CNA Basic Nursing Skills Practice Test (Free Drill)

How much of the CNA exam is basic nursing skills?

More than a third of the scored questions: no other area comes close, so it is the best single place to spend study time.

Weight on the real exam (NCSBN) and on our mocks
Basic nursing skills	35% of the scored questions, about 21 of 60Published by the ownerNCSBN, "2024 NNAAP written examination content outline" (PDF)
On our mocks	25 of 70 questions in every mock, mixed in with the other sectionsLifeScore

What does basic nursing skills cover?

Six topics, each with rules and numbers you should know cold.

Infection control
Hand hygiene (at least 20 seconds with soap), when to use gloves, gowns, masks and N95s, the order to put on and take off PPE, clean and dirty linen.
Vital signs
Normal adult ranges, doubling a 30-second count, a full minute for irregular pulses, the right cuff size, never using an arm with a dialysis fistula.
Measuring and recording
Intake and output in milliliters (1 oz = 30 mL), daily weights, the 24-hour clock, objective charting.
Safety and restraints
Fall prevention, call lights, side rails as restraints, restraint checks and release, oxygen and fire safety.
Emergencies
Choking, fainting, falls, seizures, calling for help and staying with the client.
Observing and reporting
What counts as objective, what must be reported at once, and what the aide never decides alone.

What do basic nursing skills questions look like?

A mix of facts to recall, numbers to record and situations where the right move is to report. The first two are worked.

CNA-style question 1 · Measurement
A client drinks 6 oz of juice and 8 oz of milk at breakfast. How much intake should be recorded?
1. A14 mL
2. B240 mL
3. C420 mL
4. D360 mL
Worked answer
C: 420 mL. 6 + 8 = 14 oz, and 14 × 30 = 420 mL. Intake is always recorded in milliliters.
The trap: Recording the ounces, or converting only one drink.
CNA-style question 2 · Infection control
A client has active tuberculosis. What must the nurse aide wear to enter the room?
1. AA cloth mask
2. BA fit-tested N95 respirator
3. CGloves only
4. DA surgical mask
Worked answer
B: A fit-tested N95 respirator. TB spreads through tiny airborne particles that surgical masks do not filter. Airborne precautions need a fit-tested respirator.
CNA-style question 3 · Vital signs
A resident whose blood pressure is usually 130/80 reads 84/50 today and says she feels fine. What should the aide do?
1. ARecheck in 4 hours
2. BRecord it and report at the end of the shift
3. CReport the reading to the nurse right away
4. DGive her fluids and recheck
Show the answer
C: Report the reading to the nurse right away. A big change from a client's usual reading must be reported at once, even without symptoms.
CNA-style question 4 · Safety
A client on oxygen asks the nurse aide to turn the flow up because breathing feels hard. What should the aide do?
1. ARemove the cannula to check it
2. BStay with the client and call the nurse
3. CTurn the flow up a little
4. DLower the head of the bed
Show the answer
B: Stay with the client and call the nurse. Changing an oxygen setting is outside the aide's scope, and a client who feels short of breath needs the nurse now.

Written for this page as worked examples. None is a real exam question, and none is in any mock or drill.

The biggest section deserves the most practice

Twelve questions show the gap. 4 more basic nursing skills drills and 8 full mocks close it.

The CNA Pass Pack gives you 8 full mocks on the real clock, 16 drills of 12 questions for the sections that cost you points, and a predictor that turns your mocks into the odds of reaching your target. One payment, no subscription, and your free score stays free.

Prep courses for these tests usually cost $19 to $129. The CNA Pass Pack is US$39 (£29), once.

See the CNA Pass Pack How our questions are built and checked

8
timed mocks: 16
topic drills: 1
score predictor

What normal ranges should I know for the CNA exam?

The adult ranges below are the ones nurse aide textbooks teach; report anything outside them, or any big change from the client's usual.

Typical adult resting values taught in nurse aide training (your facility may set its own reporting limits)
Measure	Typical adult range	Count or check
Oral temperature	About 97.6 to 99.6 °F	Wait 15 to 20 minutes after hot or cold drinks
Rectal temperature	About 1 °F higher than oral	Hold the thermometer in place
Pulse	60 to 100 beats a minute	30 seconds × 2 if regular; 60 seconds if irregular
Respirations	12 to 20 breaths a minute	Count without telling the client
Oxygen saturation	About 95 to 100%	Report low readings at once
Blood pressure	Under 120/80 is normal	Right cuff size; not on an arm with a fistula, IV or mastectomy

Doubling a 30-second count and converting ounces to milliliters both come up on the written test and in the skills test. Our mocks generate fresh versions of these with the arithmetic checked by code.

What rules win basic nursing skills questions?

Learn these five and most of the section answers itself.

Hand hygiene brackets everything
Before and after every client, after gloves come off, after touching anything dirty.
Measure, record, then report
Write numbers straight away in the right units, then tell the nurse about anything abnormal.
No restraint without an order
Side rails or anything that keeps a client in bed or a chair can be a restraint. Try alternatives and report.
Never change settings
Oxygen flow, tube feedings and IVs are the nurse's. Stay with the client and call.
Stay with a client in trouble
Call for help without leaving a client who is choking, falling or short of breath.

What traps are set in basic nursing skills questions?

Shortcuts with infection control and numbers recorded the wrong way.

Recording a 30-second pulse without doubling it.
Using a surgical mask for tuberculosis.
Raising side rails to stop a confused client climbing out.
Turning up oxygen when a client asks.
Leaving a choking client to fetch help.
Writing "seems fine" instead of what you measured.

How do I study basic nursing skills in a week?

Twenty-five minutes a day, because this is the biggest section.

Our plan, with minutes a day

Day 1
25 min
Free drill above; list what you missed.
Day 2
25 min
Infection control: hand hygiene, PPE order, isolation types.
Day 3
25 min
Vital signs: ranges, counting rules, cuff and site rules.
Day 4
25 min
Intake and output, weights and the 24-hour clock, with arithmetic practice.
Day 5
25 min
Safety, restraints, oxygen and fire.
Day 6
25 min
Emergencies and what to report at once.
Day 7
30 min
A Pass Pack drill or full mock to confirm.

Frequently asked questions

What is basic nursing skills on the CNA exam?

The largest NNAAP content area (35% of scored questions): infection control, vital signs, measuring and recording, safety, emergencies and reporting.

Is there math in this section?

Yes, simple arithmetic: ounces to milliliters, doubling a 30-second count, adding intake and output and the 24-hour clock.

What normal pulse rate does the CNA exam use?

60 to 100 beats a minute for a resting adult, the range in standard nurse aide textbooks.

Can a CNA apply a restraint?

Only an ordered restraint, applied as trained and checked as the facility requires. The aide never decides to restrain a client.

Win the biggest section on the exam

16 topic drills (4 for basic nursing skills), 8 full mocks and a predictor, in one payment with no subscription.