TheoryFree Patient Care Tech CPCT Practice Test
Take a free Patient Care Tech CPCT practice test for 2026 with questions, answers, explanations, PDF download and timed mock exam links.
Patient Care Tech CPCT Questions
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Q1The abbreviation 'ADLs' in patient care refers to which of the following?
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✓ Correct answer: Activities of daily living
ADLs are the routine self-care tasks a person performs daily, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, grooming, eating, and transferring. Helping with ADLs is a core PCT responsibility.
Q2A patient who must remain in bed should be repositioned at least how often to help prevent pressure injuries?
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✓ Correct answer: Every 2 hours
Repositioning an immobile, bedbound patient at least every 2 hours relieves prolonged pressure over bony areas and is a standard pressure-injury prevention measure.
Q3Which body areas are at HIGHEST risk for developing pressure injuries in a patient confined to bed?
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✓ Correct answer: Bony prominences such as the sacrum, heels, and hips
Pressure injuries develop where bone lies close to the skin surface, because tissue there is compressed between bone and the mattress. The sacrum, heels, elbows, and hips are classic sites.
Q4Before transferring a patient from the bed to a wheelchair, the wheelchair wheels should be:
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✓ Correct answer: Locked to prevent the chair from rolling
Locking the wheelchair wheels prevents the chair from rolling away during the transfer, which protects both the patient and the technician from a fall or injury.
Q5When lifting an object or assisting a patient, proper body mechanics call for the technician to:
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✓ Correct answer: Bend the knees and lift with the leg muscles
Bending the knees and using the strong leg muscles, while keeping the back straight and the load close, protects the spine from injury. Twisting and bending at the waist are common causes of back strain.
Q6When feeding a patient who has difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), the technician should position the patient:
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✓ Correct answer: Sitting upright at about 90 degrees
An upright, seated position lets gravity help food move down the esophagus and reduces the risk of aspiration into the airway, which is the main danger in dysphagia.
Q7Oral care for an unconscious patient is performed primarily to:
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✓ Correct answer: Keep the mouth and mucous membranes clean and moist and prevent aspiration
Unconscious patients cannot clear secretions, so the mouth dries and bacteria accumulate. Frequent oral care keeps the mucosa moist and clean and lowers the risk of aspiration and infection.
Q8When giving a complete bed bath, the technician should generally wash the patient's body:
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✓ Correct answer: From cleanest area to dirtiest, perineal area last
Washing from clean to dirty (face first, perineal area last) prevents carrying microorganisms from contaminated areas to cleaner ones, reducing infection risk.
Q9Passive range-of-motion exercises are performed when:
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✓ Correct answer: The technician moves the patient's joints because the patient cannot do so independently
In passive range of motion, the caregiver moves the joints for the patient. It is used when a patient cannot move independently and helps maintain joint mobility and prevent contractures.
Q10When using a gait belt to assist a patient with walking, the technician should:
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✓ Correct answer: Apply it snugly around the patient's waist and grasp it from behind/side
A gait belt is secured snugly at the waist so the technician can hold on and steady or guide the patient during ambulation, improving control if the patient begins to fall.
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