• 50 questions

NOCTI Health Assisting Practice Test

Unofficial practice for NOCTI Health Assisting: first aid and safety, medical terminology, body systems, communication, documentation and care skills.

How much alcohol does the CDC recommend an alcohol-based hand sanitizer contain?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

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Exam mode: 50 questions, 56 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with NOCTI. Bank checked October 13, 2026.

Next step More first aid questionsAnother NOCTI test: Health Informatics

All 50 questions

First Aid and General Safety 10

  • A new patient's chart lists no infections. Does that change whether an assistant uses standard precautions? CDC, Standard Precautions for All Patient Care. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • A patient is suspected of having tuberculosis. Which transmission-based precautions are used? CDC, Transmission-Based Precautions. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • A resident at lunch clutches the throat and cannot cough or speak. Which procedure clears the airway of someone who is choking? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 3 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • A used razor blade and a lancet must be thrown away. What kind of container does the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard require for contaminated sharps? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1030. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
Show all 50 questions (46 more)

First Aid and General Safety, continued

  • A wastebasket fire starts in a resident's room. In the RACE steps for a fire, what does the R tell you to do first? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 3 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • An infection spreads through six linked steps. Which link is the place where the germs live, grow and multiply? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 4 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • How much alcohol does the CDC recommend an alcohol-based hand sanitizer contain? CDC, Clinical Safety: Hand Hygiene for Healthcare Workers. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • In a nursing home, an allegation that a resident was abused is made at 9:00 a.m. By federal rule, how soon must it be reported? 42 CFR 483.12 (ecfr.gov). Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • One side of a resident's face droops, one arm is weak and the words come out slurred. Which emergency does the FAST memory aid point to? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 3 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety
  • You pull the pin on a fire extinguisher. Following PASS, where do you aim the nozzle? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 3 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), First Aid and General Safety

Medical Terminology 6

  • A chart lists a past MI (myocardial infarction). Which everyday name fits this diagnosis? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 3 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Medical Terminology
  • A chart lists bronchitis, arthritis and dermatitis. What meaning do the three words share through their ending? MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Medical Terminology
  • A note says a nephrology visit is planned. Which organ does the combining form nephr/o name? MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Medical Terminology
  • A nurse reports bradycardia, a heart rate that is too slow. Which word part carries the meaning "slow"? MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), Appendix A: Word Parts and What They Mean. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Medical Terminology
  • A patient is NPO from midnight until a morning procedure. What may the patient eat or drink in that time? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 6 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Medical Terminology
  • An order for a comfort measure is marked PRN. How often is it given? MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine), Appendix B: Some Common Abbreviations. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Medical Terminology

Body Systems 9

  • A nurse asks for a pulse check at a point distal to a cast on the forearm. Where is that point? Wikipedia, Anatomical terms of location, Proximal and distal. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • A patient's lips and fingertips look blue. What is this sign called, and what does it show? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 11 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • A small cut stops bleeding after a few minutes. Which part of the blood reacts to bleeding by clumping together to start a clot? Wikipedia, Platelet. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • What is peristalsis? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 11 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • Where in the respiratory system is carbon dioxide released from the blood and oxygen picked up? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 11.10. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • Which body cavity is enclosed by the rib cage and holds the heart and lungs? Wikipedia, Body cavity, Human body cavities. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • Which connective tissue joins one bone to another bone? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 11.6. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • Which small flap closes over the trachea during a swallow so that food and fluids stay out of the lungs? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 11 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems
  • The working unit of the kidney is too small to see and consists of a renal corpuscle plus a renal tubule. What is its name? Wikipedia, Nephron. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Body Systems

Observation and Communication 6

  • A 15-year-old patient keeps asking "Who am I?" and "What do I want to do with my life?" In Erikson's theory, which stage is the teen working through? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 1.4. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Observation and Communication
  • A new resident steps back each time an assistant stands close to talk. What should the assistant keep in mind about personal space? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 1.2. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Observation and Communication
  • A resident tells you, "My stomach hurts." How is this symptom written in the record? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 1 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Observation and Communication
  • After a stroke a patient understands what is said but struggles to form words. What is this speech disorder called? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 9 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Observation and Communication
  • An assistant takes a temperature and reads 101.2 degrees F. Above which reading does the textbook say to notify the nurse because it indicates a fever? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 7.5. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Observation and Communication
  • What does active listening add to simply hearing what a patient says? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 1 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Observation and Communication

Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues 7

  • A family member asks an assistant to give the patient a dose of medicine the assistant is not permitted to give. Which idea decides what the assistant may do? Wikipedia, Scope of practice. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues
  • A nursing home resident says no to a treatment. What does the federal list of resident rights say about that choice? 42 CFR 483.10 (ecfr.gov). Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues
  • A patient's chart holds a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. What does it instruct the care team? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 6 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues
  • A unit documents by exception. When is a note written under charting by exception? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 7 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues
  • A weight is taken at 3:30 in the afternoon. How is that time written on a 24-hour clock, the way many charts record it? Wikipedia, 24-hour clock. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues; the arithmetic was worked twice
  • On a break, a neighbor asks an assistant how a resident is doing. What does the HIPAA Privacy Rule mean for the assistant? 45 CFR 164.502 (ecfr.gov). Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues
  • Staff at a nursing home want to tie a wandering resident into a chair so the evening shift is easier. What does the federal rule say? 42 CFR 483.12 (ecfr.gov). Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues

