Free NACC Practice Questions on Amputation & Residual Limb Care (Ontario PSW Exam Prep)

If you are studying for the NACC Personal Support Worker (PSW) exam in Ontario, amputation and residual limb care is a topic worth taking seriously — because the client who has lost part of a leg depends on you to protect fragile skin and catch problems early. In Ontario, many amputations follow diabetes or poor circulation, and the exam expects you to know how to keep these clients safe. This free practice set gives you real NACC-style questions on residual limb skin care, positioning, the shrinker sock, prosthetic care, phantom limb pain, and a PSW's scope, each with a clear answer. Work through them, then keep going with the full question bank at pswleap.com/learn.

What is amputation and residual limb care on the NACC PSW exam?

For the exam, this topic is about supporting a client who has lost part of a limb — most often a lower leg — by protecting the skin of the residual limb, positioning it to prevent contractures, helping with the prosthesis and safe mobility, and supporting the client through phantom pain and the loss. It sits inside the exam's mobility, musculoskeletal, and rehabilitation content. An amputation is the surgical removal of part or all of a limb; what remains is the residual limb (the stump). The "right answer" almost always combines protecting the residual limb, following the plan, supporting the client, and reporting — inside a PSW's scope.

Why this topic matters: fragile skin and changed balance

Two things make amputation care distinctive, and the exam is built around both. First, the skin of the residual limb now bears pressure and friction it was never designed for — so a small breakdown can stop the client from wearing a prosthesis and, in a client with diabetes, can turn into a serious wound fast. Second, the limb has to be kept straight, not curled up on a pillow, or the joint tightens into a contracture that can end the chance of ever using a prosthesis. On top of both, losing part of a limb changes the client's balance, so the fall risk is high, especially when the prosthesis is off. Get the skin, the positioning, and the footing right, and these questions are very winnable.

The PSW's role in Ontario: protect, position, support, and report

A PSW inspects and protects the residual limb, follows the positioning and shrinker-sock orders, helps with the prosthesis and safe mobility, supports the client emotionally, and reports changes; the nurse and the rehabilitation team make the clinical decisions and do the treatment. In Ontario, a PSW works from the client's individual care plan and the employer's policies, within the controlled-acts limits of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991.

Two boundaries come up again and again. Applying a prescribed shrinker sock — a compression garment much like a TED stocking — and observing the skin are routine, care-plan-directed PSW tasks, not controlled acts. But wound or dressing care on the residual limb, re-wrapping a fresh limb, and fitting or adjusting the prosthesis are not a PSW's job: the nurse handles the wound, the physiotherapist or occupational therapist handles the wrapping and exercises, and the prosthetist fits the limb. A PSW carries out the plan and reports.

Quick terms to know: Residual limb (stump) = the part of the limb left after an amputation. Contracture = a permanent tightening of a joint held bent too long. Shrinker sock = a snug elastic sock that shapes and shrinks the residual limb. Prosthesis = an artificial limb. Phantom limb pain = real pain felt as if it comes from the missing part; phantom sensation = feeling the missing part is still there.

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Free NACC-style practice questions: amputation and residual limb care

Each question below mirrors the scenario-based, multiple-choice style of the NACC PSW exam. Try to answer before you read the explanation.

Q1. What is a residual limb, and why does its skin need special attention?

Answer: The residual limb is the part of the limb left after an amputation, and its skin now takes pressure and rubbing it was not built for. That is why daily skin care and inspection are central to a PSW's role.

Q2. How often does a PSW inspect the residual limb, and what are they looking for?

Answer: Every day — checking for redness that does not fade, blisters, breaks, swelling, or a change in colour or temperature. Report any new finding, and keep the skin clean and dry. In a client with diabetes it matters even more — a small sore can become a serious wound quickly.

Q3. A client's below-knee residual limb is sore, so the PSW wants to prop it up on a pillow for a while. Is that a good idea?

Answer: No — keeping the knee bent over a pillow for long periods can cause a contracture. After a below-knee amputation the knee is kept straight, and after an above-knee amputation the hip is kept straight. The PSW follows the positioning the care plan sets, changes position regularly, and does not curl the limb up for comfort.

Q4. The care plan says to apply the client's shrinker sock. Is this within a PSW's role?

Answer: Yes — applying a prescribed shrinker sock smoothly, then observing and reporting the skin, is a routine, care-plan-directed PSW task. Ease it on with no wrinkles and no rolled-down top, because a bunched edge can act like a tourniquet. If it won't lie flat, reapply — and never over broken skin.

