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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

PCA Practice Test: Prepare for the Personal Care Assistant Exam

Quick quiz with realistic PCA test questions and answers. Instant feedback.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Fata OhranovicUpdated Aug 24, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration promoting a free PCA test to enhance assistant skills on a teal background

This PCA practice test helps you check your caregiving knowledge and get comfortable with the certification format. Work through concise, scenario-based questions with instant feedback to spot weak areas and build confidence; if you're exploring related paths, try the cpct practice test, prepare with the lpn practice test, or sharpen acute care skills using CEN practice questions.

Which action best demonstrates standard precautions when assisting with oral care?
Use alcohol wipes on teeth instead of a toothbrush
Skip hand hygiene if you wore gloves
Wear gloves and perform hand hygiene before and after care
Only wear gloves if the patient has visible blood
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When assisting a patient to ambulate using a gait belt, where should you position yourself?
At the foot of the bed, guiding by voice only
Directly in front, pulling up on the belt
At the patient's side and slightly behind, holding the belt at the hips
Directly behind, holding the patient's shoulders
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Which is the most accurate method to identify a patient before care?
Use two identifiers, such as full name and date of birth
Identify by room number only
Ask the patient's roommate to confirm identity
Recognize the patient by face from memory
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What is the best initial response if a patient begins to fall while ambulating?
Run to get help and leave the patient standing
Lower the patient to the floor safely, protecting the head
Let go immediately to avoid injury to yourself
Hold the patient upright at all costs
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Which PPE is required at minimum for contact with blood or body fluids under standard precautions?
Gloves
N95 respirator
Surgical cap only
Shoe covers only
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Which is the correct order to remove PPE to reduce self-contamination?
Gloves, gown, eye protection, mask; then hand hygiene
Eye protection, mask, gown, gloves; then hand hygiene
Gown, mask, gloves, eye protection; then hand hygiene
Mask, gloves, gown, eye protection; then hand hygiene
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You observe a new bruise on a resident's upper arm shaped like fingertips. What is your best action?
Report suspected abuse immediately per facility policy and document objectively
Ask the suspected staff member for an explanation and drop it if plausible
Ignore it because bruises are common in older adults
Post a reminder about gentle handling on the bulletin board
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When assisting with a clean-catch midstream urine specimen, your role includes
Starting an indwelling catheter to obtain urine
Providing perineal cleansing instructions and a sterile container
Adding preservative to the urine cup
Diagnosing a urinary tract infection
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Which temperature site generally reflects core temperature most closely for routine checks when feasible?
Temporal on a sweaty forehead
Oral
Skin over the wrist
Axillary
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Which observation should be reported immediately for a patient on oxygen therapy?
Patient asks for lip balm
Humidifier bottle is half full
Smoking materials found near the bedside
Nasal prongs are slightly dry
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Which observation in a diabetic patient's foot care requires urgent reporting?
Dry, intact skin
A new open sore on the heel
Socks changed daily
Clean toenails cut straight across by a podiatrist
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When performing perineal care for a female patient, the correct stroke direction is
Side to side across the perineum
Front to back to reduce infection risk
Circular motion without pattern
Back to front for thoroughness
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Which is the safest method to check placement of a nasogastric feeding tube for a PCA's scope?
Inject air and listen over the stomach
Advance the tube if you suspect displacement
Taste the aspirate for acidity
Do not check placement; report concerns and defer verification to licensed staff
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Which action is appropriate when assisting a patient with a new prosthetic limb to ambulate?
Force longer steps to build strength quickly
Remove the prosthesis if it seems heavy
Support by pulling on the prosthesis
Apply the gait belt, follow the therapist's plan, and allow rest breaks
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Which is the correct immediate response to a witnessed adult choking with ineffective cough?
Lie the person flat and wait
Offer water to wash it down
Begin abdominal thrusts if trained and it is safe to do so
Perform blind finger sweeps
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What is the most appropriate initial response to a resident expressing thoughts of self-harm?
Promise secrecy to build trust
Assume they are joking and leave
Suggest they sleep it off
Stay with the resident if safe, report immediately, and ensure safety per policy
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Which action best supports cultural competence during personal care?
Avoid asking questions about culture to prevent discomfort
Proceed with your usual method regardless of preference
Assume all patients prefer the same bathing schedule
Ask about and honor preferences related to modesty and routines when possible
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Which observation is most concerning for possible stroke and requires immediate reporting?
Sudden facial droop and slurred speech
Gradual mild headache after skipping coffee
Chronic knee pain after walking
Seasonal allergy sneezing
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Which is the best practice when documenting in the electronic health record?
Share your password with coworkers for convenience
Use patient nicknames to protect identity
Chart in advance to save time
Use your own credentials, log off when finished, and document promptly and objectively
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Which action is appropriate during postmortem care per facility policy?
Remove medical devices without authorization
Discard personal belongings
Skip hand hygiene because infection risk has ended
Provide respectful hygiene, maintain identification, and follow cultural or family requests when permitted
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand Exam Structure -

