The certified nursing assistant exam must be passed by the candidate in order to be placed on the state list of certified nursing assistants. The candidate will be required to arrive early for the exam at the specified location. The candidate will also need to bring proof of identification such as Driver License/State ID and Social Security Card. If the candidate possesses any type of disability the state will also make accommodations for those candidates wanting to test. The state exam consists of two separate sections. The first section is the written exam. The state also offers an oral version of the written exam. The written portion of the exam consists of approximately fifty questions that are multiple choice.

The second portion of the certified nursing assistant exam is the skills portion. Prior to taking the exam the candidate should be given a handbook of twenty five skills. The handbook will list each skill, all the steps to complete each skill, and in exact order. The candidate may miss a step in the skill and still pass. The exception is if the missed step is in bold. The bolded step in the skill is always a safety step. For example, when ambulating a patient from the bed to the wheelchair you must lock the brakes on the wheelchair. If you fail to do so during the skill that will result in an automatic fail because it relates to safety. The candidate will automatically be given hand washing as a skill, and the other four skills will be selected at random from the list of twenty five. The skills portion will be held in a room that resembles a nursing assistant work setting (hospital, nursing home, etc). There will be hospital beds, wheelchairs, fake patients, and real patients. The examiner will be checking off the steps and directing the candidate throughout the skills portion.

Once the certified nursing assistant exam is over the candidate will receive correspondence by mail or email conforming pass or fail. The candidate must score 75 percent or above. The candidate is allowed to retake the exam. If only one portion is failed the candidate may retake the one portion. For example, if the candidate passes the skills portion but not the written then they may retake the written only. Lastly, practice, practice, practice makes perfect.