CERTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANT (CNA)
PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027 – 200 QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS AND DETAILED
RATIONALES GRADED A+
About this resource:
Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a rewarding pathway in
healthcare. The CNA state exam, developed by the National Nurse Aide
Assessment Program (NNAAP) and administered by your state’s nursing board,
typically consists of two parts: a written/oral test (60–70 questions) and a clinical
skills exam. This comprehensive 200-question practice test simulates the actual
exam’s content areas: Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), infection control, safety &
emergency procedures, communication, patient rights, mental health, and
restorative care.
Each question includes a bold italic correct answer and an italic
rationale explaining why the answer is correct—reinforcing key concepts. Use this
guide to identify weak areas, build test-taking confidence, and ensure you’re ready
to pass on your first attempt.
Questions 1–50: Infection Control & Standard Precautions
1. What is the most important action for preventing the spread of infection?
A. Hand hygiene
Rationale: Hand hygiene (handwashing or alcohol-based rub) is the single most
effective way to prevent cross-contamination and healthcare-associated infections.
2. When should a CNA perform hand hygiene?
C. Before and after every patient contact
, Rationale: Hand hygiene must be performed before touching a patient, after
contact, after removing gloves, and after touching environmental surfaces.
3. What type of precautions are used for a patient with tuberculosis?
D. Airborne precautions
*Rationale: TB spreads via tiny airborne droplets, requiring an N95 respirator and
negative-pressure room.*
4. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) should be put on first?
B. Gown
Rationale: Sequence: gown first, then mask, goggles, gloves. Gown protects
clothing during removal of other PPE.
5. How long should you rub your hands together with soap during handwashing?
C. At least 20 seconds
Rationale: CDC recommends 20 seconds of vigorous rubbing to mechanically
remove microbes.
6. When removing gloves, what should you avoid touching?
D. The outside of the gloves
Rationale: The outer surface is contaminated; only touch the inside of the second
glove when removing.
7. What is the correct way to dispose of a used needle?
A. In a sharps container without recapping
Rationale: Recapping increases needlestick risk. Sharps containers are puncture-
resistant and labeled.
8. Which patient requires droplet precautions?
C. A patient with influenza
Rationale: Flu spreads via large droplets from coughing/sneezing; mask and eye
protection required.
9. How often should a patient’s bedside table be cleaned?
B. Daily and when visibly soiled
Rationale: High-touch surfaces are cleaned daily to reduce healthcare-associated
infection risk.
10. What is the correct method to clean a blood spill?
D. Wear gloves, cover spill with absorbent material, then disinfect with bleach
solution
*Rationale: Bloodborne pathogens require PPE, containment, and EPA-approved
disinfectant (e.g., 1:10 bleach).*
11. Which of these is a sign of a local infection?
B. Redness and swelling at a wound site
Rationale: Localized infection signs include heat, redness, pain, swelling – not
systemic fever.
, 12. A patient is on Contact Precautions. What is required?
C. Gloves and gown for all room entries
Rationale: Contact precautions prevent spread of resistant organisms (e.g., MRSA,
VRE).
13. What should you do with linens soiled with blood or body fluids?
A. Place in a leak-proof biohazard laundry bag
Rationale: Prevents exposure to others; handle with gloves and do not shake linens.
14. How should a CNA handle a used bedpan?
B. Wear gloves, empty contents into toilet, clean and disinfect bedpan
Rationale: Standard precautions apply; bedpan is reusable after proper cleaning.
15. Which is correct regarding alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
D. Use when hands are not visibly dirty
Rationale: Soap and water are required for visible dirt, blood, or C. difficile.
16. What is the purpose of Standard Precautions?
C. Treat all body fluids as potentially infectious
Rationale: Standard Precautions assumes every patient’s blood/fluids are
infectious.
17. A patient has a urinary tract infection. How should you dispose of urine?
A. Wear gloves and flush urine down the toilet
Rationale: Urine is a body fluid; gloves protect you; toilet disposal is standard.
18. After giving a bed bath, where should the damp washcloth go?
B. In a designated linen hamper
Rationale: Do not place on floor; soiled linens go in covered hamper.
19. Which patient would need a mask placed on them during transport?
*C. A patient with active COVID-19*
Rationale: Mask on patient reduces droplet spread during movement through
common areas.
20. What is the minimum time for surgical hand scrub?
A. 2–6 minutes (depending on product)
Rationale: Surgical scrub removes transient and resident flora; longer than routine
handwash.
21. Which item is NOT considered a single-use item?
D. Blood pressure cuff
Rationale: Reusable after cleaning between patients unless visibly soiled.
22. When donning PPE, what should you do after putting on the gown?
C. Put on mask or respirator
Rationale: Standard sequence: gown → mask → eye protection → gloves.
