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The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) test is challenging. Going into the exam prepared is key.
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CNA Test Prep
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Benefits of Using a CNA Practice Test
Using CNA test questions is a proven method to prepare for your upcoming exam.
The best part about our CNA practice tests is that they require no payment or registration – they are completely free.
Some of the main benefits of using a free CNA practice test include:
- Becoming comfortable with the test format – The CNA exam, like most standardized tests, has its own unique format and structure. As you answer more CNA questions, you will begin to see a pattern in the way the questions are written.
- Focusing your study time – Using CNA test prep will help you determine what you are good at and what you are weak at. You can then concentrate your study time on your weakest areas.
- Helping you retain information – When you take a practice exam, you will be reinforcing topics and concepts you may have already known. This will help ensure you remember them when taking the actual exam.
What is the CNA Test?
The CNA exam is an exam given to individuals who wish to become a certified nursing assistant. The CNA test is comprised of 2 parts:
- Written Test
- Skills Test
The written test will include multiple-choice questions while the skills test will be made up of performing different skills.
The exam is administered by 1 of 3 providers:
- National Nurse Aid Assessment Program (NNAAP) / Pearson Vue
- Prometric
- Headmaster
The NNAAP / Pearson Vue is the most common provider as it is used by 25+ states and territories. To find the provider in your state, read our CNA overview article.
CNA Exam Outline
Since there are 3 different providers, each exam will have a slightly different format. However, all 3 providers give a written test and a skills test.
NNAAP Written Test Outline
There are 70 total questions, but only 60 of them are scored. You will have 2 hours to complete the written portion.
| Topics | Number of Questions |
| Physical Care Skills | 37 |
| Psychosocial Care Skills | 8 |
| Role of the Nurse Aide | 15 |
Prometric Written Test Outline
There are 60 total questions. You will have 1.5 hours to complete the written portion.
| Topic | Percent of Exam |
| Role of the Nurse Aide | 18% |
| Promotion of Safety | 18% |
| Promotion of Function and Health of Residents | 24% |
| Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide | 26% |
| Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changes in Health | 14% |
Headmaster Written Test Outline
There are 75 total questions. You will have 1.5 hours to complete the written portion.
| Topic | Number of Questions |
| Safety | 7 |
| Infection Control | 8 |
| Personal Care | 9 |
| Mental Health | 4 |
| Care Impaired | 4 |
| Resident Rights | 5 |
| Communication | 7 |
| Data Collection | 7 |
| Basic Nursing Skills | 9 |
| Role and Responsibility | 7 |
| Disease Process | 4 |
| Older Adult Growth & Development | 4 |
For more information on each provider and a more in-depth breakdown of each exam, visit our CNA overview article.
Skills Evaluation Outline
All 3 providers have a skills test. You will be asked to perform five randomly selected skills from the following list:
- Hand Hygiene (Hand Washing)
- Applies one knee-high elastic stocking
- Assists to ambulate using transfer belt
- Assists with use of bedpan
- Cleans upper or lower denture
- Counts and records radial pulse
- Counts and records respirations
- Donning and removing PPE (gown and gloves)
- Dresses client with affected (weak) right arm
- Feeds client who cannot feed self
- Gives modified bed bath (face and one arm, hand and underarm)
- Measures and records blood pressure
- Measures and records urinary output
- Measures and records weight of ambulatory client
- Performs modified passive range of motion (PROM) for one knee and one ankle
- Performs modified passive range of motion (PROM) for one shoulder
- Positions on side
- Provides catheter care for female
- Provides foot care on one foot
- Provides mouth care
- Provides perineal care (PERI-CARE) for female
- Transfers from bed to wheelchair using transfer belt
Learn more about the CNA skills test with our complete guide.
Studying for the CNA Exam
As with any exam, studying will drastically help improve your chances of success. The CNA exam is no exception.
This exam includes two portions – a written exam and a skills exam. You will need to study for each portion a little differently.
Written Exam
When studying for the written exam, you will want to use the following strategies:
- Use of Practice Exams
- Review of Each Practice Exam You Took
- Targeted Study
- Final Preparation
1. Use of Practice Exams
The use of practice exams will have multiple benefits. Some of the benefits include getting familiar with the format of the exam, getting familiar with the content of the exam, and finding out what you struggle with.
Using practice exams will help you study more effectively and save time. You will also be more prepared before heading into the actual exam.
2. Review of Each Practice Exam You Took
It is very important to review each exam after you take it. Answer explanations are a fantastic way to learn and grasp important concepts.
Reviewing each exam will help you figure out what concepts your struggle with.
3. Targeted Study
After taking a reviewing some of your practice exams, do some targeted study. Targeted study includes focusing on topics and concepts that are giving your trouble.
If you find that you struggle with physical care skills, focus on that subject, and only that subject. It is a lot easier to study if you focus on one subject.
If you struggle with multiple subjects, focus on one subject at a time. This helps create a more actionable study plan and makes it more achievable.
4. Final Preparation
After using a targeted study approach, start with your final preparations.
This step should include taking a final (timed) exam. This will help you ensure that you are comfortable with the timing aspect. You should also shoot for a passing score when taking this final practice exam.
If you do not do as well as you would have liked, no worries. You can partake in some more targeted study and take another final practice exam again.
Skills Exam
When preparing for the skills exam, you will want to take a slightly different approach since this portion of the exam is not like a typical exam.
For the skills exam, you will want to use the following strategies:
- Familiarize Yourself with the Skills
- Familiarize Yourself with How You Will Be Assessed
- Review Each Skill
- Practice Each Skill
1. Familiarize Yourself With the Skills
The very first thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the specific skills you will need to know.
While you will not know the exact skills that you will be asked to demonstrate, you will know the list of skills that you will be asked to demonstrate from.
2. Familiarize Yourself With How You Will Be Assessed
Not only is it important to know how to perform each skill, but it is also important to know how you will be assessed.
If you know what the instructor is looking for, you can ensure that you hit all the checkpoints for each skill.
3. Review Each Skill
After familiarizing yourself with the skills, make note of the ones that you are not comfortable with.
You can then focus your studies on those skills and make sure you know how to perform them. We recommend using a prep course for reviewing each skill.
4. Practice Each Skill
Reviewing and practicing are 2 different things. Since the skills exam involves you demonstrating the skills, it is important to practice these skills in person.
Find a friend or family member and ask them to randomly pick some skills for you to demonstrate for them. Make sure you are comfortable with all the steps and are able to perform them in front of others.
Review our guide on how to pass the CNA skills test to help.
CNA Test FAQs
How many questions are on the CNA exam?
It will depend on who your provider is. If the NNAAP is your provider, you will have 70 questions on the written test (only 60 are scored).
If Prometric is your provider, you will have 60 questions on your written test.
If Headmaster is your provider, you will have 75 questions on your written test.
What are some questions on the CNA test?
You will be asked a variety of questions on the written portion of your exam. Those questions will cover topics like:
- Physical Care Skills
- Psychosocial Care Skills
- Role of the Nurse Aid
Do I need to do anything before I can take the exam?
You will need to complete a state approved training program before you can take your CNA exam.
What is the passing score on the exam?
This varies depending on your state. It is usually around 75%.
