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1Formulas and methods
Nursing assistant (CNA) knowledge
Method
Check whether the resident is in danger right now (not breathing, choking, a fall, chest pain, stroke signs); if so, keep them safe and get the nurse at once.
Ask whether the task is within the nursing assistant’s scope and training; if not, decline politely and tell the nurse.
Respect the resident’s rights: privacy, choice, refusal of care, dignity and freedom from abuse and unneeded restraints.
Apply the basic rules: hand hygiene, body mechanics, bed low and call light within reach, weak side first when dressing.
Observe and report: compare with the resident’s usual state and report changes promptly and objectively.
Nursing math & unit conversions
Metric steps
1 kg = 1000 g, 1 g = 1000 mg, 1 mg = 1000 mcg, 1 L = 1000 mL
Weight and length
1 kg = 2.2 lb, 1 lb = 16 oz, 1 in = 2.54 cm, 1 ft = 12 in
Household measures
1 tsp = 5 mL, 1 tbsp = 15 mL, 1 fl oz = 30 mL, 1 cup = 8 fl oz = 240 mL
Write the given quantity with its unit and the unit you want.
Pick the equivalent: 1000 between kg, g, mg and mcg or L and mL; 1 kg = 2.2 lb; 1 tsp = 5 mL, 1 tbsp = 15 mL, 1 fl oz = 30 mL, 1 cup = 240 mL.
Write it as a fraction so that the unwanted unit cancels; for a rate, use one fraction per unit that changes.
Check the direction: a smaller unit gives a bigger number.
Round only the final answer, to the precision the question names.
2Practice problems
1.Nursing assistant (CNA) knowledgeMedium
Blood has spilled on the floor of a resident's room. What should the nursing assistant do?
AWipe it up quickly with a dry paper towel and bare hands to save time
BWear gloves and clean it with the facility's approved disinfectant
CCover it with a towel and continue working
DLeave it until housekeeping comes the next morning
2.Nursing assistant (CNA) knowledgeHard
While being fed, a resident coughs after each sip and his voice sounds wet and gurgly. What should the nursing assistant do?
AGive more fluid to wash the food down
BSpeed up the feeding so the meal is over before he tires out
CLower the head of the bed so he can rest
DStop feeding, keep him upright and report it to the nurse
3.Nursing math & unit conversionsMedium
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). A weight conversion gives 12.7244 kg. The rule in this exercise is that weights are rounded to the nearest tenth of a kilogram. What value x do you record?
12.7244 kg
x = kg
4.Nursing math & unit conversionsHard
Practice exercise (made-up values, not clinical guidance). An order reads 4 mcg/kg/min for a patient who weighs 83 kg. Express the dose rate D in mg/h. Round to two decimal places.
4 mcg/kg/min83 kg
D = mg/h
3Solutions
1.Nursing assistant (CNA) knowledge
Answer: B · Wear gloves and clean it with the facility's approved disinfectant
Why this is the answer
Blood spills are cleaned promptly with gloves and an approved disinfectant, following facility policy, or reported right away to the staff who clean them. Leaving the spill risks infection and falls.
Answer
B · Wear gloves and clean it with the facility's approved disinfectant
2.Nursing assistant (CNA) knowledge
Answer: D · Stop feeding, keep him upright and report it to the nurse
Why this is the answer
Coughing and a wet voice during eating are signs of aspiration. The nursing assistant stops, keeps the resident sitting upright and reports to the nurse at once, who may need to assess swallowing.
Answer
D · Stop feeding, keep him upright and report it to the nurse
3.Nursing math & unit conversions
Answer: x = 12.7 kg
Rounding: look at the digit just after the place you round to: 5 or more rounds up, 4 or less leaves the digit as it is. Round only the final answer, never the steps. Typical exam rules: volumes of 1 mL or more to the nearest tenth, volumes below 1 mL to the nearest hundredth, drip rates to whole drops and weights to one decimal place; always follow the rule the question states.
Digit in the tenths place
12.7244 → 7
Only the next digit decides
12.7244 → 2
2 is 4 or less, so 7 stays.
The digits after it (44) are ignored: round once, never step by step.
Round
x = 12.7 kg
Answer
x = 12.7 kg
4.Nursing math & unit conversions
Answer: D = 19.92 mg/h
Dimensional analysis: write the given quantity, then multiply by conversion factors written as fractions (for example 60 min/1 h or 1 mg/1000 mcg) so that each unwanted unit appears once on top and once underneath and cancels. When only the wanted unit is left, calculate. Use the equivalents the question gives and round only the final answer.
Set up the chain
D = 4 mcg/kg/min × 83 kg × (60 min/1 h) × (1 mg/1000 mcg)
Calculate
D = 4·83·60/1000 = 19.92 mg/h
Answer
D = 19.92 mg/h
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