exam

VitalsADLsPositioningSkills PickerPersonal Care

Infection + Safety

12%of exam

Hand HygienePPEPrecautionsEmergency Picker

Role + Communication

26%of exam

ScopeReportingCommunicationDocumentation

Psychosocial Care

10%of exam

DementiaBehaviorCultureGrief

Maryland + GNA Scope

11%of exam

MBON RulesGNA RuleRegistryCMA PathMD Picker

Quick Facts

Credential
Maryland CNA/GNA
Regulator
Maryland MBON
Vendor
Credentia (NNAAP)
Training
100 MBON hours
Written
70 questions
Pass
70% (49/70)
Skills
5 in 30 min
Renewal
2 years, $40

Care Order

Clean before dirty, weak before strong

Face firstPeri lastDress weak sideUndress strong side

Active vs Passive ROM

Active ROM

  • Resident moves
  • Aide encourages
  • Promotes independence

Passive ROM

  • Aide moves joint
  • Resident cannot
  • Prevents contracture

Resident vs aide

Skills Picker

  1. Before resident contactHand hygiene
  2. Starting any skillProvide privacy
  3. Before transferLock brakes
  4. Resident standsUse gait belt
  5. Feeding residentSit upright
  6. Pulse assignedCount full minute
  7. Measurement assignedRecord result
  8. Skill completeCall light reach

Vital Signs

Temperature
Body heat
Pulse
Rate and rhythm
Respirations
Count quietly unnoticed
BP
Systolic over diastolic
Apical pulse
Fifth intercostal, midclavicular
Radial pulse
Wrist artery
Tympanic adult
Pinna up back
Abnormal value
Report to nurse

Personal Care

Privacy
Close curtains door
Drape
Expose only area
Bath order
Clean to dirty
Eyes
Inner to outer
Face
Plain water only
Perineal care
Front to back
Unconscious oral
Lateral, head turned
Denture
Line basin towel

Positioning + Mobility

Supine
On back
Lateral
On side
Fowler
Head elevated
Dangling
Sit before standing
Transfer
Lock brakes first
Gait belt
Transfer support
Cane
Strong side holds
Walker
Move walker first

Nutrition + Elimination

Aspiration
Food enters airway
Dysphagia
Swallowing difficulty
Feeding
Upright, small bites
Thickened liquids
Swallow protection
I&O
Intake and output
NPO
Nothing by mouth
Bedpan
Fowler if able
Refusal
Report, do not force

Fire RACE

Rescue, alarm, contain, extinguish

Rescue residentsActivate alarmContain fireExtinguish/evacuate

Sterile vs Clean

Sterile

  • No microbes
  • Nurse procedures
  • Not CNA scope

Clean

  • Reduced microbes
  • CNA daily care
  • Clean before dirty

Free vs reduced

Emergency Picker

  1. Resident fallsHelp, do not move
  2. Choking occursCall for help
  3. Fire seenRACE
  4. Unresponsive residentActivate emergency
  5. New chest painReport immediately
  6. C. diff careSoap and water
  7. Abuse suspectedReport immediately
  8. Spill occursFollow facility policy

Hand Hygiene + PPE

Soap friction
At least 20 seconds
Visible soil
Use soap water
C. diff
Soap water only
ABHR
No visible soil
Don order
Gown, mask, gloves
Doff order
Gloves, gown, mask
Faucet
Paper towel barrier
After gloves
Wash hands again

PASS

Pull, aim, squeeze, sweep

Pull pinAim baseSqueeze handleSweep side-to-side

Precautions + Safety

Standard
Every resident always
Contact
Gloves and gown
Droplet
Mask close care
Airborne
Special room mask
Call light
Within reach
Bed
Low and locked
Fall found
Help, do not move
Restraint
Only nurse order

