PCA Competency Test (Georgia Exam)
Reinforce a dressing. - ANS True
Apply a hot pack. - ANS False
Give an enema. - ANS False
Administer medication. - ANS False
Change a sterile dressing. - ANS False
Assist with change of a colostomy bag. - ANS True
Give a rectal suppository. - ANS False
Give a tubal feeding. - ANS False
give insulin - ANS False
Cut Nails - ANS False
As a Personal Care Assistant, you - ANS work as part of the health care team.
When you work in the home, you will be: - ANS working under the supervision of a professional
supervisor.
As Personal Care Assistant, it is your responsibility to: - ANS do only the tasks that the
registered nurse or therapist assigns to you
In the home, it is important to be a good listener. - ANS True
Always tell the patient what you are going to do before starting a procedure. - ANS True
You only communicate through words. - ANS False
Which of the following is important in communicating with people: - ANS Courtesy, Tact ,
listening
Body language is: - ANS a way of communicating feelings by using the body, facial expressions
and the eyes
, PCA care for a conscious patient should be preceded by: - ANS giving an explanation of what is
going to be done
Miss Harris, a Personal Care Assistant, is assigned to care for Mr. Goodway. Miss Harris
notices that she feels very angry when she is with Mr. Goodway. What should Miss
Harris do because she feels this way? - ANS Talk with the agency supervisor about the
situation.
A patient accuses a Personal Care Assistant of stealing five dollars. The PCA has not taken
the patient's money, but the patient does not believe this. What should the PCA do? - ANS
Notify the agency supervisor.
If you do not chart a task that you do for a patient, legally, it was not done. - ANS True
If the patient has a new area of skin breakdo� and the nurse is coming in two
days, you do not need to report the skin breakdown to your supervisor. - ANS False
A rapid pulse and shortness of breath in a patient usually indicates the patient is
excited and does not need to be reported to the nurse. - ANS False
The patient tells you he has not moved his bowels in three days: What should you do? - ANS
Report it to the nursing supervisor.
Which of these actions is the Personal Care Assistant permitted to take in relation to drug
administration? - ANS Recording and reporting the patient's reaction to the medication.
When a patient complains of pain, what should the Personal Care Assistant do first? - ANS Ask
the patient to describe the pain.
A patient's prescription for heart pills has recently been changed. The home health
PCA should notify the agency supervisor immediately if the patient makes which of
these comments? - ANS "I have a rash on my stomach since I've been taking these pills."
Mrs. Rand, who has diabetes and takes insulin regularly, tells the Personal Care Assistant
that she feels very nervous and jittery. What should the PCA do immediately? - ANS Give her a
glass of orange juice
Always report a pulse rate if the beats per minute are under 60 or over 100 - ANS True
The temperature of an unconscious patient should be taken orally since they are
not moving about. - ANS False
Recording a patient's "TPR" or vital signs is not important as long as you
remember what they were. - ANS False
Reinforce a dressing. - ANS True
Apply a hot pack. - ANS False
Give an enema. - ANS False
Administer medication. - ANS False
Change a sterile dressing. - ANS False
Assist with change of a colostomy bag. - ANS True
Give a rectal suppository. - ANS False
Give a tubal feeding. - ANS False
give insulin - ANS False
Cut Nails - ANS False
As a Personal Care Assistant, you - ANS work as part of the health care team.
When you work in the home, you will be: - ANS working under the supervision of a professional
supervisor.
As Personal Care Assistant, it is your responsibility to: - ANS do only the tasks that the
registered nurse or therapist assigns to you
In the home, it is important to be a good listener. - ANS True
Always tell the patient what you are going to do before starting a procedure. - ANS True
You only communicate through words. - ANS False
Which of the following is important in communicating with people: - ANS Courtesy, Tact ,
listening
Body language is: - ANS a way of communicating feelings by using the body, facial expressions
and the eyes
, PCA care for a conscious patient should be preceded by: - ANS giving an explanation of what is
going to be done
Miss Harris, a Personal Care Assistant, is assigned to care for Mr. Goodway. Miss Harris
notices that she feels very angry when she is with Mr. Goodway. What should Miss
Harris do because she feels this way? - ANS Talk with the agency supervisor about the
situation.
A patient accuses a Personal Care Assistant of stealing five dollars. The PCA has not taken
the patient's money, but the patient does not believe this. What should the PCA do? - ANS
Notify the agency supervisor.
If you do not chart a task that you do for a patient, legally, it was not done. - ANS True
If the patient has a new area of skin breakdo� and the nurse is coming in two
days, you do not need to report the skin breakdown to your supervisor. - ANS False
A rapid pulse and shortness of breath in a patient usually indicates the patient is
excited and does not need to be reported to the nurse. - ANS False
The patient tells you he has not moved his bowels in three days: What should you do? - ANS
Report it to the nursing supervisor.
Which of these actions is the Personal Care Assistant permitted to take in relation to drug
administration? - ANS Recording and reporting the patient's reaction to the medication.
When a patient complains of pain, what should the Personal Care Assistant do first? - ANS Ask
the patient to describe the pain.
A patient's prescription for heart pills has recently been changed. The home health
PCA should notify the agency supervisor immediately if the patient makes which of
these comments? - ANS "I have a rash on my stomach since I've been taking these pills."
Mrs. Rand, who has diabetes and takes insulin regularly, tells the Personal Care Assistant
that she feels very nervous and jittery. What should the PCA do immediately? - ANS Give her a
glass of orange juice
Always report a pulse rate if the beats per minute are under 60 or over 100 - ANS True
The temperature of an unconscious patient should be taken orally since they are
not moving about. - ANS False
Recording a patient's "TPR" or vital signs is not important as long as you
remember what they were. - ANS False
