Indiana CNA exam-day guide
Indiana CNA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring an unexpired ID with a name that matches your registry registration exactly. Accepted ID types vary by testing provider, so confirm the list with the provider before test day (a name mismatch is a common reason candidates are turned away).
Appointment confirmation / admission document
Bring whatever confirmation the provider sends for your scheduled skills session. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or whether an electronic copy on your phone is accepted at check-in.
Plain watch with a second hand
Several skills involve counting time (handwashing, pulse, respirations). A basic analog or digital watch is usually acceptable, but confirm with the provider whether watches are permitted in the testing area and whether smartwatches are banned.
Comfortable clothing and closed-toe, non-skid shoes
You will bend, lift, reposition, and move around a mock care setting. Wear loose, washable clothing you can move in, closed-toe shoes with non-skid soles, and avoid long dangling sleeves or accessories that interfere with infection control.
Hair tie and short, clean nails
Plan to have hair pulled back and nails short so they do not interfere with hand hygiene or glove use. Confirm with the provider whether nail polish or artificial nails are prohibited, since many programs treat them as an infection-control violation.
Pen
Bring a pen in case you must sign or initial paperwork. Confirm with the provider whether writing materials are supplied and whether any personal items may be carried into the testing room.
Your candidate/registration number and the site address
Write down or save your candidate number, the exact testing location, room number, and a phone contact for the site. Double-check the address the day before, including parking and building entrance.
Your program's skill checklists for review
Review the written steps for every skill in your state-approved nurse aide training program before you arrive. Study materials stay home or in the car; you generally cannot bring notes into the testing area.
Snack and water for before and after
The skills portion can take a while and timing may run long. Bring a light snack and water for before check-in or afterward. Confirm with the provider whether food and drink are allowed in the waiting area.
Transportation plan and charged phone
Arrange your ride in advance and aim to arrive ahead of your scheduled time; confirm the provider's arrival and late-arrival policy. Keep your phone charged for directions and site contact, but plan to turn it off during testing.
Prohibited items left at home or in the vehicle
Leave smartwatches, fitness trackers, notes, flashcards, and study guides behind. Phones should be silenced and stored as the proctor directs.
The provider's candidate handbook, read in advance
Read the testing provider's candidate handbook for scoring, retake, and conduct rules so nothing on test day is a surprise. If anything in it is unclear, call the provider before your test date.
Plan the day
Confirm your appointment date, time, and testing site using the provider's confirmation. Verify your name and candidate number match your registration, and call the provider if anything is off.
Do two or three full practice run-throughs of every skill with a partner, using your program's written steps. Focus on the skills that require timing (handwashing, pulse, respirations) and on measurement skills where steps are easy to skip.
Pack your bag: ID, confirmation document, watch, pen, hair tie, and a snack. Put the clothing and shoes you plan to wear aside.
Do a light review only: read through each skill checklist once and stop. Avoid cramming new material or staying up late.
Re-check the site address, travel time, parking, and your ride. Set two alarms and charge your phone.
Eat a normal meal, take only medications you normally take, and dress in your planned clothing with closed-toe non-skid shoes, hair back, and nails clean.
Arrive ahead of your scheduled time as directed by the provider, bring your ID and confirmation, and follow check-in instructions. Ask the proctor where to store your phone and belongings.
Listen to each instruction fully before acting. If you did not hear or understand a prompt, ask the evaluator to repeat it before you begin the skill.
Perform each skill in the order your program taught it, narrating key safety and infection-control steps, and timing any step that requires it with your watch.
If you realize you missed a step, keep going unless the evaluator stops you. Do not redo a skill, argue about scoring, or ask whether you passed; save questions about results and retakes for the provider afterward.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired photo ID with a name matching your registration. Accepted forms of ID vary, so confirm the list with your testing provider before test day.
Arrive at your scheduled time and follow the provider's late-arrival and rescheduling policy. Confirm that policy in advance rather than assuming you will be admitted late.
No phones, smartwatches, notes, or study materials in the testing area. Silence and store devices exactly as the proctor directs.
Perform skills as taught in your state-approved nurse aide training program and per the provider's written skill steps. If your program's steps differ from what you remember from another source, follow your program and ask the provider to clarify.
Ask the evaluator to repeat an instruction if you did not hear it clearly, but do not ask for coaching, hints, or confirmation that a step was correct.
Breaks during the skills portion are governed by the provider. Ask at check-in whether breaks are permitted and how they affect your session.
Skills are typically scored on required critical steps, and missing a critical step can fail that skill. Confirm the scoring method, the number of skills tested, and the retake policy with your provider before test day.
Do not record, photograph, or discuss specific exam content with others. Test security rules apply and violations can affect your result.