HCA Skills Exam 2026 Questions and
Answers
Common Care Practices (beginning)
TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, not as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Knock or announce before identifying yourself: "Hello, ____, my name
is Abby and I'm your HCA.
2. Confirm the task is in the Care Plan and ask if it's a good time.
3. Explain what you are about to do.
4. Ask if the Consumer has any new restrictions or restrictions you need to know
about.
5. Ask the Consumer if they have any preferences about the activity you are going
to assist with.
6. Ask if the Consumer is safe, comfortable, and if they would like privacy prior to
leaving them.
Common Care Practices (ending)
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,TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, not as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Say, "My Consumer is safe, warm, and comfortable."
2. Say, "If I noted any changes, I would be sure to let the Care Team know."
3. Mentally go thru the steps of the skill to make sure you did not forget a step. Did
you forget anything?
- if YES, tell the Proctor what you forgot to do.
-if NO, then go to next step
4. Say, "I am done."
Washing Your Hands
TIP: Your hand-washing technique is evaluated at the very start of the State Exam
test. This skill is not prompted, which means the Proctor will NOT tell you to wash
your hands and it is not written on your skills test card. - Correct answer-1. Turn on
the water to a comfortable temperature.
2. Wet your hands and wrists.
3. Put soap or skin cleanser on your hands and rub the, to create lather. Make sure
to cause friction because it is friction that removes germs.
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,4. Lather your hands and wrists for 20 seconds using friction, including: your
palms, the back of your hands, your thumbs, between your fingers, each wrist and
two inches above each, and under your nails by scratching them across the
opposite palm. TIP: say out loud what you're doing while you're doing it.
5. Scrub under your rings and watch, if you did not remove them before washing
your hands.
6. Point your hands down and rinse each hand, one at a time, starting slightly
above the wrist. Let the water run down each hand to your fingertips.
IMPORTANT: Don't let your hands touch during rinsing and leave the water
running until you dry your hands.
7. Tear off paper towels to dry your hands, only touching the paper towels.
8. Thoroughly dry all surfaces of each hand, finger, and wrist.
9. Throw the paper towels in the trash.
10. Tear off another paper towel.
11. Use paper towel to turn off the faucet.
12. Immediately throw paper towel in the trash.
Putting on Gloves
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, TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, NOT as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Wash your hands.
2. Touch only the gloves. Check for tears or holes by filling the glove with air (do
not blow into them), squeeze the glove, and see if air escapes from it. Obtain new
gloves if there are tears or holes.
3. Put a glove on each hand, one at a time.
4. Clasp your hands and fingers together to ensue the correct fit of glove.
5. Look for any holes or tears.
Removing Gloves
TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, NOT as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Pinch the wrist or middle finger of one gloved hand with your opposite,
gloved thumb and forefinger.
2. Pull the glove down over your fingers so that it comes off inside out.
3. Crumble the glove you are holding into a small ball in the still gloved hand.
4. Put 1-2 fingers of the ungloved hand under the cuff of the remaining glove and
the crumpled glove.
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Answers
Common Care Practices (beginning)
TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, not as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Knock or announce before identifying yourself: "Hello, ____, my name
is Abby and I'm your HCA.
2. Confirm the task is in the Care Plan and ask if it's a good time.
3. Explain what you are about to do.
4. Ask if the Consumer has any new restrictions or restrictions you need to know
about.
5. Ask the Consumer if they have any preferences about the activity you are going
to assist with.
6. Ask if the Consumer is safe, comfortable, and if they would like privacy prior to
leaving them.
Common Care Practices (ending)
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,TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, not as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Say, "My Consumer is safe, warm, and comfortable."
2. Say, "If I noted any changes, I would be sure to let the Care Team know."
3. Mentally go thru the steps of the skill to make sure you did not forget a step. Did
you forget anything?
- if YES, tell the Proctor what you forgot to do.
-if NO, then go to next step
4. Say, "I am done."
Washing Your Hands
TIP: Your hand-washing technique is evaluated at the very start of the State Exam
test. This skill is not prompted, which means the Proctor will NOT tell you to wash
your hands and it is not written on your skills test card. - Correct answer-1. Turn on
the water to a comfortable temperature.
2. Wet your hands and wrists.
3. Put soap or skin cleanser on your hands and rub the, to create lather. Make sure
to cause friction because it is friction that removes germs.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,4. Lather your hands and wrists for 20 seconds using friction, including: your
palms, the back of your hands, your thumbs, between your fingers, each wrist and
two inches above each, and under your nails by scratching them across the
opposite palm. TIP: say out loud what you're doing while you're doing it.
5. Scrub under your rings and watch, if you did not remove them before washing
your hands.
6. Point your hands down and rinse each hand, one at a time, starting slightly
above the wrist. Let the water run down each hand to your fingertips.
IMPORTANT: Don't let your hands touch during rinsing and leave the water
running until you dry your hands.
7. Tear off paper towels to dry your hands, only touching the paper towels.
8. Thoroughly dry all surfaces of each hand, finger, and wrist.
9. Throw the paper towels in the trash.
10. Tear off another paper towel.
11. Use paper towel to turn off the faucet.
12. Immediately throw paper towel in the trash.
Putting on Gloves
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, TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, NOT as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Wash your hands.
2. Touch only the gloves. Check for tears or holes by filling the glove with air (do
not blow into them), squeeze the glove, and see if air escapes from it. Obtain new
gloves if there are tears or holes.
3. Put a glove on each hand, one at a time.
4. Clasp your hands and fingers together to ensue the correct fit of glove.
5. Look for any holes or tears.
Removing Gloves
TIP: This skill is evaluated as part of every skill, NOT as a separate skill. - Correct
answer-1. Pinch the wrist or middle finger of one gloved hand with your opposite,
gloved thumb and forefinger.
2. Pull the glove down over your fingers so that it comes off inside out.
3. Crumble the glove you are holding into a small ball in the still gloved hand.
4. Put 1-2 fingers of the ungloved hand under the cuff of the remaining glove and
the crumpled glove.
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
