How do you read a graduated cylinder for the CNA skills test?
Updated · Reviewed against official sources
Set the graduated cylinder on a flat, level surface, bend so your eyes are level with the top of the urine, and read the line at the bottom of the curved surface (the meniscus). Record the amount in milliliters, and expect the evaluator to check your number against theirs within the tolerance in your state's handbook.
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Wear gloves and pour from the bedpan or urinal into the graduate | Hold the graduate up in the air to read it |
| Place it on a flat surface (often on a paper towel) | Read from above or below the liquid level |
| Read at eye level, at the bottom of the meniscus | Read the top edge where liquid climbs the side |
| Note the scale: what each small line is worth | Assume every line is 10 mL without checking |
| Remove gloves, perform hand hygiene, then record | Touch the pen or form with dirty gloves |
Read the scale before the liquid
Graduates are marked in milliliters (mL; also written cc). Before you pour, look at the big numbered lines and count how many small lines fall between them. That tells you what each small line is worth.
Intake and output conversions
Intake and output questions often need ounce-to-mL conversions. The conventional nursing conversion is 1 fluid ounce ≈ 30 mL, so an 8 oz cup is about 240 mL. Practice a few with our nutrition drill and vital signs drill.
Infection control during the skill
Treat urine as potentially infectious: gloves on, avoid splashing, empty and rinse equipment per facility policy, and do hand hygiene after removing gloves and before recording. See the full measuring urinary output checklist.
Quick answers
- CNA measuring urinary output: how close does it have to be?
- Your recorded amount must fall within the tolerance stated in your state's candidate handbook compared with the evaluator's reading. Practice until you read the same number as a partner every time.
- Are there CNA intake and output practice problems?
- Yes. Our nutrition and hydration questions include intake and output items with explanations.
- Should I record the output in ounces or milliliters?
- Use the unit the form asks for. Graduates and most recording forms use milliliters.
What to do next
Run through the urinary output checklist, then test your I&O knowledge.
Open the urinary output checklistRelated guides
- Measuring and recording urinary output: CNA skill checklist
- Catheter care for a female resident: CNA skill checklist
- CNA skills exam critical steps everyone misses
- Nutrition and hydration practice questions
- How do you pass the CNA skills test?
- How many skills do you get on the CNA skills test?
- How accurate does manual blood pressure have to be on the CNA skills test?
- How can I practice CNA skills at home without a mannequin?
Sources
- 42 CFR 483.154 — Nurse aide competency evaluation (Cornell LII)
- Credentia — test-taker resources and state handbooks
Checked: . Rules, fees and vendors change — always confirm with your state's official page and candidate handbook.