Florida Nursing Home Administrator
Exam (FL NHA) Practice Questions &
Correct Answers
Question 1: Under Florida Statutes governing nursing home administration,
which of the following is the primary responsibility of a licensed Nursing
Home Administrator (NHA) regarding the facility’s compliance with state and
federal regulations?
A. Delegating all regulatory oversight exclusively to the director of nursing
B. Ensuring continuous compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and
regulations
C. Limiting compliance activities to annual survey preparation only
D. Relying solely on corporate headquarters for all regulatory interpretations
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Ensuring continuous compliance with applicable
federal, state, and local laws and regulations
Rationale: Florida law and AHCA standards require the licensed NHA to maintain
ultimate responsibility for the facility’s ongoing adherence to all applicable
regulations, including continuous monitoring and corrective action rather than
episodic or delegated oversight.
Question 2: According to Florida nursing home regulations, what is the
minimum required frequency for a comprehensive assessment of a newly
admitted resident?
A. Within 48 hours of admission
B. Within 14 days of admission
C. Within 30 days of admission
D. Only upon request by the attending physician
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Within 14 days of admission
Rationale: Federal requirements adopted in Florida mandate that a comprehensive
resident assessment be completed no later than 14 days after admission to guide
the development of the initial care plan.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the role of the Quality
Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) committee in a Florida
nursing facility?
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,A. An optional advisory group that meets only after survey deficiencies
B. A mandatory interdisciplinary committee responsible for identifying, prioritizing,
and addressing quality issues on an ongoing basis
C. A committee limited to medical staff and the medical director
D. A corporate-level function with no facility-level requirements
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A mandatory interdisciplinary committee responsible
for identifying, prioritizing, and addressing quality issues on an ongoing basis
Rationale: Both federal QAPI requirements and Florida administrative rules require
facilities to maintain an active, interdisciplinary quality assurance process that
continuously monitors and improves resident care outcomes.
Question 4: Under Florida law, how frequently must a nursing home
administrator ensure that fire drills are conducted for all shifts?
A. Once per calendar year
B. Quarterly for each shift
C. Monthly for the day shift only
D. Only when new staff are hired
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Quarterly for each shift
Rationale: Florida fire safety and AHCA regulations require fire drills to be
conducted at least quarterly on each shift to ensure staff preparedness and
compliance with life-safety codes.
Question 5: Which of the following is a required component of the resident’s
bill of rights that must be prominently posted and provided to every resident
or representative in a Florida nursing home?
A. The right to unrestricted access to the facility’s financial records
B. The right to be free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
C. The right to demand specific staff-to-resident ratios beyond regulatory
minimums
D. The right to refuse all medical treatment without any documentation
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The right to be free from abuse, neglect, and
exploitation
Rationale: Florida Statutes and federal regulations explicitly guarantee residents
freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation; this right must be posted and
explained upon admission.
Question 6: When a nursing home resident develops a Stage 3 pressure injury,
what is the administrator’s immediate regulatory obligation under Florida and
federal guidelines?
A. Notify only the family and continue current care
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,B. Ensure timely physician notification, root-cause investigation, care-plan revision,
and report to AHCA if required
C. Wait until the next quarterly assessment to address the issue
D. Transfer the resident immediately to an acute-care hospital without assessment
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Ensure timely physician notification, root-cause
investigation, care-plan revision, and report to AHCA if required
Rationale: Pressure injuries of Stage 3 or higher trigger mandatory clinical response,
interdisciplinary review, care-plan updates, and potential AHCA reporting under
both federal F-tag and Florida incident-reporting rules.
Question 7: Which of the following statements accurately reflects Florida’s
requirements for nursing home staffing?
A. Facilities may operate below the minimum direct-care staffing ratios if the
administrator certifies financial hardship
B. Minimum direct-care staffing hours must be maintained on a daily basis
according to the published ratios, with additional staff based on acuity
C. Only licensed nurses are counted toward staffing requirements
D. Staffing ratios are solely determined by the corporate office without state
oversight
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Minimum direct-care staffing hours must be maintained
on a daily basis according to the published ratios, with additional staff based
on acuity
Rationale: Florida Statutes set specific minimum direct-care staffing ratios that must
be met every day; additional staffing is required based on resident acuity and care
needs.
