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Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Exam Communication Summary

Checked 10/31/26

Communication: key points

  • Face a resident with hearing loss and speak clearly in a normal tone.
  • Use open-ended questions to get the resident talking.
Importance
★★★★☆ (4 / 5)
Weight
About 4 of 16 Role of the Nurse Aide questions (25%)

Verbal and nonverbal communication, active listening, communicating with residents who have hearing, vision, or speech problems, and reporting and recording.

📖 See more Communication concepts →

Communication: 10 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 1. Which is the best way to talk with a resident who has hearing loss?

  1. ① Speak very fast so you finish quickly
  2. ② Face the resident and speak clearly in a normal or slightly lower tone
  3. ③ Shout so the resident can hear
  4. ④ Talk from behind the resident
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Answer: ② Face the resident and speak clearly in a normal or slightly lower tone

Key point: Hearing loss: face the resident, speak clearly, don't shout

Get the resident's attention, face them in good light, and speak clearly and a little slowly in a normal or slightly lower pitch. Make sure hearing aids are in and working. Do not shout.

Wrong choices

  • Speak very fast so you finish quickly: Fast speech is harder to understand.
  • Shout so the resident can hear: Shouting distorts sounds and can seem angry.
  • Talk from behind the resident: The resident cannot see your face or lips.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 2. Which is an example of nonverbal communication?

  1. ① A telephone call
  2. ② Facial expressions
  3. ③ Reading a book aloud
  4. ④ A written note
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Answer: ② Facial expressions

Key point: Nonverbal = facial expressions, gestures, touch

Nonverbal communication is sending messages without words, through facial expressions, gestures, posture, eye contact, and touch. Your body language should match your words.

Wrong choices

  • A telephone call: A call uses spoken words.
  • Reading a book aloud: Reading aloud uses words.
  • A written note: Writing uses words, so it is verbal communication.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 3. Which is an open-ended question?

  1. ① "What would you like to do this afternoon?"
  2. ② "Are you feeling okay?"
  3. ③ "Do you want to go to the activity?"
  4. ④ "Did you sleep well?"
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Answer: ① "What would you like to do this afternoon?"

Key point: Open-ended questions can't be answered yes or no

Open-ended questions cannot be answered with yes or no. They invite the resident to share more, such as 'What would you like…?' or 'How do you feel about…?'

Wrong choices

  • "Are you feeling okay?": This can be answered with yes or no.
  • "Do you want to go to the activity?": This can be answered with yes or no.
  • "Did you sleep well?": This can be answered with yes or no.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 4. When caring for a resident who is blind, what should the aide do when entering and leaving the room?

  1. ① Touch the resident first, then speak
  2. ② Enter quietly so as not to disturb the resident
  3. ③ Rearrange the furniture to make the room nicer
  4. ④ Say your name when you enter and tell the resident when you are leaving
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Answer: ④ Say your name when you enter and tell the resident when you are leaving

Key point: Blind resident: say your name and when you leave

A resident who cannot see needs to know who is there. Identify yourself when you come in, explain what you will do, and say when you leave. Keep furniture and belongings in the same places.

Wrong choices

  • Touch the resident first, then speak: Touching first without warning can startle the resident.
  • Enter quietly so as not to disturb the resident: Entering quietly can startle the resident.
  • Rearrange the furniture to make the room nicer: Moving furniture can cause falls for a person who cannot see.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 5. Which is the best example of objective reporting?

  1. ① "Resident seems lazy today."
  2. ② "Resident was in a bad mood."
  3. ③ "Resident ate 25% of lunch and said, 'My stomach hurts.'"
  4. ④ "Resident probably has the flu."
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Answer: ③ "Resident ate 25% of lunch and said, 'My stomach hurts.'"

Key point: Report facts and quotes, not opinions

Objective information is what you can see, hear, smell, feel, or measure, such as amounts eaten, vital signs, and the resident's own words in quotes. Report facts, not opinions or guesses.

Wrong choices

  • "Resident seems lazy today.": 'Lazy' is an opinion, not an observation.
  • "Resident was in a bad mood.": 'Bad mood' is an opinion; describe what you saw and heard.
  • "Resident probably has the flu.": Guessing a diagnosis is not the aide's role and is not objective.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 6. Which action shows active listening?

