CNA Psychosocial Care Practice Test (Free Drill)

How much of the CNA exam is psychosocial care?

About one question in ten. Small, but these questions are among the easiest to lose by picking the answer that sounds firm or factual.

Weight on the real exam (NCSBN) and on our mocks
Emotional and mental health needs	8% of the scored questions, about 5 of 60Published by the ownerNCSBN, "2024 NNAAP written examination content outline" (PDF)
Spiritual and cultural needs	2% of the scored questions, about 1 of 60Published by the ownerNCSBN, "2024 NNAAP written examination content outline" (PDF)
On our mocks	7 of 70 questions in every mock, mixed in with the other sectionsLifeScore

What does psychosocial care cover?

Five themes, all about the person rather than the task.

Dementia and confusion
Validation and redirection, simple choices, routines, sundowning, wandering, never arguing or testing memory.
Anxiety, depression and behavior
Listening, calm consistent responses, reporting talk of self-harm at once, not taking anger personally.
Loss, grief and dying
Stages of grief, comfort at the end of life, signs that death is near, care of the family, postmortem care.
Spiritual needs
2%
Supporting prayer, worship, visits from clergy and religious items, without imposing your own beliefs.
Cultural needs
Diet, modesty, touch, language and family roles; asking rather than assuming.

What do psychosocial care questions look like?

A client upset, confused or grieving, and four responses. The right one acknowledges the feeling and keeps the client safe.

CNA-style question 1 · Dementia care
A resident with dementia insists it is 1975 and asks for her late husband. What is the best response?
1. ATell her the correct year and that he has died
2. BIgnore the question and leave
3. CTell her he will visit later
4. DAcknowledge her feelings and ask her to tell you about him
Worked answer
D: Acknowledge her feelings and ask her to tell you about him. Correcting a person with dementia repeatedly causes fresh grief. Validating the feeling and talking about him comforts her without lying.
The trap: The factual answer sounds honest but hurts.
CNA-style question 2 · Mental health
A client says, "Everyone would be better off without me." What should the nurse aide do?
1. AChange the subject to something cheerful
2. BStay with the client and tell the nurse right away
3. CTell the client not to talk like that
4. DMention it at the end of the shift
Worked answer
B: Stay with the client and tell the nurse right away. Any talk of self-harm must be reported at once, and the client should not be left alone.
CNA-style question 3 · End of life
A dying client's family wants to stay at the bedside. What should the nurse aide do?
1. ASuggest they go home to rest
2. BLet them stay and offer them comfort and privacy
3. CAsk them to leave during care
4. DLimit them to visiting hours
Show the answer
B: Let them stay and offer them comfort and privacy. Families may stay with a dying client. Comfort and privacy for the client and family are part of end-of-life care.
CNA-style question 4 · Cultural needs
A female client's culture requires that only women provide personal care. A male aide is assigned. What should he do?
1. AAsk the family to give the care
2. BSkip the care for today
3. CTell the nurse so a female caregiver can be arranged
4. DProvide the care anyway, carefully
Show the answer
C: Tell the nurse so a female caregiver can be arranged. Respecting cultural modesty is a client right. The aide reports so the assignment can change.

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

Small section, easy marks to lose

Twelve questions show the gap. 4 more psychosocial care 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

How should a nurse aide respond in common situations?

One principle covers most of them: respond to the feeling, keep the client safe, and report anything new.

Responses taught in nurse aide training
Situation	Helpful response	Avoid
Confused about time or place	Reassure, validate, redirect to a calm activity	Arguing or quizzing
Restless in the late afternoon	Quiet area, soft even light, a familiar routine	Crowds, noise, more visitors
Angry or shouting	Stay calm, listen, keep a safe distance, report	Arguing back or taking it personally
Sad or withdrawn	Listen, encourage activities, report the change	Telling them to cheer up
Talks about death or self-harm	Stay, listen and tell the nurse at once	Changing the subject or waiting
Wants to pray or see clergy	Give privacy and help arrange it	Sharing or debating your own beliefs

What rules win psychosocial care questions?

Four rules.

Feelings before facts
Acknowledge what the client feels before anything else.
Never argue with confusion
Validate and redirect; do not correct or test memory.
Report changes in mood
Withdrawal, new anger, talk of self-harm or not eating all go to the nurse.
Their beliefs, not yours
Support the client's faith and culture; ask, do not assume.

What traps are set in psychosocial care questions?

The firm answer, the factual answer and the cheerful answer.

Telling a person with dementia the correct date again and again.
Saying "don't worry" or "cheer up" instead of listening.
Changing the subject when a client talks about dying.
Inviting more people over to distract an agitated client.
Assuming a client's diet or customs from their background without asking.

How do I study psychosocial care in a few days?

It is a small section: four short sessions are enough.

Our plan, with minutes a day

Day 1
15 min
Free drill above; note the responses you chose wrongly.
Day 2
15 min
Dementia: validation, redirection, routines.
Day 3
15 min
Mood, behavior and when to report.
Day 4
15 min
Grief, dying, faith and culture.

Frequently asked questions

How many psychosocial questions are on the CNA exam?

About 6 of the 60 scored NNAAP questions: about 5 on emotional and mental health and 1 on spiritual and cultural needs.

What is validation therapy?

Responding to the feelings behind what a confused person says, rather than correcting the facts. It is the approach CNA exams expect.

Should a nurse aide lie to a resident with dementia?

The expected answer avoids both arguing and inventing stories: acknowledge the feeling and redirect.

What should a CNA do if a client talks about suicide?

Stay with the client and tell the nurse immediately.

Pick up the marks others give away

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