Question 8: Under the federal requirements adopted in Florida, how soon after
a significant change in a resident’s condition must a new comprehensive
assessment be completed?
A. Within 7 days
B. Within 14 days
C. Within 30 days
D. Only at the next scheduled quarterly review
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Within 14 days
Rationale: The Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) process requires a
comprehensive assessment within 14 days of a significant change in status to
ensure the care plan remains accurate and current.
Question 9: Which of the following is the correct action when a nursing home
resident elopes from the facility?
Page 3 of 66
, A. Wait 24 hours before notifying law enforcement or AHCA
B. Immediately initiate the facility’s missing-resident protocol, notify law
enforcement, the family, and AHCA as required
C. Conduct an internal investigation only and document the event in the medical
record
D. Transfer responsibility to the local police department without facility involvement
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Immediately initiate the facility’s missing-resident
protocol, notify law enforcement, the family, and AHCA as required
Rationale: Elopement is a reportable incident requiring immediate search, law-
enforcement notification, family contact, and AHCA reporting under Florida’s
adverse-incident rules.
Question 10: What is the primary purpose of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) in a
Florida nursing facility?
A. To serve solely as a billing document for Medicare
B. To provide a standardized assessment that drives care planning, quality
measurement, and reimbursement
C. To replace the need for any physician orders
D. To document only the resident’s financial status
CORRECT ANSWER: B. To provide a standardized assessment that drives care
planning, quality measurement, and reimbursement
Rationale: The MDS is the federally mandated assessment tool used for care
planning, quality indicators, survey processes, and payment determination under
both Medicare and Medicaid.
Question 11: According to Florida Administrative Code, how long must a
nursing home retain resident medical records after discharge or death?
A. 1 year
B. 5 years
C. 7 years
D. 10 years
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 7 years
Rationale: Florida rules require retention of clinical records for a minimum of seven
years following the last date of service or discharge.
Question 12: Which of the following best describes the administrator’s
responsibility regarding infection prevention and control in a Florida nursing
home?
A. Infection control is solely the responsibility of the infection preventionist
B. The administrator must ensure an effective, facility-wide infection prevention and
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Exam (FL NHA) Practice Questions &
Correct Answers
Question 1: Under Florida Statutes governing nursing home administration,
which of the following is the primary responsibility of a licensed Nursing
Home Administrator (NHA) regarding the facility’s compliance with state and
federal regulations?
A. Delegating all regulatory oversight exclusively to the director of nursing
B. Ensuring continuous compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and
regulations
C. Limiting compliance activities to annual survey preparation only
D. Relying solely on corporate headquarters for all regulatory interpretations
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Ensuring continuous compliance with applicable
federal, state, and local laws and regulations
Rationale: Florida law and AHCA standards require the licensed NHA to maintain
ultimate responsibility for the facility’s ongoing adherence to all applicable
regulations, including continuous monitoring and corrective action rather than
episodic or delegated oversight.
Question 2: According to Florida nursing home regulations, what is the
minimum required frequency for a comprehensive assessment of a newly
admitted resident?
A. Within 48 hours of admission
B. Within 14 days of admission
C. Within 30 days of admission
D. Only upon request by the attending physician
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Within 14 days of admission
Rationale: Federal requirements adopted in Florida mandate that a comprehensive
resident assessment be completed no later than 14 days after admission to guide
the development of the initial care plan.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes the role of the Quality
Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) committee in a Florida
nursing facility?
Page 1 of 66
,A. An optional advisory group that meets only after survey deficiencies
B. A mandatory interdisciplinary committee responsible for identifying, prioritizing,
and addressing quality issues on an ongoing basis
C. A committee limited to medical staff and the medical director
D. A corporate-level function with no facility-level requirements
CORRECT ANSWER: B. A mandatory interdisciplinary committee responsible
for identifying, prioritizing, and addressing quality issues on an ongoing basis
Rationale: Both federal QAPI requirements and Florida administrative rules require
facilities to maintain an active, interdisciplinary quality assurance process that
continuously monitors and improves resident care outcomes.
Question 4: Under Florida law, how frequently must a nursing home
administrator ensure that fire drills are conducted for all shifts?
A. Once per calendar year
B. Quarterly for each shift
C. Monthly for the day shift only
D. Only when new staff are hired
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Quarterly for each shift
Rationale: Florida fire safety and AHCA regulations require fire drills to be
conducted at least quarterly on each shift to ensure staff preparedness and
compliance with life-safety codes.
