Medical Terminology Practice Test

Answer: C — The prefix hyper- means above normal, excessive, or increased. For example, hypertension means excessively high blood pressure, hyperglycemia means abnormally high blood sugar, and hyperthermia means abnormally high body temperature. This is one of the most important prefixes for CNAs to know because it appears frequently in vital sign reporting, diagnoses, and care plans. It is the direct opposite of hypo- which means below normal or deficient.

Answer: D — The prefix hypo- means below normal, under, or deficient. For example, hypotension means abnormally low blood pressure, hypoglycemia means abnormally low blood sugar, and hypothermia means abnormally low body temperature. Recognizing hypo- immediately tells the CNA that something is lower than it should be - a critical distinction when hearing or reading medical terms related to vital signs and lab values. Confusing hyper- (high) with hypo- (low) can lead to dangerous misunderstandings in clinical communication.

Answer: B — The prefix tachy- means fast or rapid. Tachycardia means an abnormally fast heart rate (above 100 beats per minute in adults), and tachypnea means an abnormally rapid respiratory rate (above 20 breaths per minute in adults). The opposite prefix is brady- which means slow. These prefixes are essential for CNAs because they appear constantly in vital sign documentation and nursing reports - hearing the nurse say a resident has tachycardia immediately tells you the heart rate is too fast.

Answer: A — The prefix brady- means slow or abnormally slow. Bradycardia means an abnormally slow heart rate (below 60 beats per minute in adults), and bradypnea means an abnormally slow respiratory rate (below 12 breaths per minute). Both conditions must be reported to the nurse immediately. Remember the pair: tachy- (fast) and brady- (slow) - these are among the most frequently tested prefixes on the CNA exam because they directly relate to vital sign assessment, which is a core CNA responsibility.

Answer: A — The prefix hemi- means half. The most common clinical use is hemiplegia, which means paralysis of one half (one side) of the body, and hemiparesis, which means weakness on one half of the body - both commonly seen after a stroke. Related prefixes include uni- (one), bi- (two), and poly- (many). When a CNA hears that a resident has right hemiplegia, they immediately know the entire right side of the body is paralyzed and care must be adapted accordingly.

Answer: C — The prefix anti- means against or opposing. Common examples include antibiotic (against bacteria), antiseptic (against infection-causing organisms), antipyretic (against fever), and antihypertensive (against high blood pressure). Understanding this prefix helps CNAs interpret medication purposes and care instructions. For example, knowing that an antipyretic medication works against fever helps the CNA understand why it was ordered for a resident with an elevated temperature.

Answer: A — The suffix -itis means inflammation. It is one of the most common suffixes in medicine: arthritis (inflammation of the joints), bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchial tubes), dermatitis (inflammation of the skin), gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining), and cystitis (inflammation of the bladder). Recognizing -itis immediately tells the CNA that a body part is inflamed, which typically involves redness, swelling, heat, pain, and sometimes loss of function in the affected area.

Answer: D — The suffix -ectomy means surgical removal or excision of a body part. Examples include appendectomy (removal of the appendix), cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), mastectomy (removal of the breast), and hysterectomy (removal of the uterus). When a CNA sees -ectomy in a resident surgical history, they know that a specific body part has been surgically removed, which affects the care plan and what observations to monitor during recovery.

Answer: C — The suffix -ostomy means the surgical creation of an artificial opening (stoma) in the body. Common examples include colostomy (opening in the colon for waste elimination), ileostomy (opening in the ileum), tracheostomy (opening in the trachea for breathing), and gastrostomy (opening in the stomach for feeding). CNAs frequently care for residents with ostomies and must understand proper stoma care, appliance management, skin protection, and output monitoring specific to each type.

Answer: B — The suffix -algia means pain. Common medical terms using this suffix include neuralgia (nerve pain), myalgia (muscle pain), arthralgia (joint pain), and cephalgia (head pain or headache). When a CNA reads in a care plan that a resident has myalgia, they know the resident is experiencing muscle pain. This suffix helps CNAs understand the nature of a resident complaint and communicate it accurately to the nurse using proper medical terminology.

Answer: D — The suffix -pnea relates to breathing or respiration. Important terms include dyspnea (difficult or labored breathing), apnea (absence of breathing), tachypnea (abnormally rapid breathing), bradypnea (abnormally slow breathing), and orthopnea (difficulty breathing when lying flat). This suffix appears in multiple critical terms that CNAs must recognize and respond to, since breathing problems can become life-threatening emergencies quickly. Any change in a resident breathing pattern must be reported immediately.

Answer: B — The suffix -uria relates to urine or urinary conditions. Examples include dysuria (painful or difficult urination), hematuria (blood in the urine), polyuria (excessive urination), oliguria (decreased urine output), and anuria (absence of urine production). CNAs monitor urinary output as part of daily care and must recognize these terms when reading care plans or receiving instructions from nurses. Abnormal urinary findings such as dysuria or hematuria must be reported to the nurse promptly.

Answer: A — BID comes from the Latin phrase bis in die and means twice a day. This abbreviation is commonly seen in medication schedules and care plan instructions. The complete frequency series is: QD or daily (once a day), BID (twice a day), TID (three times a day), and QID (four times a day). PRN means as needed. CNAs must know these abbreviations to accurately follow care plan instructions and schedules, especially when the nurse communicates using standard medical shorthand.

