The clinical skills portion of the CNA certification exam is generally a hands-on exam performed in front of a state-approved examiner. The setting may be either a real health care facility or a simulated setting. You may also be asked to bring your own "patient" with you to test on. Examiners cannot be employees of the training school or health care institution. They are often registered nurses who have experience with long-term care and the elderly. Skills examiners randomly choose which procedures each student must perform. These include making an occupied bed, proper hand washing techniques, taking and recording vital signs and moving a patient while using a transfer belt.
CNA testing requires passing a written exam as well as the hands-on practical tests. Some states have developed their own written CNA exams, while others use those provided by testing companies like Prometric or Pearson VUE. Both Prometric and Pearson VUE offer practice exams on their websites which can help CNA candidates study for their written exams, whether or not they actually need to take that particular company's test. The written exams are usually multiple-choice, although you may be asked to write short answers or explain procedures in your own words as well. The written tests may ask questions about anatomy, physical and emotional patient care and basic medical procedures such as taking temperatures and measuring urinary output. In some states, the written test can be completed online.
Many states offer an oral option for people who cannot take the exam in written form. The state of Nevada, for example, offers its written section in an oral format. The cost and the length of the exam is the same for both the written and oral forms. The oral test can be done in some places by computer as well as face-to-face.