PSW Mnemonics — Memory Tricks for the NACC Exam

There is a particular kind of frustration that every PSW student knows: you studied the material, you understood it when you read it, and now — sitting in front of a practice question — your mind is blank. You know the chain of infection has six links. You just cannot remember what they are.

This is not a knowledge problem. It is a retrieval problem. The information is in your brain, but you do not have a reliable way to pull it out under pressure. That is exactly what mnemonics solve.

A mnemonic is a memory device — a pattern, phrase, acronym, or mental image — that gives your brain a hook to grab onto when you need to recall a list, a sequence, or a set of principles. Research in cognitive science consistently shows that information encoded with a mnemonic device is recalled more accurately and more quickly than information learned through rote repetition alone. This is because mnemonics create multiple retrieval pathways in your memory, so if one path fails, another can get you there.

This guide collects the essential mnemonics every PSW student should know for the NACC exam. For each one, we explain what it stands for, when you will need it on the exam, and a memory tip to lock it in.

1. RACE — Fire Response

What it stands for:

When to use it on the exam: Any question about fire safety, emergency response in a care facility, or prioritising actions during a fire. RACE gives you the correct order of actions.

Memory tip: Think of it as a race against time. In a real fire, you do these four things in exactly this order — rescue the person first, then sound the alarm, then contain the spread, then decide whether to fight or flee.

2. PASS — Fire Extinguisher Use

What it stands for:

When to use it on the exam: Questions about fire extinguisher operation always follow this sequence. A common trick question asks where to aim — the answer is always the base of the fire, not the flames.

Memory tip: PASS pairs with RACE. You RACE to respond to the fire, then you PASS the extinguisher across the base. Remember: RACE comes first (you only use the extinguisher in the "E" step of RACE, if it is safe to do so).

3. Chain of Infection — 6 Links

The chain of infection describes the six conditions that must all be present for an infection to spread. Break any one link and the chain is broken — the infection cannot transmit. This is the foundation of Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC).

The 6 links:

1. Infectious agent — the pathogen (bacteria, virus, fungus, or parasite)
2. Reservoir — where the pathogen lives and multiplies (a person, animal, surface, or environment)
3. Portal of exit — how the pathogen leaves the reservoir (respiratory droplets, blood, body fluids, skin)
4. Mode of transmission — how the pathogen travels to a new host (direct contact, droplet, airborne, vehicle, vector)
5. Portal of entry — how the pathogen enters the new host (mucous membranes, broken skin, respiratory tract, GI tract)
6. Susceptible host — a person whose immune system cannot fight off the pathogen

When to use it on the exam: IPAC questions are among the most common on the NACC exam. You may be asked to identify links in the chain, explain how a specific intervention breaks the chain, or choose the best action to prevent transmission. For a deep dive into IPAC principles, see our guide on infection control for PSWs.

Memory tip: Think of an actual chain with six physical links. Picture yourself breaking one link with bolt cutters — the whole chain falls apart. The phrase "I Rarely Pass My Pasta Slowly" maps to Infectious agent, Reservoir, Portal of exit, Mode of transmission, Portal of entry, Susceptible host.

4. The 4 Moments of Hand Hygiene

Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection. The "4 Moments" framework tells you exactly when to clean your hands.

1. Before initial contact with the client or their environment
2. Before a clean or aseptic procedure
3. After exposure or risk of exposure to body fluids
4. After contact with the client or their environment

When to use it on the exam: Questions about when to perform hand hygiene, identifying errors in hand hygiene practice, or choosing the correct sequence of actions during a care task.

Memory tip: The pattern is simple: Before-Before-After-After. Two "befores" and two "afters." Before you touch the client, before you do anything clean, after you touch anything dirty, and after you leave the client's space.

5. PPE Donning Order (Putting On)

When putting on Personal Protective Equipment, the order matters. Putting PPE on in the wrong sequence can contaminate the equipment before you even enter the client's room.

Donning order: Gown, Mask, Eyewear, Gloves

Memory tip: "Going Makes Everyone Glad" — Gown, Mask, Eyewear, Gloves. Or think of getting dressed from the inside out: the gown goes on first (like a coat), then your face protection, then gloves last because they go over the gown cuffs.

6. PPE Doffing Order (Taking Off)

Doffing is the reverse logic — you remove the most contaminated items first, and the mask last (since it protects your respiratory tract until the very end).

Doffing order: Gloves, Eyewear, Gown, Mask

Memory tip: "Gloves Exit, Gown Must follow" — Gloves, Eyewear, Gown, Mask. The key principle: gloves are the most contaminated (they touched the client and surfaces), so they come off first. The mask comes off last because your respiratory system is the last thing you want to expose. And critically — perform hand hygiene after removing gloves AND again after removing all PPE.

7. The 6 Rights of Medication Assistance

While PSWs do not administer medications independently (this is outside the PSW scope of practice), you may assist clients with self-administration in some settings. The 6 Rights help prevent medication errors.

