Educational exam prep, not medical advice. This page teaches what certification exams test. Follow your facility’s policies, your supervising clinician and the manufacturer’s instructions in practice. If you are a patient with a health question, talk to your clinician or see MedlinePlus.
How each vendor runs the skills test
| Vendor | Skills | Always tested | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credentia (NNAAP) | 5 randomly selected | Hand hygiene is a listed skill | About 30 minutes |
| Prometric | 5 scored: 3 assigned + 2 always | Handwashing and indirect care | Timed per skill set (NY: 31-40 min) |
| Headmaster (D&SDT) | 3 or 4 tasks with scenarios | Hand hygiene steps built into tasks | 30-40 minutes |
Critical steps: why people fail
Each skill has a checklist. Some steps are critical (Credentia calls them key steps): miss one and you fail that skill no matter how well you did the rest. The same themes appear in every handbook:
- Hand hygiene at the start and end, and after glove removal.
- Safety: lock bed or wheelchair wheels, use the gait belt, return the bed to the lowest position.
- Measurement accuracy: your pulse, respiration, urine output or blood pressure reading must be close to the evaluator’s.
- Resident rights: knock, introduce yourself, explain the procedure, provide privacy.
- Call light left within reach at the end.
Common skills across vendors
| Skill | Credentia NNAAP | Prometric (FL list) |
|---|---|---|
| Hand hygiene / handwashing | Yes | Always (unprompted) |
| Ambulate with transfer/gait belt | Yes | Yes |
| Assist with bedpan | Yes | Yes |
| Denture care / mouth care | Yes | Yes |
| Count and record radial pulse | Yes | Yes |
| Count and record respirations | Yes | Yes |
| Don and remove PPE (gown and gloves) | Yes | - |
| Dress resident with weak arm | Yes | Yes |
| Feed a resident | Yes | Yes |
| Partial / modified bed bath | Yes | Yes |
| Measure blood pressure (manual or electronic) | Yes | - |
| Measure and record urinary output | Yes | Yes |
| Passive range of motion | Yes | Yes |
| Position on side | Yes | Yes |
| Catheter care (female) | Yes | Yes |
| Foot care | Yes | Yes |
| Perineal care (female) | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer bed to wheelchair with gait belt | Yes | Yes |
| Change occupied bed linen | - | Yes |
Skill guides
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Frequently asked questions
How many skills are on the CNA skills test?
Five with Credentia and Prometric (Prometric counts handwashing and indirect care in the five), and three or four tasks with Headmaster.
What happens if I miss a step on the CNA skills test?
Missing an ordinary step costs points; missing a critical (key) step fails that skill, which fails the skills test.
What are the hardest CNA skills?
Measurement skills (blood pressure, pulse, urine output) because your reading must match the evaluator’s, and multi-step skills like perineal and catheter care.
Can I redo a step on the skills test?
Some programs allow you to tell the evaluator you want to correct a step before the skill ends - Utah’s handbook explicitly allows re-demonstration. Check your state handbook.
Sources
- North Carolina Nurse Aide I Candidate Handbook (Credentia) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- Prometric - Florida CNA Candidate Information Bulletin (Rev. 11/01/2025) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- D&SDT-Headmaster - Minnesota Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook (June 2026) (accessed 2026-09-23)
- NY Prometric handbook (accessed 2026-09-23)