A Definitive Guide: What to Bring to a CNA Clinical Skills Test?

May 25, 2023

Are you passionate about becoming a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in your state or city? Have you scheduled your Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam? Are you wondering what to bring to a CNA clinical skills test?

In this article, you learn about what to bring to a CNA clinical skills test and the common topics covered in a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam.

Topics Covered in a CNA Exam

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam covers a wide range of important subjects that are expected to be on the certification exam. Let’s discuss them below.

Aging process.
Anatomy and physiology.
Nutrition.
Daily living activities.
Safety.
Personal care.
Medical terminology.
Infection control.
Data collection.
Communication.
Role and responsibility of a CNA.
Client rights.
Mental health.
Body mechanics.
Legal and ethical issues.
Spiritual and cultural needs.
Range of motion.
Vital signs and testing.

Some of the common clinical skills tested in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam are as follows:

Assessing vital signs.
Gait belt transfer.
Providing catheter care.
Relocating a patient from the bed to a chair.

Though you might not be able to know the duties that will be assessed ahead of time, you may be expected to demonstrate hand washing techniques. It is necessary to wash your hands for 20 seconds using proper handwashing technique. If you do not wash your hands for the required 20 seconds, it will result in an automatic fail.

Besides studying just the course material, we encourage you to take our free CNA practice test to take your preparation process to the next level. Now that you know what the topics covered in a CNA exam are, let’s discuss the CNA exam structure.

CNA Exam Structure

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam comprises 2 sections, that includes:

Clinical exam.
Written exam.

CNA CLINICAL EXAM

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) clinical exam is a practical exam where you perform certain nursing duties before an evaluator. Let’s discuss the checklist of a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) clinical exam.

Make an occupied bed.
Oral care for an unconscious resident.
Massage or back rub for a resident.
Cleaning a resident’s dentures.
Help a resident walk using a gait belt.
Record and count the respiration of a resident.
Record and count the radial pulse of a resident.
Record the blood pressure of a resident.
Handwashing.
Help a resident with the bedpan.
Record and measure the height of a resident, using an upright scale.
Record and measure the weight of a resident, using an upright scale.
Position a resident in a lateral position.
Position a resident in Fowler’s position.
Put on and remove gloves and gown.
Move a resident from bed to a chair using a gait belt.
Partial bed bath for a resident (upper and lower body).
Help a resident perform a passive range of motion (upper and lower body).
Shave the resident.
Provide perineal care to a female resident.
Clean and trim the fingernails of a resident.
Serve a meal tray and feed a paralyzed resident.
Dress a paralyzed resident.

Generally, for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam, you will be using a mannequin or a fellow candidate to demonstrate nursing duties. It is required to pass the clinical exam with at least 70% marks.

Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) clinical skills portions are generally monitored by a licensed nurse. It is a good idea to practice each and every skill including the handwashing technique until you are confident performing them.

You may have to demonstrate 3 to 6 skills using a fellow student or a mannequin. It is good practice to talk your way through the skills as if you are dealing with a real patient.

The average time for the CNA clinical skills exam is 30 minutes.

CNA WRITTEN EXAM

The Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) written exam is a multiple-choice question (MCQ) exam. The exam consists of 60 questions and the duration of the exam is 90 minutes.

Most states in the U.S. use a third-party examination company to administer the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) written exam. At the examination site, your exam will be private and monitored by a proctor.

Before you enter the exam site, someone from the examination company will verify your identity and will help you with instructions regarding the CNA exam.

NOTE: The certification requirements and rules may vary for every state in the U.S. You must be aware of your state’s requirements when you are planning to apply for a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification. You must pass both the CNA clinical and written exam in order to receive your certification in any state in the U.S.

Are you wondering what to bring to a CNA clinical skills test? Now that you have sufficient information about the CNA exam, its now time to prepare for the CNA examination day. Let’s now discuss what to bring to a CNA clinical skills test.

What to Bring to a CNA Clinical Skills Test?

Once you have completed your registration, it is now time to prepare for the day of the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam. On the day of the exam, it is important to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time.

You should also bring the required documents for verification purposes before you enter the examination room. The number of questions and the time limit for the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam may vary from one state to another.

NOTE: Most of the states will provide information about how to request them for an oral examination if you speak English as your second language or have a reading disability.

On the day of the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) examination, you must bring your official identification document(s) with the same name as on your test date confirmation, which you must also bring. A few states might ask you to bring your Social Security card.

You will also be informed about the supplies you must bring with you on the examination day. Supplies, such as a watch with second hands or pencils.

Items, such as briefcases, wallets, reference materials, and phones will not be allowed inside the examination room or testing area. You must arrive early at the examination site, as you will have to check in and verify your identification and show proof of other documents.

Some of the important items you must bring with you to the examination site are as follows:

Make sure to bring an identification document that has your full name as given in the application form and the test date confirmation you received.
Make sure to bring an identification document that has your photo.
Make sure all the identification documents you bring with you are state-approved and accepted by the board.

NOTE: Make sure to wear clean scrubs for the clinical skills portion of the CNA exam.

Wrapping Up

If you are someone who is passionate about becoming a CNA and planning to take the CNA exam, but wondering what to bring to a CNA clinical skills test. This article would have given you a clear idea about the CNA exam and what to bring to a CNA clinical skills test. It is good practice to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time. Make sure to bring the necessary documents with you to the examination site. Make sure you do not carry items that are prohibited inside the examination room or testing area. Practice each and every clinical skill until you are confident to perform them in front of the evaluator.