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🇺🇸 Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA) · flashcards
Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA) Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions Flashcards
50 question-and-answer cards covering Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions as it is examined in Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA). 24 of them are printed below, taken from across the deck — no signup, no paywall on the preview.
24 sample cards from the Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions deck
Sampled from the end of the deck, so these are different cards from the ones shown on the syllabus page.
What is angina pectoris?
Chest pain caused by reduced blood flow and oxygen to the heart muscle, often triggered by exertion or stress.
What is a myocardial infarction (heart attack)?
Death of heart muscle tissue caused by blocked blood flow to part of the heart; a medical emergency.
What are common signs and symptoms of a heart attack?
Chest pain/pressure, pain radiating to arm/jaw, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and indigestion (may differ in women and diabetics).
What is congestive heart failure (CHF)?
A condition in which the heart cannot pump effectively, causing fluid buildup in the lungs and extremities (edema, shortness of breath).
What is hypertension and why is it called the 'silent killer'?
Hypertension is chronically high blood pressure (generally 130/80 mmHg or higher); it is called the silent killer because it often has no symptoms while damaging organs.
What is COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)?
A progressive lung disease that obstructs airflow, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema, causing shortness of breath and chronic cough.
What is pneumonia?
An infection that inflames the air sacs (alveoli) of the lungs, which may fill with fluid, causing cough, fever, and difficulty breathing.
What is the difference between asthma and emphysema?
Asthma is reversible airway narrowing from inflammation/spasm triggered by allergens; emphysema is permanent destruction of alveoli, usually from smoking.
What is diabetes mellitus?
A chronic disease in which the body cannot properly produce or use insulin, resulting in high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia).
What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?
Type 1: the body produces little or no insulin (requires insulin); Type 2: the body resists or underproduces insulin, often linked to lifestyle and managed with diet/medication.
What are the signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in a diabetic?
Shakiness, sweating, dizziness, confusion, hunger, rapid pulse, and possible loss of consciousness; needs fast-acting sugar quickly.
What are the signs of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)?
Excessive thirst, frequent urination, hunger, fatigue, blurred vision, and fruity-smelling breath.
What is arthritis, and what is the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis?
Arthritis is joint inflammation; osteoarthritis is wear-and-tear cartilage breakdown, while rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease causing joint inflammation.
What is osteoporosis?
A condition of weak, brittle, porous bones due to loss of bone density, increasing fracture risk (common in older women).
What is a fracture, and what does the CNA do for a suspected fracture?
A fracture is a broken bone; the CNA should keep the area immobile, not move the resident, and report it immediately.
What is cancer?
A disease in which abnormal cells grow and divide uncontrollably, potentially invading nearby tissue and spreading (metastasizing) to other body parts.
What is the difference between a benign and a malignant tumor?
Benign tumors are non-cancerous and do not spread; malignant tumors are cancerous and can invade and spread to other tissues.
What is the chain of infection?
Causative agent -> reservoir -> portal of exit -> mode of transmission -> portal of entry -> susceptible host; breaking any link prevents infection.
What is an autoimmune disorder?
A condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy cells and tissues (e.g., lupus, rheumatoid arthritis).
What general signs and symptoms may indicate that a resident is becoming ill?
Fever, changes in appetite, pain, changes in skin color, confusion, changes in vital signs, unusual drainage, and changes in behavior or mobility.
Which acute changes in a resident must a CNA report to the nurse immediately?
Chest pain, difficulty breathing, sudden confusion, severe bleeding, falls, loss of consciousness, slurred speech or weakness (signs of stroke), and seizures.
What does the acronym FAST stand for in recognizing a stroke?
Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call for emergency help.
Why is monitoring and documenting trends in a resident's condition important?
Trends over time (e.g., gradual weight loss, rising temperature, declining intake) help detect developing problems early so care can be adjusted before a crisis.
What are the rules for accurate documentation by a CNA?
Record objective, factual, and timely information; document only what you observed or did, be specific, and never record care before it is given.
What this deck covers
The Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions deck follows the Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA) Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions syllabus — 3 chapters and 13 topics — so questions land on material that is genuinely examinable rather than trivia around it. That works out to roughly 16.7 cards per chapter.
Answers are written to be recallable, not just readable — averaging about 137 characters, which is long enough to carry the reasoning and short enough to say out loud.
A deck like this earns its keep on the second and third pass. Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then use the cards to find the specific facts that have not stuck.
Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions flashcards FAQ
How many Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions flashcards are in this Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA) deck?
50 cards. This page previews 24 of them, sampled evenly across the deck so you can judge the difficulty before installing anything.
Are these Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA) flashcards free?
Yes. The preview here is free to read with no signup, and the full 50-card deck is free inside the Examius app.
What do the Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions cards cover?
They follow the Certified Nursing Assistant Examination (CNA) Anatomy, Physiology, and Common Health Conditions syllabus — 3 chapters and 13 topics — so the questions track what is actually examinable.
How should I use these flashcards?
Read the syllabus first so you know the shape of the subject, then drill the deck. Examius schedules each card with spaced repetition, so cards you keep missing come back sooner and ones you know drift further apart.