RCA – INDIANA STATE JURISPRUDENCE EXAM
120-Question Practice Examination with Answers and Rationales
1.
What does the acronym "RCA" designate under Indiana law?
A. Registered Care Attendant
B. Residential Care Administrator
C. Regional Compliance Auditor
D. Resident Care Assistant
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Under 840 IAC 1-1-3, a person licensed to administer a residential care facility in Indiana is designated a
Residential Care Administrator (RCA) and may use those initials after their name.
2.
Which state entity licenses and regulates RCAs in Indiana?
A. Indiana Department of Insurance
B. Indiana State Board of Health Facility Administrators
C. Indiana State Nursing Board
D. Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Indiana State Board of Health Facility Administrators, operating under Title 840 of the Indiana
Administrative Code, licenses and regulates both HFAs and RCAs.
3.
A "residential care facility" as used in Indiana jurisprudence is best defined as:
A. Any assisted living apartment complex
B. A health care facility that provides residential nursing care
C. A facility that only provides housekeeping and meals
D. A hospital-based long-term care unit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Indiana regulatory guidance defines a residential care facility as a health facility that provides residential
nursing care, distinguishing it from unlicensed housing-only facilities.
4.
Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5, a facility providing only room, meals, laundry, activities, housekeeping, and
limited ADL assistance:
A. Must always be licensed as a residential care facility
B. Is not required to be licensed if it does not provide medication administration or residential nursing care
C. Must be licensed as a comprehensive care facility
D. May never contract with an outside home health agency
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(c) exempts such facilities from licensure as long as they do not provide medication
administration or residential nursing care.
,5.
If a licensed home health agency provides medication administration in an unlicensed facility that offers
room, meals, laundry, and housekeeping, the facility:
A. Automatically becomes licensable as a residential care facility
B. Does not require licensure, provided residents may contract with other home health agencies
C. Must close immediately
D. Must be reclassified as a hospital
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5, this arrangement does not trigger licensure so long as residents retain the
ability to choose or change home health agencies at any time.
6.
A resident receiving hospice services from a licensed provider of their choice:
A. Must be discharged from the residential care facility
B. Is not required to be discharged solely because of receiving hospice services
C. Must move to a comprehensive care facility
D. Loses residency rights automatically
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(d) specifically exempts hospice recipients from otherwise applicable discharge
requirements.
7.
A residential care facility that retains appropriate professional staff may provide comprehensive nursing
care to a resident when:
A. The resident requests it in writing
B. The condition is self-limiting
C. The facility has more than 100 beds
D. The Board grants a blanket waiver
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(e) allows comprehensive nursing care for a self-limiting condition without triggering
higher-level licensure requirements.
8.
Which of the following is NOT part of the typical "scope of care" provided in a residential care (RC)
setting?
A. Personal care and help with ADLs
B. Three meals daily
C. 24-hour comprehensive skilled nursing care
D. Medication administration
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Residential care is designed for residents who do not require 24-hour comprehensive nursing care; that
level of need generally requires discharge to a higher level of care.
, 9.
An unlicensed person may NOT use which of the following titles under Indiana law?
A. "Administrator in Training"
B. "Assistant RC Administrator"
C. "Business Office Manager"
D. "Activities Director"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 840 IAC 1-1-3(c) prohibits an unlicensed person from using the title "Assistant HF Administrator" or
"Assistant RC Administrator" because it fraudulently implies administrator-level expertise.
10.
A licensed residential care facility may be administered by:
A. Only a licensed HFA
B. Either a licensed HFA or a licensed RCA
C. Any facility employee designated by the owner
D. Only a physician
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 840 IAC 1-1-3(a) provides that while an HF generally requires HFA supervision, a licensed residential
care facility may instead be administered by an RCA.
11.
"Residential nursing care" as referenced in Indiana rules may include:
A. Identifying human responses to actual or potential health conditions
B. Performing surgery
C. Operating a pharmacy
D. Conducting building inspections
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The regulatory definition of residential nursing care includes nursing functions such as identifying human
responses to actual or potential health conditions, among other nursing-related activities.
12.
Which agency regulates the licensure requirements for residential care facilities themselves (as opposed
to licensing the administrators)?
A. Indiana State Department of Health (IDOH)
B. Indiana Board of Pharmacy
C. Indiana Attorney General's Office
D. Indiana Department of Education
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: IDOH's Division of Long Term Care regulates facility licensure, while the Board of Health Facility
Administrators licenses individual HFAs and RCAs.