23. How often should a stethoscope be cleaned?
B. Between each patient use
PRACTICE TEST 2026/2027 – 200 QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS AND DETAILED
RATIONALES GRADED A+
About this resource:
Becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) is a rewarding pathway in
healthcare. The CNA state exam, developed by the National Nurse Aide
Assessment Program (NNAAP) and administered by your state’s nursing board,
typically consists of two parts: a written/oral test (60–70 questions) and a clinical
skills exam. This comprehensive 200-question practice test simulates the actual
exam’s content areas: Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), infection control, safety &
emergency procedures, communication, patient rights, mental health, and
restorative care.
Each question includes a bold italic correct answer and an italic
rationale explaining why the answer is correct—reinforcing key concepts. Use this
guide to identify weak areas, build test-taking confidence, and ensure you’re ready
to pass on your first attempt.
Questions 1–50: Infection Control & Standard Precautions
1. What is the most important action for preventing the spread of infection?
A. Hand hygiene
Rationale: Hand hygiene (handwashing or alcohol-based rub) is the single most
effective way to prevent cross-contamination and healthcare-associated infections.
2. When should a CNA perform hand hygiene?
C. Before and after every patient contact
, Rationale: Hand hygiene must be performed before touching a patient, after
contact, after removing gloves, and after touching environmental surfaces.
3. What type of precautions are used for a patient with tuberculosis?
D. Airborne precautions
*Rationale: TB spreads via tiny airborne droplets, requiring an N95 respirator and
negative-pressure room.*
4. Which personal protective equipment (PPE) should be put on first?
B. Gown
Rationale: Sequence: gown first, then mask, goggles, gloves. Gown protects
clothing during removal of other PPE.
5. How long should you rub your hands together with soap during handwashing?
C. At least 20 seconds
Rationale: CDC recommends 20 seconds of vigorous rubbing to mechanically
remove microbes.
6. When removing gloves, what should you avoid touching?
D. The outside of the gloves
Rationale: The outer surface is contaminated; only touch the inside of the second
glove when removing.
7. What is the correct way to dispose of a used needle?
A. In a sharps container without recapping
Rationale: Recapping increases needlestick risk. Sharps containers are puncture-
resistant and labeled.
8. Which patient requires droplet precautions?
C. A patient with influenza
Rationale: Flu spreads via large droplets from coughing/sneezing; mask and eye
protection required.
9. How often should a patient’s bedside table be cleaned?
B. Daily and when visibly soiled
Rationale: High-touch surfaces are cleaned daily to reduce healthcare-associated
infection risk.
10. What is the correct method to clean a blood spill?
D. Wear gloves, cover spill with absorbent material, then disinfect with bleach
solution
*Rationale: Bloodborne pathogens require PPE, containment, and EPA-approved
disinfectant (e.g., 1:10 bleach).*
11. Which of these is a sign of a local infection?
B. Redness and swelling at a wound site
Rationale: Localized infection signs include heat, redness, pain, swelling – not
systemic fever.
, 12. A patient is on Contact Precautions. What is required?
C. Gloves and gown for all room entries
Rationale: Contact precautions prevent spread of resistant organisms (e.g., MRSA,
VRE).
13. What should you do with linens soiled with blood or body fluids?
A. Place in a leak-proof biohazard laundry bag
Rationale: Prevents exposure to others; handle with gloves and do not shake linens.
14. How should a CNA handle a used bedpan?
B. Wear gloves, empty contents into toilet, clean and disinfect bedpan
Rationale: Standard precautions apply; bedpan is reusable after proper cleaning.
15. Which is correct regarding alcohol-based hand sanitizer?
D. Use when hands are not visibly dirty
Rationale: Soap and water are required for visible dirt, blood, or C. difficile.
16. What is the purpose of Standard Precautions?
C. Treat all body fluids as potentially infectious
Rationale: Standard Precautions assumes every patient’s blood/fluids are
infectious.
17. A patient has a urinary tract infection. How should you dispose of urine?
A. Wear gloves and flush urine down the toilet
Rationale: Urine is a body fluid; gloves protect you; toilet disposal is standard.
18. After giving a bed bath, where should the damp washcloth go?
B. In a designated linen hamper
Rationale: Do not place on floor; soiled linens go in covered hamper.
19. Which patient would need a mask placed on them during transport?
*C. A patient with active COVID-19*
Rationale: Mask on patient reduces droplet spread during movement through
common areas.
20. What is the minimum time for surgical hand scrub?
A. 2–6 minutes (depending on product)
Rationale: Surgical scrub removes transient and resident flora; longer than routine
handwash.
21. Which item is NOT considered a single-use item?
D. Blood pressure cuff
Rationale: Reusable after cleaning between patients unless visibly soiled.
22. When donning PPE, what should you do after putting on the gown?
C. Put on mask or respirator
Rationale: Standard sequence: gown → mask → eye protection → gloves.
23. How often should a stethoscope be cleaned?
B. Between each patient use
