HCA exam

Who should you call in case of abuse? - ✅✅-DSHS 1-866-END-HARM, 911, APS, ALTC,
DDA, CPS, and case manager

What are some rights for consumers? - ✅✅-Right to be free from abuse, to make choices,
to privacy, and confidentiality

What are the steps of the problem solving process? - ✅✅-Explain, offer alternatives, report
and document

✅✅-Bloods, guts and gore

What reasons should you call 911? -

What are the forms of abuse? - ✅✅-Physical, sexual, mental, neglect, abandonment, and
financial exploitation.

✅✅-When signs of abuse are present

When is it mandatory to report? -

When report abuse, what should you include? - ✅✅-Name, address, age, what type of
abuse, time of abuse, abuser, and personal info.

What is self neglect? - ✅✅ -Refusing goods or service that improve physical and mental
health, well-being, and safety

Who should you report to when there is signs of self neglect? - ✅✅-Case manager
✅✅-A device or action that limits consumers against their will
What is a restraint? -

An HCAS role is... - ✅✅-To assist in maintaining safety, independence, and dignity

What is the purpose of the care team? - ✅✅-Provides care and support the well being and
needs of a consumer

✅✅-The client's "normal" level of function

What is a baseline? -

How should you observe changes? - ✅✅-Compare to baseline, make regular

observations, and use your senses

What is the care plan? - ✅✅ -Outlines the care team, identifies baseline, and gives
activities to support comsumer.

✅✅-Activities including the body

What are Activities of daily living -

What are instrumental activities of daily living? - ✅✅-Activities that are outside of the body
exp. Meal prep
What are four components for good communication? - ✅✅-Pay attention, understand,
respond, and clarify

What is objective reporting? - ✅✅-Documenting facts or words exactly as you observe

them

What is subjective reporting? - ✅✅-Documenting your opinion or interpretation as you

observe them

When there is distractions in communication, what should you do? - ✅✅-Understand the
distraction, be respectful and use respectful body language.

In what way might a client Express pain non verbally? - ✅✅-Moaning, crying, clenching
fists, or grinding teeth

In what way might a client Express confusion non verbally? - ✅✅

-Give answers that dont
make sense, ask the same question, using wrong name, and not remembering correct
words.

What are four situations where you should problem solve? - ✅✅ -A poor choice, refuse
care, safety hazard concern, and asked to do something not in the care plan.

✅✅-Stopping germs from spreading and causing infection.

What is infection control? -

What is a pathogen? - ✅✅-Any germ that causes disease

What are immunizations? - ✅✅-Vaccinations or injections that protect against specific

diseases.

What are the main immunizations? - ✅✅-MMR and V. Measles, mumps, rubella and
varicella.

What Are four ways germs come into contact with a consumer? - ✅✅-Direct contact,
indirect contact, airborne, and droplet.

What can weaken a clients immune system, making them prone to infection? - ✅✅ -Poor
nutrition, fatigue, dehydration, stress, disease, medication, thinning skin, and poor hygiene .

What are some signs and symptoms of localized infection? - ✅✅-Oozing, swelling,
redness, pain , and or heat coming from a wound.

What are some signs and symptoms of systemic infection? - ✅✅-Fever, chills, weakness,
sweating, nausea, headache, thirst, and confusion

What are the 11 bodily fluids? - ✅✅ -Ear wax, tears, mucus, saliva, sweat, blood, feces,
urine, semen, menstrual fluid, and breast milk.
What are 6 standard precautions when dealing with infection? - ✅✅ -Handwashing, using
PPE, disinfecting, immunizations, properly removing waste, and sharps disposal.

✅✅-as if they are infectious.

How should you treat bodily fluids? -

When using gloves, you should... - ✅✅-Check gloves for size and holes

What are the approved disinfecting solutions? - ✅✅-1 tsp bleach per gallon of water or one
part vinegar to three parts water.

When doing laundry you should... - ✅✅ -Use gloves, put items in leak proof container, keep
away from clothing, wash with detergent, keep clean, and wash hands.

What are blood borne pathogens? - ✅✅-Disease causing germs that spread through
contact with blood

What are some high risk behaviors? - ✅✅-Unprotected sex, sharing needles, using
unclean needles

What should you do when exposed to pathogens through the eyes? - ✅✅-Rinse with clean
water for five mins and get medical attention.

