Free Missouri CNA Exam Flashcards

Missouri CNA training totals 175 hours: 75 classroom hours plus 100 on-the-job training hours in a DHSS-approved program. The hour split is a registry eligibility fact, not a bedside-care technique.

Missouri CNA competency testing is administered by Headmaster/D&S Diversified Technologies under Missouri DHSS. Candidates use Headmaster/TMU resources for scheduling, results, and registry functions.

The written portion uses an 80% passing standard. The skills portion is different: critical steps must be done correctly and the overall skill score must meet the required threshold. Missing a critical safety or infection-control step can fail a skill even if most of the task looks correct.

Missouri certification is renewed every 24 months. Renewal requires at least 8 hours of paid nursing-related work under licensed-nurse supervision during that certification period.

A CNA certified in another state and in good standing may apply for Missouri reciprocity. Reciprocity is a registry process; it is not the same as automatically transferring a certificate by moving.

A CNA provides delegated basic care: assists, observes, measures, records, and reports under licensed-nurse supervision. The CNA does not diagnose, prescribe, assess independently, or change the care plan.

Stop and notify the nurse or supervisor. Do not perform a task just because you feel comfortable; unsafe tasks such as medication administration, sterile dressing changes, or catheter insertion require licensed staff.

Report objective findings such as new redness, swelling, pain, confusion, drainage, low intake, or shortness of breath. Avoid labels like 'infected' or 'stroke' unless a nurse or provider has made that diagnosis.

Missouri CNAs are mandatory reporters for suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of vulnerable adults. Report immediately through the chain of command and use the Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline, 1-800-392-0210; call 911 for emergencies.

Refer the family member to the nurse or provider. A CNA can share basic care observations with authorized staff, but medical explanations and protected health information are limited by scope and privacy rules.

Do not force the task. Listen, explain the reason for care in simple terms, protect immediate safety, and report the refusal to the nurse. Refusal is a resident right, even when the task is part of the care plan.

Knock, explain the task, close the curtain or door, drape the resident, expose only the area being washed, and speak respectfully. Dignity is shown through privacy, choice, and tone, not only through technical skill.

Stay calm, acknowledge the feeling, and look for causes such as pain, fear, hunger, or confusion. Arguing, shaming, or telling the resident to 'calm down' usually escalates the situation.

Answer patiently and redirect to a familiar activity or cue. Repetition is often memory loss, not stubbornness; correcting the resident harshly can increase distress.

Give extra time, use gestures or pictures, ask simple questions, and let the resident finish. Do not speak for the resident or pretend to understand if the message is unclear.

Scrub all hand surfaces with soap for at least 20 seconds, rinse with fingertips pointed down, dry with a paper towel, and use a towel to turn off the faucet. Recontaminating clean hands can fail a skill.

Use soap and water when hands are visibly soiled, after restroom use, before eating, and when caring for infections such as C. difficile where alcohol rub is not reliable against spores.

Use standard precautions for every resident. Treat blood, body fluids except sweat, non-intact skin, and mucous membranes as potentially infectious, and choose PPE based on expected exposure.

Put on gown, then mask or respirator, then eye protection, then gloves. Gloves go on last so they cover the gown cuffs and protect the hands used during care.

Remove the most contaminated items first, usually gloves, without touching bare skin. Perform hand hygiene after PPE removal and avoid touching the front of masks, gowns, or eye protection.

Contact precautions focus on gown and gloves for organisms spread by touch or contaminated surfaces. Droplet precautions add a surgical mask for close respiratory droplet exposure, such as influenza or pertussis.

Hold soiled linen away from your uniform, do not shake it, and place it directly in the proper hamper or bag. Shaking or hugging linen spreads microorganisms to clothing, air, and surfaces.

RACE means Rescue residents in immediate danger, Alarm by activating the facility procedure, Confine by closing doors, and Extinguish or Evacuate if trained and safe. Resident safety comes before fighting the fire.

PASS means Pull the pin, Aim at the base, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep side to side. Use it only when the fire is small, you are trained, and an exit route is clear.