    Identify the key domains and question formats featured in the PCA certification test online to know what to expect on exam day.

  2. Apply Practical Skills -

    Practice answering real-world PCA test questions and answers, reinforcing essential personal care attendant test concepts through hands-on scenarios.

  3. Analyze Performance Gaps -

    Use instant feedback on each question to pinpoint weaknesses and focus your study plan on areas needing improvement.

  4. Enhance Time Management -

    Simulate the timed environment of the pca test online to build pacing strategies and boost confidence under pressure.

  5. Build Certification Confidence -

    Track your progress with a scored quiz format that shows readiness and helps you approach the PCA certification test online with assurance.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Infection Control Best Practices -

    Follow CDC guidelines for hand hygiene and proper PPE use to stop pathogen spread; recall the "Five Moments for Hand Hygiene" mnemonic - before and after patient contact, before aseptic tasks, after fluid exposure, and after touching surroundings. This topic appears frequently in pca test questions and answers, so mastering glove protocols and surface disinfection is crucial. Review updates on the CDC or WHO websites to stay current before your pca test.

  2. Safe Body Mechanics -

    Use proper lifting techniques - keep your back straight, bend at the knees, and hold objects close to your center of gravity - to prevent caregiver injury and ensure client safety. Remember the "Big Bends Knees" cue: Back neutral, Inhale, Grab load, Bend at knees, Ensure stability, Never twist, Drop load safely. Reliable guidelines from OSHA and university kinesiology departments reinforce these mechanics for hands-on tasks on the personal care attendant test.

  3. Vital Signs and Monitoring -

    Accurately measure Temperature, Pulse, Respiration, Blood Pressure, and SpO₂ (TPR, BP, SpO₂) using validated equipment and standard techniques; practice on classmates or mannequins until readings fall within ±2% of instructor values. Regularly quiz yourself with sample scenarios to mimic pca test online items that assess early warning signs of deterioration. Refer to the American Heart Association for up-to-date norms and measurement protocols.

  4. ADLs and Mobility Assistance -

    Assist clients with Activities of Daily Living - bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, grooming - while promoting independence; use gait belts and sliding boards safely and reposition immobile clients every two hours to prevent pressure ulcers. The principle "MoVe" can help: Mobilize, Verify belt, Encourage participation. Evidence from nursing schools highlights how clear, step-by-step approaches improve outcomes and often feature in personal care attendant test items.

  5. Accurate Documentation and Reporting -

    Use the SOAP note mnemonic - Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan - to record care interventions, client responses, and changes accurately, ensuring legal compliance and seamless shifts. Clear, timely notes are a top focus on the pca certification test online, so practice writing concise entries during mock drills. Official guidelines from the Joint Commission stress that precise documentation directly impacts quality of care and safety.

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