Arizona Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Practice Test

When a resident is unable to stand, how is their height usually measured?

1. From head to heels while the resident is sitting

2. From head to heels while the resident is standing

3. From head to heels while the resident is flat in bed

4. Using a chair to approximate their height

The correct answer is: From head to heels while the resident is flat in bed

Measuring the height of a resident who is unable to stand is typically done while they are lying flat in bed. This method ensures accuracy since the resident's full body length can be measured without the complications that may arise when trying to assess height from a sitting position. When the resident is flat in bed, a caregiver can extend a measuring tape or ruler from the top of the resident's head to the tips of their toes to get a precise measurement. Other potential methods, like measuring from a seated position, can lead to inconsistencies because sitting can alter the natural posture of an individual, thus making it harder to gauge their true height. Using a chair for approximation is also not an ideal method because it does not provide an accurate measurement of height; instead, it merely estimates based on the assumption that the seated height can be reliably converted to full height, which is often not the case.