What to do when exposed to pathogens through a bite? - ✅✅-Wash exposed skin, cover
with sterile dressing, and get medical attention

What to do when exposed to pathogens through the mouth? - ✅✅ -Spit out, rinse mouth
with 50/50 mix of hydrogen peroxide and water, rinse with water, and get medical attention

✅✅
What should you do if you are exposed to pathogens through a puncture wound? -
-Wash area and get medical attention

What is hep B? - ✅✅-A viral infection if the liver

What is hep C? - ✅✅-A viral infection of the liver that causes inflammation and scarring of
the liver.

What are signs and symptoms of hep B&C? - ✅✅-Fatigue, fever, jaundice, nausea, dark
urine, and abdominal pain.

What is HIV? - ✅✅ -A disease that attacks the immune system, preventing the body from
fighting infection. HIV cause aids.

What is AIDS? - ✅✅-A disease that attacks the immune system preventing the body from
fighting infection.

What does HIV and AIDS do to T cells? - ✅✅ -Causes T cell to mutate and destroy
immune system, if T cell count is below 200 it is AIDS.
How long does HIV stay in the body? - ✅✅-Lifetime
What three things must happen to be exposed to HIV? - ✅✅-HIV sources, sufficient dose
of virus, and there must be access to the blood stream.

What is a symptom of HIV? - ✅✅-Night sweats

What is an opportunistic disease? - ✅✅-Disease that can attack the body due to a
weakened immune system.

What are three opportunistic diseases? - ✅✅-Pneumonia (lung infection), Kaposi

sarcoma(skin cancer) and candidiasis (yeast infection/thrush)

Can you discuss a consumers HIV/Aids diagnosis with the care team? - ✅✅-No
What are some losses a person with HIV may experience? - ✅✅ -Income, life, rejection by
family, emotional support, self esteem, and prospect of painful death.

When must health care providers report HIV cases? - ✅✅-Within 3 working days of
diagnosis

What are the ten body systems? . - ✅✅ -Circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal,

integumentary, digestive, urinary, reproductive, endocrine, and immune

What are symptoms of illness in older adults? - ✅✅-Sudden confusion, urinary changes,
changes in appetite, not performing ADLs, change in mobility, changes in sleep, memory
loss, and infection.

What is proper body mechanics? - ✅✅-A way of lifting to prevent injury.

Proper body alignment is... - ✅✅-Correct positioning of the body of the body in a straight
line

What are 6 parts of good posture? - ✅✅-Head up, spine straight, butt in, tighten stomach
muscles, chest up and shoulders back.

What are the five principles of body mechanics? - ✅✅ -Plan lift, wide base of support, lift
with legs, turn whole body, and stay close to object you are moving.

✅✅-The process of walking or moving about

What is ambulation? -

How does loss of mobility effect consumers? - ✅✅-Losing mobility can make consumers
feel helpless, depressed, and anxious about their lack of independence

How can decreased mobility negatively impact consumers? - ✅✅-Short of breath,

depression and skin break down
What are things that can affect a consumers mobility? - ✅✅-Amputations, emotional
status, medication, and loss of hearing/vision.

When assisting a consumer upstairs? - ✅✅-Step with strong side first, stand behind them,
and use handrails

How to assist a consumer downstairs? - ✅✅-Stand in front or side of consumer and step
with affected leg first.

When using braces: - ✅✅ -Brace should be custom, consumer may need padding,
schedule for use and rest, and monitor for skin breakdown.

When using canes: - ✅✅ -Cane on unaffected side, cane goes first then affected then
unaffected, stand on affected side.

When using walkers: - ✅✅-Their are different styles that breakdown differently, may have
rubber feet/ wheels

When using wheelchairs: - ✅✅ -Lock brakes enter or leave, objects may obstruct path,
move carefully on ramps, use hands to push up from wheelchair.

When using transfer belts: - ✅✅-Put belt on clothing, make sure it is not too tight, no
breasts under belt.

When transferring, you should not... - ✅✅ -Have a clients arms around your neck, feel pain
in lower back, lift a consumer who cannot assist with transfer without equipment.

What are some risks for falling? - ✅✅ -Vision/hearing problems, impaired balance,
weakness, alcohol or drugs, seizures, meds, poor nutrition, poor foot wear, and clutter

What should you do when a consumer is falling? - ✅✅

-Do not stop fall, try to support
consumers head and ease them to the floor, use proper body mechanics, and let consumer
slid down your body.

