How hard is the CNA exam?

The written questions test everyday care that your training covers, so the hard part is being consistent. You must pass both the written exam and all five skills, and a missed critical step fails a skill.

Written exam	70 questions in 2 hours, about 103 seconds each
Skills evaluation	All 5 skills must pass
Attempts	Fail either part 3 times and you retrain (Pennsylvania, Georgia and California handbooks)
Score report	Pass or fail; Georgia's handbook says no numeric score is given

Where the marks are

Basic Nursing Skills is the biggest area, at 35% of the scored questions: infection control, safety and emergencies, procedures, and measuring and reporting. Activities of Daily Living is next at 22%.

Activities of Daily Living: 22% (13 questions)
Basic Nursing Skills: 35% (21 questions)
Self-Care and Independence: 7% (4 questions)

What makes it hard

Questions ask what the nurse aide should do, so you must know what is inside the aide's role and when to report to the nurse.
Several choices can sound kind or sensible; only one follows standard care, the client's rights and infection control.
On the skills test you must actually do each step, not describe it, and a critical element step left out fails the skill.
The written and skills parts are separate: passing one does not carry you through the other.

How to check you are ready

Take a timed practice test and look at your result by area, not just the total. Fix the weakest area first, then sit a full 70-question practice exam on the 2-hour clock. For the skills test, practice each skill aloud until the order of steps is automatic.

Try 3 questions

Question 1

A nurse aide finds a client lying on the floor beside the bed. What should the aide do?

Question 2

A client says to the nurse aide, "Everyone would be better off if I were dead." What should the nurse aide do?

Question 3

At the start of a shift, a client tells the nurse aide he has pressure in his chest. What should the aide do?

Next step

Take the free practice test Start the infection control lesson

Credentia's Pennsylvania nurse aide candidate handbook

Questions people ask

Is the CNA exam hard?

It is a test of entry-level care, but you must pass both parts, and every one of the five skills on the skills test.

What happens if I fail the CNA exam?

You retake the part you failed. In the Pennsylvania, Georgia and California handbooks, failing either part three times means completing another training program and retaking both parts.

Is the CNA written exam multiple choice?

Yes. All 70 questions are multiple choice.