Q5. Should a PSW re-wrap a fresh residual limb with an elastic bandage in a figure-eight pattern?

Answer: No — that wrapping is normally done by the nurse, physiotherapist, or occupational therapist. The tension and technique are precise, and getting them wrong can harm circulation. A PSW does this only with specific training, authorization, and direction under the care plan.

Q6. Before helping a client put on a leg prosthesis, what should the PSW check?

Answer: That the residual limb skin is intact and the sock or liner and socket are clean and dry. Never fit a prosthesis over red, broken, or sore skin — report it instead, and check the skin again for pressure marks after wear. The PSW helps put it on and take it off per the care plan but does not fit or adjust the prosthesis.

Q7. A client says their missing foot is burning and aching. What does the PSW do?

Answer: Take it seriously — phantom limb pain is real — validate the feeling, offer comfort within the care plan, and report it. Do not tell the client it is "all in your head." PSWs do not give or adjust pain medication, and new or worsening phantom pain goes to the nurse.

Q8. Why is a client with a new leg amputation at high risk for falls?

Answer: Because losing part of a limb changes their balance. The risk is highest when the prosthesis is off, such as standing at night for the washroom. Lock the brakes before transfers, keep the call bell close, remember the prosthesis is not worn in bed, and follow the transfer method in the care plan.

Q9. A client who lost a leg has been withdrawn and tearful and says they feel "useless." How does the PSW respond?

Answer: Listen, acknowledge the loss, and report the low mood — losing a limb is a real grief. Do not rush the client or offer empty reassurance like "at least you're alive." Sit, listen, support their independence in small ways, and tell the nurse so the team can offer more support.

Q10. The PSW notices the residual limb has an open sore with some drainage. Can the PSW clean and dress it?

Answer: No — wound and dressing care on the residual limb is a nursing task, not a PSW's. Keep the area clean and dry, hold off on the shrinker sock or prosthesis over the sore, and report it right away, unless the PSW is specifically trained, authorized, and directed to do a defined part under the care plan.

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Common amputation-care mistakes to avoid on the NACC exam

• Propping the residual limb up on a pillow for comfort, instead of keeping the joint straight to prevent a contracture.
• Skipping the daily skin check — or putting a shrinker sock or prosthesis on over red or broken skin.
• Dismissing phantom limb pain as imaginary, instead of believing the client and reporting it.

The amputation and residual limb care facts the NACC exam expects you to know

Use these one-line facts as a final review:

• Inspect the residual limb skin every day — report redness, blisters, breaks, or swelling.
• Keep the joint straight — don't prop the limb on a pillow; a contracture can end prosthesis use.
• Apply the prescribed shrinker sock smoothly; the nurse or therapist re-wraps a fresh limb.
• Before a prosthesis, check the skin and keep the socket clean and dry — never fit it over sore skin.
• Phantom limb pain is real — validate it and report it; you don't give or adjust medication.
• Balance has changed — lock the brakes and prevent falls, especially with the prosthesis off.
• A PSW supports and reports; the nurse, therapist, and prosthetist handle wounds, wrapping, and fitting.

Remember: PSW practice in Ontario always follows the client's individual care plan and your employer's policies, within the controlled-acts limits of the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991. Inspecting and protecting the skin, following the positioning and shrinker-sock orders, helping with the prosthesis and safe mobility, and reporting changes are within a PSW's role; wound and dressing care, re-wrapping a fresh limb, fitting or adjusting the prosthesis, and medicating phantom pain are not. This article is exam-prep study material, not medical advice.

Practice more free NACC questions

You just answered 10 amputation and residual limb care questions, and the NACC exam spans every module — the fastest way to find your weak spots is to keep practising with instant feedback.

👉 Start practising free at pswleap.com/learn — a large bank of NACC-style questions, full timed mock exams, and a Duolingo-style study path built specifically for Ontario PSW students. No subscription, and you can start with sample questions before you pay.

Closely related topics worth reviewing next: Free NACC Practice Questions on Diabetes Care (the leading cause of lower-limb amputation) and Free NACC Practice Questions on Fall Prevention (balance changes raise the fall risk).

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PSW Leap is an independent NACC PSW exam-prep platform for Ontario candidates. We are not affiliated with NACC. Always follow your training, your client's care plan, and your employer's policies on the job.