Illinois CNA exam-day guide
Illinois CNA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Unexpired government-issued photo ID
Bring a driver's license, state ID, passport, or other photo ID. The name on it must match your registration exactly. Confirm with the provider which forms of ID they accept and whether a second form is required.
Testing appointment confirmation / candidate ID number
Print or screenshot your scheduling confirmation and know your candidate or registration number. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or a digital copy is acceptable.
Comfortable clinical clothing
Scrubs or a clean uniform with closed-toe, non-skid shoes. Avoid loose jewelry, long sleeves that dangle, and anything that interferes with hand hygiene or body mechanics. Confirm any dress code with the provider.
Grooming for infection control
Short, clean nails; no acrylics or nail polish; hair pulled back; minimal jewelry. These are commonly enforced because they affect hand hygiene and glove use - confirm the specific grooming rules with the provider.
A watch with a second hand
Useful for counting pulse and respirations during skills. Some providers supply timing devices or prohibit personal items in the testing room - confirm before you rely on it.
Two pens or pencils
Bring your own writing instruments in case none are supplied, and confirm whether scratch paper or a calculator is permitted.
Printed skills checklist for study reference
Use it to review in the car or waiting area before you are called. Do not carry notes into the testing room - leave them in your bag or vehicle.
Practice run-throughs completed
Do at least two full timed rehearsals of the skills, narrating each step out loud, including hand hygiene, supplies, privacy, safety, and cleanup.
Transportation and route planned
Know the address, parking, building entrance, and room number. Plan to arrive well before your scheduled time and add buffer for traffic.
Water and a light snack for afterward
Eat a normal meal before you go; keep a snack in the car for after testing. Confirm the site's rules on food and drink in the waiting area.
Phone silenced and stored
Turn the phone off or to silent and keep it out of sight during testing. Expect that phones and smartwatches are not allowed in the testing room.
Written confirmation of what the exam covers
Ask the provider in advance: number of written questions, time limit, how many skills you will perform, and which skills are eligible for selection.
Plan the day
Call or check the provider's website to confirm the date, time, address, room, ID requirements, dress code, and what you may bring. Ask how many skills will be tested and whether the written and skills portions are given on the same day.
Print the official skills checklist you were given in your training program and highlight every critical step, since critical-step errors are what typically cause a skill to fail.
Do two or three full rehearsals of the skills on a partner or mannequin, narrating aloud. Practice the opening routine - hand hygiene, introduce yourself, identify the resident, explain the procedure, provide privacy - until it is automatic.
Review written-test content in short blocks: infection control, safety and emergency response, resident rights, communication, basic nursing skills, and personal care. Stop adding new material after this point.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation, pens, watch, clothes, shoes. Lay out what you will wear. Confirm your ride or route and set two alarms.
Do one light review of critical steps, then stop. Eat a normal dinner, avoid alcohol, and aim for a full night's sleep.
Eat breakfast and hydrate. Arrive at the site early - plan on a generous buffer, and call the provider immediately if something goes wrong en route.
Check in, present your ID, and listen carefully to the proctor's instructions, including how to signal that you have finished a skill and how to ask for clarification.
Read each question fully, watch for words like 'first,' 'best,' and 'except,' answer every item, and flag uncertain ones to revisit if the format allows. Keep an eye on the clock.
Before each skill, take a breath, gather your supplies, and begin with hand hygiene. Say your steps out loud if narration is permitted, and follow the checklist order rather than improvising.
Protect the critical steps: verify identity, explain the procedure, provide privacy, ensure safety (bed height, brakes, side rails as applicable), use correct body mechanics, and perform hand hygiene before and after.
If you are unsure what the proctor asked, ask them to repeat the instruction rather than guessing. Finish each skill completely, including cleanup and final hand hygiene, before saying you are done.
Ask the provider how and when results will be reported and what the process is if you need to retake the written or skills portion. Write down the answer before you leave.
Rules to check
Arrive at or before your scheduled time. Candidates who arrive late may be turned away and required to reschedule - confirm the provider's late-arrival policy in advance.
Bring valid, unexpired photo ID with a name that matches your registration. If your name has changed, ask the provider ahead of time what documentation is needed.
Leave phones, smartwatches, notes, and study materials out of the testing room. Follow all proctor instructions; talking or looking at another candidate's work during testing can end your exam.
You must pass both the written and the skills portions to be placed on the Illinois Nurse Aide Registry. A passing score on one portion does not certify you.
During the skills portion, an error on a critical step or an unsafe act typically fails that skill, so perform each step deliberately and in order rather than speeding through.
Breaks are limited and are set by the testing site. Ask the proctor when it is acceptable to leave your seat, and do not leave the testing area without permission.
If you do not pass, retake options and any waiting period or fee are set by the provider and state rules - confirm the specifics with the provider rather than relying on what other candidates tell you.
Raise any concern about test conditions, timing, or equipment with the proctor immediately, and ask the provider afterward how to document a complaint.