Keep the bed low and locked, call light within reach, floor dry, clutter removed, and footwear non-skid. Many falls happen when a resident tries to toilet or reach an item without help.

Stay with the resident, call for the nurse immediately, and observe breathing, color, sweating, and level of consciousness. Do not give medication, food, or water unless directed by licensed staff.

Keep a wide base, bend at the knees and hips, keep the resident or object close, avoid twisting, and use leg muscles. Good mechanics protect both the resident and the aide from injury.

Place the gait belt over clothing around the waist, snug enough for a secure hold but not tight. Use it as a handhold for balance; never pull a resident up by the arms or shoulders.

Use the correct sling, check the care plan and equipment limits, lock only parts required by facility procedure, and use trained staff as required. Never improvise a lift with equipment you are not trained to use.

When a resident has one-sided weakness, stand on the weaker side during ambulation or transfer support. That is the side most likely to buckle, drift, or need guarding.

Fowler's means the head of the bed is raised, commonly for breathing comfort, eating, and aspiration prevention. High Fowler's is the most upright version and often helps residents with shortness of breath.

Regular repositioning relieves pressure over bony areas and helps prevent skin breakdown. Use pillows to keep ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders from rubbing or bearing pressure directly.

Use the pads of the index and middle fingers at the thumb side of the wrist. Count a full minute if the rhythm is irregular and never use your thumb, which has its own pulse.

Keep your fingers on the wrist as if still taking the pulse, then watch chest rise and fall. Residents may change breathing if they know it is being counted, so observe discreetly.

Place the cuff on the upper arm with the bladder centered over the brachial artery and the arm supported at heart level. A cuff that is too small reads falsely high; too large can read falsely low.

Report low SpO2 promptly and check simple causes such as probe placement, cold fingers, or displaced nasal cannula. A CNA does not change oxygen flow settings unless specifically trained and directed under facility policy.

Wait after hot or cold drinks, food, smoking, or chewing gum before taking an oral temperature. Otherwise the reading may reflect mouth temperature, not body temperature.

Use the same scale, same time of day, and similar clothing whenever possible. Sudden gain can signal fluid retention, while sudden loss can signal dehydration or poor intake.

Position the resident upright, check the diet order, offer small bites, allow time to chew and swallow, and watch for coughing, wet voice, or pocketing food. Report swallowing changes before continuing.

Pureed food should be smooth and pudding-like, without chunks, seeds, or lumps. It is used when chewing or swallowing safety requires a texture change ordered in the care plan.

Measure and record fluids using facility units and include what counts under the care plan, such as oral fluids, tube feeding, urine, emesis, or drainage. Estimating casually can hide dehydration or fluid overload.

Keep the drainage bag below bladder level and off the floor. Low placement supports gravity drainage; raising the bag can allow urine backflow and increase infection risk.

Clean from front to back, using a clean area of the cloth for each stroke. This moves bacteria away from the urethra and helps prevent urinary tract infection.

Empty the pouch before it becomes heavy, commonly when it is about one-third to one-half full. Waiting too long increases leakage, odor, and skin irritation around the appliance.

A CNA may wash, dry, and inspect diabetic feet, then report redness, sores, or injury. Do not cut diabetic toenails because poor sensation and circulation make small cuts risky.

Report shakiness, sweating, confusion, weakness, or sudden behavior change in a resident with diabetes. A CNA reports and follows facility direction; treatment decisions belong to licensed staff.

An upright or high-Fowler's position usually makes breathing easier because it lets the chest expand and the diaphragm move more freely. Report increased shortness of breath, color change, or low oxygen readings.

Give extra time, clear verbal cues, and short steps. Rushing increases freezing, frustration, and fall risk; doing everything for the resident can reduce remaining independence.

Focus on comfort, mouth care, repositioning, clean linens, privacy, and presence. Report pain, breathing changes, or family concerns to the nurse; do not promise outcomes or impose personal beliefs.

Every hands-on skill should include the same safety frame: knock, introduce yourself, identify the resident, explain the task, provide privacy, wash hands, protect body mechanics, leave the call light within reach, and report or document as required.