  1. ① Finishing the resident's sentences for him
  2. ② Looking at your phone while the resident talks
  3. ③ Planning your answer while the resident is talking
  4. ④ Making eye contact, nodding, and repeating back what you heard
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Answer: ④ Making eye contact, nodding, and repeating back what you heard

Key point: Active listening: attention, nodding, restating

Active listening means giving full attention: eye contact, nodding, not interrupting, and restating what the resident said to check that you understood.

Wrong choices

  • Finishing the resident's sentences for him: This interrupts and may put words in his mouth.
  • Looking at your phone while the resident talks: This shows you are not paying attention.
  • Planning your answer while the resident is talking: This means you are not fully listening.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 7. Some facilities use 24-hour time. What is 3:00 p.m. in 24-hour time?

  1. ① 1300
  2. ② 2300
  3. ③ 1500
  4. ④ 0300
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Answer: ③ 1500

Key point: 24-hour time: add 12 to p.m. hours

In 24-hour time, add 12 to p.m. hours:

  1. 3 + 12 = 15
  2. 3:00 p.m. = 1500
  3. Check: 1500 − 1200 = 300, which is 3:00 p.m.

Wrong choices

  • 1300: 1300 is 1:00 p.m.
  • 2300: 2300 is 11:00 p.m.
  • 0300: 0300 is 3:00 a.m.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 8. A resident with aphasia after a stroke has trouble finding words. Which approach helps most?

  1. ① Avoid talking to her so she does not feel embarrassed
  2. ② Finish her sentences quickly so she does not get upset
  3. ③ Ask yes-or-no questions, give extra time, and use a picture board if available
  4. ④ Speak louder, because she cannot hear well
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Answer: ③ Ask yes-or-no questions, give extra time, and use a picture board if available

Key point: Aphasia: yes/no questions, time, picture boards

Aphasia is trouble speaking or understanding language, often after a stroke. Use simple yes-or-no questions, give plenty of time, and use gestures, pictures, or communication boards.

Wrong choices

  • Avoid talking to her so she does not feel embarrassed: Avoiding her leads to isolation.
  • Finish her sentences quickly so she does not get upset: Rushing her and guessing may put the wrong words in her mouth.
  • Speak louder, because she cannot hear well: Aphasia is a language problem, not a hearing problem.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 9. You make an error while writing in a resident's paper record. What should you do?

  1. ① Cover it with correction fluid
  2. ② Erase it completely
  3. ③ Tear out the page and start over
  4. ④ Draw one line through it, then write the correction with your initials and the date
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Answer: ④ Draw one line through it, then write the correction with your initials and the date

Key point: Correct a paper chart with one line, initials, date

The medical record is a legal document. On paper, draw a single line through the error so it can still be read, then write the correct information with your initials and the date, following facility policy. Never erase, white out, or remove pages.

Wrong choices

  • Cover it with correction fluid: Correction fluid hides the original entry, which is not allowed in a legal record.
  • Erase it completely: Erasing makes the record look altered.
  • Tear out the page and start over: Removing pages is altering a legal record.
Practice questionReviewedRole of the Nurse Aide › Communication★★★★☆

Question 10. All of the following are barriers to good communication EXCEPT:

  1. ① Using medical terms the resident does not know
  2. ② Talking while a loud television is on
  3. ③ Giving advice instead of listening
  4. ④ Using words the resident understands
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Answer: ④ Using words the resident understands

Key point: Plain words help; jargon, noise, advice are barriers

Using plain, familiar words helps communication. Medical terms, background noise, and giving advice instead of listening are common barriers.

Wrong choices

  • Using medical terms the resident does not know: Unfamiliar terms block understanding.
  • Talking while a loud television is on: Noise makes it hard to hear and focus.
  • Giving advice instead of listening: Giving advice cuts off the resident's feelings.

Test yourself.

Communication: 5 questions →Role of the Nurse Aide: 5 questions →

Written by AI · Not yet reviewed by staff