CNA Training: Preparing for the Certification Exam

To be a successful nursing assistant, finishing the CNA training is just half of the process. The other half involves passing a certification examination. Federal regulations mandate that all nursing assistants that want to work in nursing care facilities must complete a minimum of 75 hours of training. The program must be accredited by the State for it to count. After the training, they need to pass the CNA certification exam.

The composition of the certification examination may differ from State to State, but normally, it involves a written and hands-on test. Both of these components are important because they’re designed to test the examinees’ competence in handling the myriad tasks given to nursing assistants. Mastering the theoretical aspect of the job is not enough because the examinee also needs to prove that he can apply the theories in an actual setting.

Passing the examination shouldn’t be such a problem, especially if the individual chose the right school or entity that provided the training. However, if for some reason the examinee failed the test, he is given another chance to prove his competence. If he failed the written part of the examination, he only has to retake that portion. The same thing applies if failed the hands-on portion, instead. The examinee is given three chances to pass the test. If he failed three times, he needs to undergo another training first before he’s allowed to retake the examination anew.

Of course, each State board may have their own regulations concerning this, which is why it’s advised that you call your specific State board for further details. What is true, though, is that a good CNA training program will be a tremendous help in passing the certification examination. Choose the right program, train well, pass the certification examination, and expect a great career ahead.