What should you do after a consumer has fallen? - ✅✅

-If injured call 911, make them
comfortable, do not give them water, do not move them, report the fall.

What is normal bladder function? - ✅✅-Emptying bladder every 3-4 hours and up once a
night.

What are signs of bladder disfunction? - ✅✅-Pain during urination, peeing more than 8
times a day, and sudden strong urge to use restroom.

✅✅-Loss of urine when laughing or coughing

What is stress incontinence? -

What are common causes of bladder disfunction? - ✅✅-Urinary infection, meds, weak
bladder, overactive bladder, diseases, spinal cord injury, surgery, dystrophy, polio, or stroke.
What are some signs and symptoms of UTI? - ✅✅ -Confusion, strong urges but little yield,
pain, urine that is milky or red, odor, bladder spasms, fever, chills, sweating, or no
symptoms.

What is normal bowel function? - ✅✅-1-3 times per day, no urgency, minimal effort, do not
need laxatives.

What are signs of bowel disfunction? - ✅✅-Straining, cramps, constipation, diarrhea, need
for laxatives.

What is a Foley catheter? - ✅✅ -A straight tube with balloon at the tip, attached to drainage
bag. It can be left in place for 1 to 2 weeks

What is a colostomy? - ✅✅-A bag that covers a hole in the stomach to collect stool from
bowels

When a consumer has a catheter, where should the bag be? - ✅✅-Lower than the bladder
What is gingivitis? - ✅✅-Occurs when plaque is not removed from teeth each day, irritating
the gums

How often should you brush and floss? - ✅✅-Brush twice a day, floss once a day
When assisting with oral care you should... - ✅✅-Use gloves, use short circular
movements, use a soft bristled brush, do not touch bristles to surfaces, make handle bigger.

How does the skin change with age? - ✅✅ -Becomes drier and thinner, loss of fat layer
below skin, sweat glands lose ability to cool skin and loss of feeling of pain or heat.

✅✅-Internal organs, controls body temp, holds bodily fluids.

The skin protects... -

What are symptoms of skin break down? - ✅✅-Dryness, fluid draining, change in moisture,
changes in appearance of sores, break in skin, odor, or pain.

Burns are classified as: - ✅✅ -First degree(red skin) second degree(blisters, pain, intense
redness, and swelling), and third degree ( involves all layers of skin)

What do you do if you see skin breakdown? - ✅✅

-Reposition until skin returns to baseline,
report, do not massage, and do not use heat lamp or lotions that could dry the skin further.

How often should you reposition? - ✅✅ -Bed bound is every 2 hours and chair bound every
hour. Shifting weight every 15 mins for 15 seconds.

What are some steps to maintain healthy skin? - ✅✅ -Clean skin using warm water, keep
skin dry, gently apply lotions to prevent dryness, encourage good nutrition, mobility and
assist with repositioning.
What are the 5 basic body positions? - ✅✅-Supine(spine), prone(stomach), fowler(semi
sit), and SIMS(lying on left side)

What is the importance of bathing? - ✅✅-Promotes well being, cleans skin, and stimulates
circulation

While bathing it is important to support... - ✅✅-Level of ability, privacy, dignity, comfort, and
safety

When is it not safe to cut nails? - ✅✅-Diabetes, circulatory problems, heals slowly, prone
to infection.

What are basic nutrition guidelines? - ✅✅-Decrease sat. Fats, salt, and empty calories and
increase fiber

How much fat should be consumed per day? - ✅✅-30% of total calories and only 10%
should be sat. Fats

How is sodium important? - ✅✅-Helps maintain body's water, blood pressure, and
prevents dehydration

How much sodium should be comsumed - ✅✅-Between 1500 mg and 2300mg

How much fiber should be consumed per day? - ✅✅-20- 35 grams and 5 servings fruit and
veggies

What is dysphagia? - ✅✅-difficulty swallowing

What are common germs causing food borne illness? - ✅✅-Hep A, e coli, stomach virus,
and salmonella

What is a PRN? - ✅✅-Meds taken as needed

What are the five rights? - ✅✅-MCART, right meds, right consumer, right amount, right
route, and right time

What are advanced directives? - ✅✅-DNR, living will, POA/DPOA and POLST