Alaska CNA exam-day guide
Alaska CNA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
The name on your ID must match the name on your registration. Confirm with your training program or testing provider which forms of ID they accept (driver's license, state ID, passport, military ID) and whether a photocopy is ever allowed - usually it is not.
Appointment confirmation or authorization to test
Bring the scheduling confirmation or authorization notice your training program or testing vendor issued. Confirm whether your site requires a printed copy or accepts a digital one on your phone before you enter the testing area.
Comfortable scrubs or uniform with closed-toe, non-slip shoes
You will bend, squat, transfer, and ambulate a manikin or partner. Wear clothing you can move in and that lets you demonstrate proper body mechanics without adjusting yourself constantly.
Watch with a second hand or a visible digital seconds display
You may need to count a pulse or respirations during a measurement skill. Confirm with your provider whether a watch is permitted; if not, use the timer or clock the evaluator indicates.
Hair tie and a clean, professional appearance
Secure long hair back. Follow your program's rules on nail length, polish, and artificial nails - these are commonly scored during hand hygiene and glove skills. Confirm specifics with your instructor.
Minimal jewelry
Rings, bracelets, and dangling earrings can interfere with glove donning, handwashing, and the evaluator's view of your technique. Leave valuables at home.
Pen and pencil
Have one of each in case the site does not supply them. Confirm with your provider what writing materials, if any, are allowed in the written testing room.
Directions, parking information, and a backup route
Plan to arrive well before your scheduled time. Know the building, room, and check-in desk, and identify a backup form of transportation in case of weather or traffic delays.
Water and a light snack for before or after
Testing sessions can run long. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed in the waiting area and when breaks occur.
A short printed list of the skills from your training program
Use it for review in the days before - not in the testing room. Most sites prohibit notes inside the testing area.
A practice partner and a manikin or pillow
Rehearse each skill aloud the way you will perform it, with a partner reading the steps back to you. Verbalizing is how most candidates catch skipped critical steps.
Plan the day
Confirm the date, time, address, and check-in location with your provider. Re-read the confirmation email for ID requirements and prohibited items. Make a full pass through your skills list, performing each skill aloud and marking the ones you fumble.
Do a second pass focused only on the skills you marked as shaky. Practice hand hygiene, glove donning and removal, and any measurement skill (pulse, respirations, blood pressure, temperature) until they feel automatic - these often appear and are easy points.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, uniform, shoes, watch, pen, hair tie. Lay out clothes. Confirm transportation and set two alarms. Stop studying a new topic - if you do not know it now, cramming will not help. Get a full night's sleep.
Eat a real meal and hydrate. Arrive early - many sites require check-in well before the start time and will not admit late candidates; confirm your site's cutoff. Leave your phone, notes, and smartwatch in the car or a locker as directed.
Present your photo ID and confirmation. Listen to the proctor's instructions in full. If you do not understand a rule, ask before the test begins, not after.
Read each question completely before answering. Answer every question - an unanswered question is scored the same as a wrong one. If you finish early, use the remaining time to review your flagged items.
Before each skill, take a breath and mentally walk the steps. Say your hand hygiene out loud and do it first. Announce what you are doing and why. If you did not hear the instruction, ask the evaluator to repeat it before you begin - asking beforehand is not the same as asking for help mid-skill.
Follow the provider's instructions on where and when results are released. Do not discuss specific exam content, skills scenarios, or questions with other candidates - most programs treat this as a conduct violation. Confirm the retake policy now, while you are calm, so you know your options.
Rules to check
Bring a valid government-issued photo ID with a name matching your registration. Candidates without acceptable ID are typically turned away; confirm the exact policy with your provider before test day.
Arrive at the time stated on your confirmation, not the test start time. Most sites have a check-in window and will not admit candidates who arrive after it closes - confirm your site's cutoff.
Phones, smartwatches, notes, and study materials must stay outside the testing room. Silence and store devices as directed during check-in.
Follow standard precautions throughout every skill: perform hand hygiene before and after, and don gloves when the skill calls for contact with blood, body fluids, mucous membranes, or non-intact skin. Failing to do so is commonly scored as a critical failure.
Skills are typically scored step by step, with certain steps designated as critical - missing a critical step usually fails that skill regardless of how well the rest went. Ask your instructor which steps in your program's skills are critical before test day.
You may ask the evaluator to repeat an instruction or clarify a scenario before you begin, but you may not ask for coaching, hints, or confirmation that a step was correct during the skill.
Breaks are set by the testing site and may be limited during the skills portion. Confirm the break policy and what to do if you need to leave the room.
Do not reproduce, discuss, or share exam questions or skill scenarios afterward. Report any equipment or safety problem to the evaluator immediately rather than improvising around it.