120-Question Practice Examination with Answers and Rationales
1.
What does the acronym "RCA" designate under Indiana law?
A. Registered Care Attendant
B. Residential Care Administrator
C. Regional Compliance Auditor
D. Resident Care Assistant
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Under 840 IAC 1-1-3, a person licensed to administer a residential care facility in Indiana is designated a
Residential Care Administrator (RCA) and may use those initials after their name.
2.
Which state entity licenses and regulates RCAs in Indiana?
A. Indiana Department of Insurance
B. Indiana State Board of Health Facility Administrators
C. Indiana State Nursing Board
D. Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Indiana State Board of Health Facility Administrators, operating under Title 840 of the Indiana
Administrative Code, licenses and regulates both HFAs and RCAs.
3.
A "residential care facility" as used in Indiana jurisprudence is best defined as:
A. Any assisted living apartment complex
B. A health care facility that provides residential nursing care
C. A facility that only provides housekeeping and meals
D. A hospital-based long-term care unit
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Indiana regulatory guidance defines a residential care facility as a health facility that provides residential
nursing care, distinguishing it from unlicensed housing-only facilities.
4.
Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5, a facility providing only room, meals, laundry, activities, housekeeping, and
limited ADL assistance:
A. Must always be licensed as a residential care facility
B. Is not required to be licensed if it does not provide medication administration or residential nursing care
C. Must be licensed as a comprehensive care facility
D. May never contract with an outside home health agency
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(c) exempts such facilities from licensure as long as they do not provide medication
administration or residential nursing care.
,5.
If a licensed home health agency provides medication administration in an unlicensed facility that offers
room, meals, laundry, and housekeeping, the facility:
A. Automatically becomes licensable as a residential care facility
B. Does not require licensure, provided residents may contract with other home health agencies
C. Must close immediately
D. Must be reclassified as a hospital
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Under 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5, this arrangement does not trigger licensure so long as residents retain the
ability to choose or change home health agencies at any time.
6.
A resident receiving hospice services from a licensed provider of their choice:
A. Must be discharged from the residential care facility
B. Is not required to be discharged solely because of receiving hospice services
C. Must move to a comprehensive care facility
D. Loses residency rights automatically
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(d) specifically exempts hospice recipients from otherwise applicable discharge
requirements.
7.
A residential care facility that retains appropriate professional staff may provide comprehensive nursing
care to a resident when:
A. The resident requests it in writing
B. The condition is self-limiting
C. The facility has more than 100 beds
D. The Board grants a blanket waiver
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 410 IAC 16.2-5-0.5(e) allows comprehensive nursing care for a self-limiting condition without triggering
higher-level licensure requirements.
8.
Which of the following is NOT part of the typical "scope of care" provided in a residential care (RC)
setting?
A. Personal care and help with ADLs
B. Three meals daily
C. 24-hour comprehensive skilled nursing care
D. Medication administration
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Residential care is designed for residents who do not require 24-hour comprehensive nursing care; that
level of need generally requires discharge to a higher level of care.
, 9.
An unlicensed person may NOT use which of the following titles under Indiana law?
A. "Administrator in Training"
B. "Assistant RC Administrator"
C. "Business Office Manager"
D. "Activities Director"
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 840 IAC 1-1-3(c) prohibits an unlicensed person from using the title "Assistant HF Administrator" or
"Assistant RC Administrator" because it fraudulently implies administrator-level expertise.
10.
A licensed residential care facility may be administered by:
A. Only a licensed HFA
B. Either a licensed HFA or a licensed RCA
C. Any facility employee designated by the owner
D. Only a physician
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: 840 IAC 1-1-3(a) provides that while an HF generally requires HFA supervision, a licensed residential
care facility may instead be administered by an RCA.
11.
"Residential nursing care" as referenced in Indiana rules may include:
A. Identifying human responses to actual or potential health conditions
B. Performing surgery
C. Operating a pharmacy
D. Conducting building inspections
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The regulatory definition of residential nursing care includes nursing functions such as identifying human
responses to actual or potential health conditions, among other nursing-related activities.
12.
Which agency regulates the licensure requirements for residential care facilities themselves (as opposed
to licensing the administrators)?
A. Indiana State Department of Health (IDOH)
B. Indiana Board of Pharmacy
C. Indiana Attorney General's Office
D. Indiana Department of Education
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: IDOH's Division of Long Term Care regulates facility licensure, while the Board of Health Facility
Administrators licenses individual HFAs and RCAs.
