Hawaii CNA

The evaluation has two parts: a written knowledge test of multiple-choice questions and a clinical skills demonstration. You must pass both to be certified. The skills portion is scored against a checklist, so missed steps, even small ones like handwashing or explaining a procedure, can cost you points.

Those details are set by the state licensing agency and its approved testing vendor, and they change from time to time. Check the official DCCA Professional and Vocational Licensing nurse aide information and your candidate handbook for the current question count and time limit rather than relying on what a classmate was told.

Pass rates and difficulty vary by candidate and by training program, and the state does not publish a single figure here. Most failures come from skipped checklist steps on the skills portion, not from the multiple-choice questions. Candidates who rehearse the skills out loud with a partner tend to do better.

Retake rules, waiting periods, and any additional fees are set by the state and its testing vendor. Ask your training program coordinator or the licensing agency about your specific options, and find out how many attempts you are allowed within your eligibility window before you sit for the test.

Start with the skills checklists, because they carry the highest risk of an avoidable failure and they reinforce the knowledge content at the same time. Once each procedure's sequence is solid, move to the written material, and finish with practice questions that cover all content areas, including resident rights and dementia care.

Typical failures are omitted hand hygiene, forgetting to introduce yourself or explain the procedure, ignoring privacy by leaving a door or curtain open, failing to ask about comfort or pain, and not reporting what you observed. Evaluators score exactly what they see, so narrate and perform every step.

Requirements are set by the testing vendor. Expect to need photo identification that matches your registration, and check whether a separate admission or scoring fee applies and how it must be paid. Confirm the vendor's current candidate instructions before test day so you are not turned away.

Validity periods and renewal requirements, including any work-hour or continuing education requirements, are set by the state and are not stated on this page. Verify your renewal deadline and requirements directly with the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional and Vocational Licensing Division before your expiration date.

No. This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs or any state testing vendor. For official rules, forms, fees, and scheduling, use the state licensing agency as your only authoritative source.