Objective vs Subjective

Objective

  • Observed data
  • Measured vital
  • Factual charting

Subjective

  • Resident says
  • Pain report
  • Quoted complaint

Seen vs said

Role + Scope

CNA role
Direct resident care
Nurse
Assesses and plans
Delegation
Nurse assigns tasks
Care plan
Follow exactly
Diagnosis
Never CNA duty
Medication
Not CNA scope
Outside scope
Decline, tell nurse
Documentation
Facts only

Abuse vs Neglect

Abuse

  • Intentional harm
  • Physical verbal sexual
  • Report immediately

Neglect

  • Care omitted
  • Needs unmet
  • Report immediately

Harm vs omission

Communication + Reporting

Active listening
Attend and reflect
Open question
Encourages detail
SBAR
Structured report
Objective
Observed or measured
Subjective
Resident states
Aphasia
Simple sentences, time
Limited English
Use interpreter
Chest pain
Report nurse immediately

Report vs Record

Report

  • Tell nurse
  • Condition change
  • Verbal SBAR

Record

  • Chart facts
  • Care performed
  • Written documentation

Tell vs chart

Psychosocial Care

Dementia
Cognitive decline
Sundowning
Evening confusion
Validation
Accept feelings
Redirection
Shift to positives
Agitation
Reduce stimuli
Withdrawal
Report, give time
Grief
Support emotions
Culture
Honor preferences

Maryland Numbers

100 train, 120 register, 2-year renew

100 training hours120-day rule70% pass$40 renewal

CNA vs GNA

CNA

  • Basic Maryland level
  • All settings
  • Foundation cert

GNA

  • Added cert
  • Nursing homes required
  • Same NNAAP exam

Basic vs nursing-home

Maryland Picker

  1. Want certification100 MBON hours
  2. Work nursing homeNeed GNA
  3. Hired at homeRegister 120 days
  4. Failed first tryRetrain then retest
  5. Want CMAGNA plus year
  6. Certification expiringRenew $40
  7. Check statusMBON verification
  8. Suspected abuseReport, document

Exam Facts

Format
Credentia NNAAP
Written
70 questions
Written time
Two hours
Pass mark
70 percent
Skills test
Five skills
Skills time
About 30 minutes
Oral option
English or Spanish
Two parts
Pass both required

Maryland Rules

MBON
Maryland Board Nursing
Training
100 approved hours
Clinical hours
MD licensed home
COMAR 10.39
CNA regulations
120-day rule
Register after hire
First fail
Retrain before retake
Background check
Required statewide
Skills list
Maryland skill listing

Registry + Renewal

Registry
CNA database + GNA
Verify free
MBON license lookup
Term
Two years
Renewal fee
Forty dollars
GNA renewal
No added cost
Expires
28th of birth month
Year parity
Matches birth year
Work proof
Paid nurse-aide work

GNA + CMA Path

CNA
Basic Maryland certification
GNA
Required nursing homes
Comprehensive care
Needs GNA
Same exam
GNA NNAAP test
CMA
Certified Medicine Aide
CMA needs GNA
Plus one year
CMA course
60-hour community college
Dialysis tech
Separate certification

Common Traps

Maryland retake

First fail = retrain Not just reschedule

CNA vs GNA

GNA for nursing homes Same NNAAP exam

120-day rule

Register within 120 days Not training deadline

C. diff hygiene

Soap and water Sanitizer fails spores

PPE removal

Gloves first Mask last

Perineal direction

Front to back Never back to front

Resident falls

Do not move Call nurse first

Scope boundary

Report changes Never diagnose

Last Minute

  1. 1.Maryland needs 100 MBON training hours
  2. 2.Written: 70 questions, 2 hours
  3. 3.Pass written at 70 percent
  4. 4.Skills: 5 tasks, 30 minutes
  5. 5.GNA required for nursing homes
  6. 6.Register within 120 days of hire
  7. 7.First fail means retrain then retest
  8. 8.Renewal: 2 years, $40 fee
  9. 9.Hand hygiene is always scored
  10. 10.C. diff: soap and water only
  11. 11.Perineal care front to back
  12. 12.Abuse suspicion: report now
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