CNA Certification – Tips for Passing the NNAAP Exam

After Certified Nursing Assistant training ends, to become fully accredited as a Certified Nursing Assistant every student must first pass the CNA exams, also known as the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program or NNAAP. This is the final step towards CNA Certification.

The first tip to passing the NNAAP exam is to understand how the tests are structured.

The exam is administered in numerous sections of which involve written, oral, and skills testing portions. It is made of two primary components. The written section of the exam involves a series of multiple choice questions which cover a wide range of skills information that CNA candidates are required to understand. The oral section consists of 10 basic comprehension questions, as well as several dozen multiple choice problems. The second portion of the exam is a skill testing segment that is meant to test a student’s capability of safely performing the duties required of every CNA. Within this area of the test, candidates are given the opportunity to demonstrate their mastered skills in a simulated hospital setting, with both nursing staff and exam officials evaluating overall performance.

The written and skills exams for CNA Certification are administered on the same day and you need to pass both sections of the NNAAP in order to be certified and listed on the Nurse Aide Registry. The number of questions on the written exam may vary from state to state, with most states requiring an average of seventy to 100 multiple choice questions. The written exam can take up to two hours or more, thus a good night’s sleep is important advice to heed.

The written test is usually administered first. Review your CNA Certification training courses, as this portion will consist of the patient care and procedures you covered in the CNA program curriculum. Nothing will be a surprise, so if you have kept up with your classes, learned the information appropriately, recall protocols and lab procedures, you will do fine. However, no matter how assured you feel of your knowledge, reviewing is an important tip to follow.

Once you complete the written exam, your group will move to the practical section of the exam. Often you are asked to bring a helper, though many facilities provide one. This helper acts as a patient for you, as you demonstrate your clinical skills. Tip: do not be nervous. The instructors are not watching in hopes of failing you. Practice at home, using a friend or family member. You have demonstrated these skills in CNA certification clincials and you can do it again. Smile and proceed!
In conclusion, though obvious, these practical tips are worth noting and reviewing.

• Be properly prepared. Come with pencils, pens, stethoscope, wrist watch, and your ID card, if necessary and/or required.
• Be on time, early is better.
• Be hydrated. Nervousness can cause lightheadedness and you want to be your best, with a clear mind
• Wash your hands before attending your “patient”. The instructors are watching and they will not remind you. At this point in your CNA certification training, this is something that should come natural for you.
• If you make a mistake, and it happens often, simply request to repeat the process.
• Exhibit excellent rapport and communication skills with your patient.
• Smile! Be positive and remember, you are qualified; all you have to do is demonstrate the fact.

These tips and an awareness of what CNA Certification involves can make a big difference for how successful you will be towards passing the Certified Nursing Assistant Exam and beginning your career as a Certified Nursing Assistant.