Oxygen and open flames

CNA
Basic Nursing Skills
Multiple choice
Difficulty 3 of 5

Question

A resident receives oxygen through a nasal cannula from a concentrator at the bedside. A family member lights a scented candle on the bedside table. What should the nursing assistant do?

Move the candle to the windowsill about two feet from the concentrator.✗ Incorrect

Oxygen equipment should stay at least 5 feet from any heat source, and open flames should not be present at all.
Turn the flow meter to zero so that the oxygen cannot feed the flame, and leave the candle burning.✗ Incorrect

Oxygen is a medication, and the nursing assistant does not change its settings.
Allow the candle if the room window is open.✗ Incorrect

An open window does not remove the fire risk of an open flame near oxygen.
Ask the family member to put out the candle and keep open flames away from the oxygen, then tell the nurse.✓ Correct

Correct. Oxygen supports combustion, so no open flames or smoking are allowed around it.

Answer

D. Ask the family member to put out the candle and keep open flames away from the oxygen, then tell the nurse.

Rationale

Oxygen helps materials burn much faster, so smoking, candles and other open flames must stay away from oxygen equipment. A nursing assistant never adjusts the oxygen flow, which is treated as a medication. The right response is to have the flame put out and inform the nurse.

RememberOxygen feeds fire: no flames or smoking, and aides never change the flow.

Sources

Sources marked “Adapted from” are licensed under CC BY 4.0. We changed the material: its facts are rewritten into an original question, answer options and rationale. The original authors and publishers do not endorse SwipeExam.

Adapted from Open RN Nursing Skills, 2nd edition: Chapter 11 Oxygen Therapy Open RN (Chippewa Valley Technical College) · License: CC BY 4.0 · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · OXYGENATION EQUIPMENT › Safety with Oxygen Therapy · 2nd edition, 2023
Adapted from Open RN Health Alterations: Chapter 6 Respiratory Alterations Open RN (Chippewa Valley Technical College) · License: CC BY 4.0 · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · General Nursing Interventions Related to Respiratory Alterations › Routine Nursing Interventions Related to Respiratory Management · 2024
Fatal Fires Associated with Smoking During Long-Term Oxygen Therapy --- Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma, 2000--2007 (Source: CDC) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · License: CDC content (credit required) · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · Fatal Fires Associated with Smoking During Long-Term Oxygen Therapy --- Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma, 2000--2007
Oxygen Therapy (MedlinePlus health topic) MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine · License: US government work (public domain) · Retrieved November 3, 2026 · Summary: Oxygen Therapy
DOE-HDBK-1015/2-93 U.S. Department of Energy · License: US government work (public domain) · Retrieved November 2, 2026 · Page 117; Page 113

Last verified: November 3, 2026 2 independent automated checks Question cna-bns-00030, version 1

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