Health Assistant Skills 12

  • A blind resident is told, "Your potatoes are at 10 o'clock and your beans are at 2 o'clock." What is this way of describing a plate called? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 5 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • A blood pressure is recorded as 118/76. What does the first number, the systolic pressure, measure? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 7 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • A continent resident's urine output must be measured, and a urine sample may be needed. What is placed in the toilet to collect it? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 5.8. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • A patient cannot change position in bed without help. How often does the textbook say to reposition the patient to prevent pressure injuries? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 8.2. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • A patient is placed in Fowler's position for a meal. How is the patient positioned? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 8 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • A resident is too tired for a full bath today, so a partial bath is given. What does it include? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 5 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • An adult's pulse is counted at 112 beats a minute at rest. Outside which range does the textbook say to report an adult's pulse to the nurse at once? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 7.5. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • At breakfast a resident drinks 6 ounces of juice and 8 ounces of milk. How much fluid intake is recorded in milliliters? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 5.7. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills; the arithmetic was worked twice
  • Before a transfer, an assistant has the patient "dangle" so a drop in blood pressure does not cause dizziness. What does the patient do? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 8 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • Before helping a patient move up in bed, an assistant sets a good base of support. How are the feet placed? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, section 3.4. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • Equipment is cleaned after use. How does sterilization differ from disinfection? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 4 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills
  • Which way of taking a temperature gives the most accurate reading but is considered invasive? Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under CC BY 4.0, Chapter 7 glossary. Written to NOCTI Health Assisting (4243), Health Assistant Skills

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the competency list of the Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Health Assisting (code 4243, version 01, copyright 2019) that NOCTI publishes at https://www.nocti.org/wp-content/uploads/Blueprints/JRHealthAsstg4243.pdf , read 2026-10-13: a written assessment of 161 questions in 3 hours over six areas (First Aid and General Safety 19%; Medical Terminology 12%; Body Systems 19%; Observation and Communication 12%; Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues 15%; Health Assistant Skills 23%), plus a performance assessment of four jobs. This bank holds 50 in those proportions. Every fact in a question and its explanation was read on 2026-10-13 on the public page named under it: Nursing Assistant, an Open RN textbook published by WisTech Open under a Creative Commons BY 4.0 license (https://wtcs.pressbooks.pub/nurseassist/), the word-part and abbreviation lists of the National Library of Medicine's MedlinePlus, CDC pages on hand hygiene and precautions, the OSHA bloodborne pathogens standard on osha.gov, the federal nursing home rules in 42 CFR Part 483 and the HIPAA Privacy Rule in 45 CFR 164.502 on ecfr.gov, and Wikipedia for six anatomy and practice terms. A clinical fact that no public source confirmed was not asked. The two computed answers were worked twice. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site. The open textbook is used for facts only, and no text, table or example is copied from it.

How it works

This free NOCTI Health Assisting practice test has 50 questions of our own, sorted by the six areas of the Job Ready blueprint, code 4243. It is unofficial, not affiliated with NOCTI, and practice for an exam, not medical advice.

Read the full guide

Six areas, in the blueprint's shares

Health Assistant Skills is 23% of the written assessment. First Aid and General Safety and Body Systems are 19% each, Documentation and Legal/Ethical Issues 15%, and Medical Terminology and Observation and Communication 12% each.

The written part against the clock

The timed round runs all 50 questions in 56 minutes, the pace of 161 questions in 3 hours. It ends with a count of right answers, by area.

What is done for an evaluator

The four performance jobs cannot be practiced on a screen: hand washing with personal protective equipment, changing a patient gown, vital signs with height and weight, and a transfer from bed to wheelchair.

  • Fluid intake is recorded in milliliters: multiply the ounces by 30.
  • Word parts carry the meaning: brady- is slow, tachy- is fast, -itis is inflammation and nephr- is the kidney.

Questions and answers

How many questions are on the NOCTI Health Assisting test?

The blueprint lists 161 written questions with an administration time of 3 hours, given in one, two or three sessions. The four performance jobs take another 1 hour and 5 minutes.

What is on the NOCTI Health Assisting test?

Health Assistant Skills, the largest area, covers vital signs with height, weight and pain, body mechanics in transfers and positioning, elimination, specimens, personal care, intake and output, nutrition and skin care. First aid includes infection control, fire safety and reporting abuse.

Which NOCTI Health Assisting blueprint does this page follow?

The Job Ready blueprint, code 4243. NOCTI also publishes a pilot blueprint, code 4343, with 139 written questions in seven areas, marked as subject to change. The Teacher blueprint, code 5483, has 154 questions in the six areas of 4243.

Where is the NOCTI Health Assisting blueprint?

NOCTI posts it as a free PDF at nocti.org/credentials/blueprints, with the competencies, the weights, ten sample questions and a sample job. This page uses none of the ten samples.

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