Question 5: Which of the following is a required component of the resident’s
bill of rights that must be prominently posted and provided to every resident
or representative in a Florida nursing home?
A. The right to unrestricted access to the facility’s financial records
B. The right to be free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation
C. The right to demand specific staff-to-resident ratios beyond regulatory
minimums
D. The right to refuse all medical treatment without any documentation
CORRECT ANSWER: B. The right to be free from abuse, neglect, and
exploitation
Rationale: Florida Statutes and federal regulations explicitly guarantee residents
freedom from abuse, neglect, and exploitation; this right must be posted and
explained upon admission.
Question 6: When a nursing home resident develops a Stage 3 pressure injury,
what is the administrator’s immediate regulatory obligation under Florida and
federal guidelines?
A. Notify only the family and continue current care
Page 2 of 66
,B. Ensure timely physician notification, root-cause investigation, care-plan revision,
and report to AHCA if required
C. Wait until the next quarterly assessment to address the issue
D. Transfer the resident immediately to an acute-care hospital without assessment
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Ensure timely physician notification, root-cause
investigation, care-plan revision, and report to AHCA if required
Rationale: Pressure injuries of Stage 3 or higher trigger mandatory clinical response,
interdisciplinary review, care-plan updates, and potential AHCA reporting under
both federal F-tag and Florida incident-reporting rules.
Question 7: Which of the following statements accurately reflects Florida’s
requirements for nursing home staffing?
A. Facilities may operate below the minimum direct-care staffing ratios if the
administrator certifies financial hardship
B. Minimum direct-care staffing hours must be maintained on a daily basis
according to the published ratios, with additional staff based on acuity
C. Only licensed nurses are counted toward staffing requirements
D. Staffing ratios are solely determined by the corporate office without state
oversight
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Minimum direct-care staffing hours must be maintained
on a daily basis according to the published ratios, with additional staff based
on acuity
Rationale: Florida Statutes set specific minimum direct-care staffing ratios that must
be met every day; additional staffing is required based on resident acuity and care
needs.
Question 8: Under the federal requirements adopted in Florida, how soon after
a significant change in a resident’s condition must a new comprehensive
assessment be completed?
A. Within 7 days
B. Within 14 days
C. Within 30 days
D. Only at the next scheduled quarterly review
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Within 14 days
Rationale: The Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) process requires a
comprehensive assessment within 14 days of a significant change in status to
ensure the care plan remains accurate and current.
Question 9: Which of the following is the correct action when a nursing home
resident elopes from the facility?
Page 3 of 66
, A. Wait 24 hours before notifying law enforcement or AHCA
B. Immediately initiate the facility’s missing-resident protocol, notify law
enforcement, the family, and AHCA as required
C. Conduct an internal investigation only and document the event in the medical
record
D. Transfer responsibility to the local police department without facility involvement
CORRECT ANSWER: B. Immediately initiate the facility’s missing-resident
protocol, notify law enforcement, the family, and AHCA as required
Rationale: Elopement is a reportable incident requiring immediate search, law-
enforcement notification, family contact, and AHCA reporting under Florida’s
adverse-incident rules.
Question 10: What is the primary purpose of the Minimum Data Set (MDS) in a
Florida nursing facility?
A. To serve solely as a billing document for Medicare
B. To provide a standardized assessment that drives care planning, quality
measurement, and reimbursement
C. To replace the need for any physician orders
D. To document only the resident’s financial status
CORRECT ANSWER: B. To provide a standardized assessment that drives care
planning, quality measurement, and reimbursement
Rationale: The MDS is the federally mandated assessment tool used for care
planning, quality indicators, survey processes, and payment determination under
both Medicare and Medicaid.
Question 11: According to Florida Administrative Code, how long must a
nursing home retain resident medical records after discharge or death?
A. 1 year
B. 5 years
C. 7 years
D. 10 years
CORRECT ANSWER: C. 7 years
Rationale: Florida rules require retention of clinical records for a minimum of seven
years following the last date of service or discharge.
Question 12: Which of the following best describes the administrator’s
responsibility regarding infection prevention and control in a Florida nursing
home?
A. Infection control is solely the responsibility of the infection preventionist
B. The administrator must ensure an effective, facility-wide infection prevention and
Page 4 of 66