Getting Past the Certified Nursing Assistant Exam

You’ve said goodbye to your stressful classes and all those long nights poring over medical textbooks stating various medical theories, as well as the nerve-wracking hands-on experiences. But wait, there’s one more obstacle on your race to becoming a certified nursing assistant – the nursing assistant exams. You need to take these exams to make sure that you’re certified by the state, therefore making you eligible to get jobs in the various fields (like clinical, home-based or anywhere else). But you need not worry, because if you really prepare well for your state exam, you can pass the exam without any trouble.

When you prepare for your exam, you need to know the topics that will be covered in the exam so that you won’t waste precious time studying about trivial matters. Your test will be composed of the written comprehension of the theories and concepts presented to you, while the second half will be about the hands-on practical exams like your physical abilities and skill while handling patients. 

So you’re wondering which concepts and theories are going to be taken up in the written part of the exam. The written part will basically ask questions about medical concepts and basic care-giving that is sure to have been brought up or discussed to you in your classes. You also have enough reading materials provided. Most of these questions are just basic questions that assess your common sense. If you have more doubts about the exam, there are various websites online that provide sample questions for practice so that you can get ready before taking the exam.

We go to the second part of the exam – the clinical part. This is undoubtedly more difficult than the written part, because you really have to perform it hands-on before a registered nurse who’s chosen by the state to administer the exam. You will be asked to carry out three to five nursing assistant skills and the registered nurse or medical examiner will determine whether you have done those skills correctly. This can be very intimidating for shy examinees that are not used to be on the limelight. You have to be very careful, because you have to perform the nursing assistant skills perfectly. Don’t worry, though – if you pay careful attention to details, as well as do immense preparation, you’ll carry it out flawlessly. Remember basic details such as: the patient’s dignity (focusing on the patient’s rights and privacy, pulling the privacy curtain, knocking on the patient’s door), hand washing (there is a proper way to wash hands, as taught in the classes), act efficiently, competently, and professionally.

Usually students are tested on skills such as repositioning, feeding or bathing the patients, the correct way of folding linens and changing bedpans, and taking the patient’s temperature.

Don’t be scared of taking the exam, even though it may be very stressful and nerve-wracking. Remember this is the final obstacle towards becoming a certified nursing assistant, which is a very fulfilling career.