Answer: C — PRN comes from the Latin phrase pro re nata and means as needed or when necessary. For example, a pain medication ordered PRN is given only when the resident reports pain, not on a fixed schedule. A CNA might see instructions like ambulate PRN (help the resident walk when they want to) or offer fluids PRN (provide drinks whenever the resident desires). Understanding PRN helps CNAs know that certain interventions are performed based on the resident need or request rather than at set times.

Answer: C — NPO comes from the Latin phrase nil per os and means nothing by mouth - the resident cannot eat or drink anything at all, including water, ice chips, and medications taken orally. NPO is commonly ordered before surgeries, certain diagnostic tests, or when there is a serious aspiration risk. If a CNA sees NPO on a resident chart or door sign, they must ensure the resident receives no food or fluids and must report if the resident asks for or attempts to consume anything.

Answer: D — I and O stands for intake and output, which is the measurement and recording of all fluids a resident takes in (drinks, IV fluids, tube feedings, foods that are liquid at room temperature like gelatin and ice cream) and all fluids that leave the body (urine, vomit, wound drainage, diarrhea, blood loss). I and O monitoring is ordered when the healthcare team needs to assess fluid balance, kidney function, hydration status, or the effectiveness of diuretic medications. Accurate measurement in milliliters (mL) is critical.

Answer: C — ROM stands for range of motion, which refers to the full arc of movement that each joint in the body can perform. ROM exercises are a fundamental part of CNA care for immobile or bed-bound residents to maintain joint flexibility, prevent contractures (permanent joint stiffening), and promote circulation. There are three types: active ROM (resident performs independently), active-assistive ROM (CNA helps while resident participates), and passive ROM (CNA performs all movement for the resident).

Answer: D — Tachycardia means an abnormally fast heart rate above 100 beats per minute (BPM) in adults. The term combines tachy- (fast) with -cardia (relating to the heart). Tachycardia can be caused by fever, pain, anxiety, dehydration, blood loss, infection, heart disease, certain medications, or physical exertion. The CNA should report tachycardia to the nurse immediately, note any associated symptoms (dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations), and recheck the pulse to confirm the finding.

Answer: B — Dysphagia means difficulty swallowing - combining dys- (difficult or painful) with -phagia (eating or swallowing). This is a critical term for CNAs to know because dysphagia affects how residents eat and drink safely. Residents with dysphagia may require thickened liquids, pureed or mechanically altered food, specific positioning during meals (high Fowler position), and close monitoring for signs of choking or aspiration. Dysphagia is common after stroke, in neurological diseases, and in advanced aging.

Answer: A — Gastroenteritis combines gastro- (stomach) with enter- (intestine) and -itis (inflammation), meaning inflammation of both the stomach and intestinal tract. This condition commonly causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, and sometimes fever. Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach only, cystitis is inflammation of the bladder, and nephritis is inflammation of the kidneys. Understanding how root words combine with prefixes and suffixes helps CNAs decode complex medical terms they encounter in care plans.

Answer: B — Hematuria combines hemato- (blood) with -uria (relating to urine), meaning blood present in the urine. The urine may appear pink, red, cola-colored, or may contain blood visible only under a microscope. Hematuria can indicate urinary tract infection, kidney stones, kidney disease, bladder cancer, or catheter trauma. A CNA who observes discolored urine must report it to the nurse immediately and document the color, clarity, amount, and any associated symptoms the resident reports such as pain or burning.

Answer: D — Anterior means the front side of the body or toward the front. Its opposite is posterior, which means the back side. For example, the chest is on the anterior surface and the spine is on the posterior surface. When a nurse instructs a CNA to check the anterior aspect of the resident lower leg, the CNA should examine the front (shin) side. These directional terms eliminate ambiguity in clinical communication by providing a precise, universally understood anatomical reference system.

Answer: A — Prone means lying face down on the stomach with the head turned to one side. This is the opposite of supine, which means lying face up on the back. The prone position is used in certain medical situations (such as improving oxygenation in respiratory distress) but is not commonly used for routine resident positioning because it restricts breathing and can be uncomfortable. CNAs must know all position terminology: supine (face up), prone (face down), lateral (on the side), and Fowler (sitting upright at various angles).

Answer: C — Lateral means away from the midline of the body or toward the side. Its opposite is medial, which means toward the midline or center. For example, the ears are lateral to the nose (farther from the center), while the nose is medial to the ears (closer to the center). The lateral position in patient care means lying on the side. Understanding lateral and medial helps CNAs follow precise positioning instructions and accurately describe the location of observations such as wounds, bruises, or skin changes.

Answer: B — Superior means toward the head or upper part of the body, while inferior means toward the feet or lower part. For example, the chest is superior to the abdomen (closer to the head), and the knees are inferior to the hips (closer to the feet). These terms provide precise vertical directional reference regardless of whether the person is standing, sitting, or lying down. Combined with anterior/posterior (front/back) and lateral/medial (side/center), they form the complete anatomical directional vocabulary that healthcare workers use daily.