1. Right client — verify the client's identity
2. Right medication — check that the medication matches the order
3. Right dose — confirm the correct amount
4. Right time — administer at the scheduled time
5. Right route — oral, topical, etc. as ordered
6. Right documentation — record what was given, when, and any observations

When to use it on the exam: Any question about medication safety, medication errors, or identifying what went wrong in a medication scenario.

Memory tip: Count them on your fingers: "Client, Med, Dose, Time, Route, Doc." Six rights, six fingers. If any one of the six is wrong, it is a medication error.

8. SBAR — Reporting to the Healthcare Team

SBAR is a structured communication tool used when reporting a change in a client's condition to a nurse or supervisor. It keeps your report clear, concise, and organised.

When to use it on the exam: Questions about reporting observations, communicating changes in client status, or identifying the correct information to include in a report.

Memory tip: Think of SBAR as telling a story: here is what is happening now (Situation), here is the backstory (Background), here is what I have observed (Assessment), and here is what I think should happen (Recommendation).

9. Vital Signs Normal Ranges

This is not an acronym, but it is one of the most frequently tested topics on the NACC exam. You need to know these ranges cold.

When to use it on the exam: Any question that gives you a vital sign reading and asks whether it is normal, what action to take, or what to report. For a complete breakdown, see our vital signs reference guide.

Memory tip: Create a mental image of a "normal person" — someone resting comfortably. Their temperature is about 37 (body temp, everyone knows this one). Their heart beats about 60-100 times a minute (think of a clock ticking once per second as the low end). They breathe 12-20 times a minute (about once every 3-5 seconds — try it now). Their blood pressure is "120 over 80" (the number you hear on medical TV shows). Their oxygen is above 95% (think "A+ grade"). Anything outside these ranges gets reported.

10. DIPPS — Person-Centred Care Principles

DIPPS is the guiding framework for all PSW care decisions and is foundational to nearly every scenario question on the exam.

When to use it on the exam: Every single scenario question. DIPPS is your primary decision-making filter. For a detailed guide on how to apply DIPPS to exam questions, read our guide on answering PSW scenario questions.

Memory tip: "Does It Protect People's Safety?" The question itself reminds you of the five principles in order. Safety is last in the acronym and last in priority — until it is threatened, at which point it overrides everything else.

11. ABC — Airway, Breathing, Circulation

ABC is the universal priority framework for emergency situations. When a client is in distress, you assess in this order because each step depends on the one before it.

1. Airway — Is the airway open and clear? If not, nothing else matters until it is.
2. Breathing — Is the client breathing? Are breaths adequate?
3. Circulation — Is there a pulse? Is there severe bleeding?

When to use it on the exam: Emergency scenario questions — choking, unconscious client, cardiac arrest, or any question that asks you to prioritise actions in a crisis.

Memory tip: ABC is as simple as the alphabet. A before B before C. Always. In an emergency, if you cannot remember anything else, start at A and work down.

12. Common Medical Prefixes and Suffixes

While not a single mnemonic, knowing key medical word parts lets you decode unfamiliar terms on the exam — even ones you have never seen before.

Prefixes to know:

Suffixes to know:

Memory tip: Focus on the prefixes hyper/hypo and tachy/brady — these appear constantly on the exam. "Hyper" means too much (think of a hyperactive child — too much energy). "Hypo" means too little (think of a hypothermia victim — too little body heat). "Tachy" means fast (think of a tachometer in a car — it measures speed). "Brady" means slow (think of the Brady Bunch — a slow-paced family TV show).

How to Study with Mnemonics

Knowing the mnemonics is step one. Using them effectively on the exam requires practice. Here are strategies that work:

Write them out by hand. Research shows that handwriting activates deeper encoding than typing. Write each mnemonic out three times, from memory, on three separate days. If you cannot complete it from memory, that is the one you need to study more.

Test yourself under pressure. Set a 60-second timer and try to write out all six links of the chain of infection, or the PPE donning and doffing orders. This simulates the time pressure of the exam and trains your recall speed.

Use them on practice questions. Every time you encounter a scenario question about IPAC, fire safety, or vital signs, consciously apply the relevant mnemonic. This builds the habit of reaching for the mnemonic under pressure. Try our free practice questions to put these mnemonics to work.

Create flashcards. Put the mnemonic on one side and the full meaning on the other. Quiz yourself daily during your study period. Spaced repetition — reviewing cards at increasing intervals — is one of the most evidence-backed study methods available.

Teach someone else. Explaining a mnemonic to a classmate or family member is the ultimate test of understanding. If you can teach SBAR to someone who has never heard of it, you know it well enough for the exam.

Quick Reference: All Mnemonics at a Glance

Bookmark this section for quick review the night before your exam.

These mnemonics cover the highest-frequency exam topics. If you know every item on this table by heart, you will be able to answer a significant portion of the NACC exam with confidence.

For a complete exam preparation strategy that ties all of this together, read our guide to passing the NACC exam. And if you want to understand the exam structure itself — number of questions, time limit, and scoring — check out our NACC exam format breakdown.

Frequently Asked Questions

What mnemonics should PSW students know?

What does RACE stand for?

What does PASS stand for?