Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Exam: Safety and Emergencies Concepts
Importance ★★★★★ · 15% (estimate)
Overview
This chapter covers keeping residents safe from falls, fires, and other emergencies. Questions often ask what to do first in an emergency and which actions prevent harm.
Most falls can be prevented. Before leaving a room, put the bed in the low position, lock the wheels, and place the call light within reach. Non-skid footwear, clear and well-lit walkways, and answering call lights quickly also help. Always identify the resident with the ID band or the facility's approved method before giving care.
If a resident starts to fall while walking, ease the resident to the floor and protect the head. If you find a resident on the floor, do not move the resident; stay and call the nurse. For a blocked airway, when the resident cannot speak, cough, or breathe, call for help and give abdominal thrusts. If the resident can still cough hard, encourage coughing and stay. During a seizure, protect the head and put nothing in the mouth.
For fire, remember RACE: Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish. To use an extinguisher, remember PASS: Pull, Aim at the base, Squeeze, Sweep. Keep flames and sparks away from oxygen, and take frayed cords out of use.
Key concepts
RACE
The order of actions when you find a fire: Rescue residents in danger, sound the Alarm, Contain the fire by closing doors, and Extinguish if it is safe.
Memory tipRescue first, extinguish last.
PASS
The steps for a fire extinguisher: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side.
Memory tipAim low at the base.
Abdominal thrusts
Quick upward thrusts below the ribs (the Heimlich maneuver) used when a choking person cannot speak, cough, or breathe.
Memory tipCan't speak or cough → thrusts.
Fall response
Ease a falling resident to the floor while protecting the head; if a resident is found on the floor, do not move them and call the nurse.
Memory tipEase down, don't lift, call the nurse.
Seizure care
Protect the head, move objects away, loosen tight clothing, do not hold the resident down, and put nothing in the mouth.
Memory tipProtect, don't restrain, nothing in the mouth.
Oxygen safety
Oxygen helps fires start and spread, so keep smoking, flames, and sparks away; the aide does not change the flow rate.
Memory tipNo flames near oxygen.
Often tested
- Leave the bed low and the call light within reach.
- A strong cough means air is moving: encourage coughing and stay.
- Report every fall, even if the resident seems fine.
- Unplug equipment by the plug, not the cord.
- Check the ID band before giving care.
3 sample questions
Verified practice questions from this unit.
Question 1. What should the aide do before leaving a resident's room?
- ① Lower the bed and place the call light within the resident's reach
- ② Turn off all the lights
- ③ Raise the bed to its highest position
- ④ Put the call light on the dresser
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Answer: ① Lower the bed and place the call light within the resident's reach
Key point: Before leaving: bed low, call light in reach
Before you leave, put the bed in the low position, lock the wheels, and place the call light within reach. Also leave water and needed items close by. These steps lower the risk of falls and let the resident call for help.
Wrong choices
- Turn off all the lights: A dark room makes falls more likely.
- Raise the bed to its highest position: A high bed makes falls more dangerous.
- Put the call light on the dresser: The resident may not be able to reach the dresser to call for help.
Question 2. You discover a fire in a resident's room. Using the RACE steps, what do you do first?
- ① Activate the alarm
- ② Extinguish the fire
- ③ Rescue residents who are in immediate danger
- ④ Contain the fire by closing doors
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Answer: ③ Rescue residents who are in immediate danger
Key point: Fire: RACE — Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish
RACE = Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish. First move residents in immediate danger away from the fire, then sound the alarm, close doors to contain it, and use an extinguisher only if it is safe and you are trained.
Wrong choices
- Activate the alarm: The alarm comes right after rescuing people in danger.
- Extinguish the fire: Extinguishing is the last step in RACE.
- Contain the fire by closing doors: Containing comes after rescue and alarm.
Question 3. A resident is grabbing his throat and cannot speak, cough, or breathe. What should the aide do?
- ① Call for help and give abdominal thrusts
- ② Give the resident a glass of water
- ③ Lay the resident down and leave to find the nurse
- ④ Wait a minute to see if it clears
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Answer: ① Call for help and give abdominal thrusts
Key point: Blocked airway: call for help, give abdominal thrusts
Holding the throat and being unable to speak or cough means the airway is blocked. Call for help and give abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) until the object comes out or the resident becomes unresponsive.
Wrong choices
- Give the resident a glass of water: Water can make the blockage worse and cannot be swallowed if the airway is blocked.
- Lay the resident down and leave to find the nurse: Leaving a choking person can be fatal.
- Wait a minute to see if it clears: A blocked airway is an emergency that needs action right away.
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