The CNA State Exam:

Although each state offers its own variety of the CNA Certification exam, all require written and practical portions. All written exams are multiple choice, while the skills test involves actual live clinical testing.

The CNA training program will cover more than 20 clinical skills, 5 of which will be randomly selected for your clinical CNA exam. An example of one of the skills is hand washing. During the test, candidates are not instructed on when to wash their hands. Nurse aides are expected to know that they must wash their hands before any physical contact with a resident. The frequency of your hand washing, as well as your hand washing technique will be critiqued and analyzed by 2 registered nurses throughout your exam.

The registered nurses will also request to observe you completing at least 4 other skills that they will grade you on. It’s essential you come prepared to your exam, with extensive knowledge on each skill set and the proper procedure for administering it. To stay up to date on all state skill sets, visit our state location page.

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