Michigan CNA exam-day guide
Michigan CNA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring an unexpired ID with your photo and signature (driver's license, state ID, or passport are typical). The name must match the name on your training and testing records; if your name has changed, confirm with the testing provider before test day what documentation to bring.
Appointment / authorization notice
Bring the scheduling confirmation or admission notice your testing provider sent, and check it for your exact arrival time, test site address, and any item list. Confirm with the provider whether a printed copy is required or an electronic copy is accepted.
Wristwatch with a second hand
Many skills require counting a pulse or respirations for a full minute, and phone timers are generally not permitted in the skills room. Confirm with your provider whether a watch is allowed or required and whether it may be worn during skills.
Comfortable, professional clothing
Wear scrubs or your program uniform, or other clothing you can bend, kneel, and reach in without restriction. Confirm the dress code with your provider; avoid anything revealing, torn, or heavily logoed.
Closed-toe, non-slip shoes
You will be on your feet and may kneel or squat. Avoid sandals, clogs without a back, and heels.
Hair tie or clip
Long hair should be secured off your face and collar; loose hair interferes with hand hygiene, glove use, and positioning skills.
Minimal jewelry
A plain band ring is commonly acceptable; remove dangling earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and facial piercings. Confirm the provider's jewelry policy, since some sites restrict all jewelry for infection-control reasons.
Short, clean, natural nails
Trim nails short, with no polish, gel, acrylics, or overlays. Artificial or long nails can cost you points on hand hygiene and glove-donning steps.
A known route, parking plan, and backup
Look up the exact building and entrance in advance, note parking options and cost, and plan a backup ride. Test sites are sometimes inside buildings with multiple entrances.
Plan to arrive early
Aim to arrive well before your scheduled time to allow for check-in and ID verification. Confirm the required arrival time and late-arrival policy with your provider.
Phone and smartwatch plan
Plan to leave them in your vehicle or in whatever storage the site designates. Confirm the site's electronics policy; devices are typically required to be off and out of reach during testing.
Light snack and water
Eat a normal meal beforehand so you are steady for lifting and ambulation skills. Confirm whether food and drink are permitted in the waiting area; they are usually not allowed in the testing room.
Plan the day
Re-read your authorization notice and confirm the date, time, address, and item list. Do a dry run to the site or map the route in detail, including parking. Put your ID and notice in one bag so they cannot be forgotten. Review the skills checklist your training program gave you and practice talking through each skill out loud, especially hand hygiene and the skills you find hardest.
If any detail on your notice looks wrong (name spelling, test type, location, date), contact your testing provider now rather than on test day. Confirm any policies you are unsure about, such as watch use, jewelry, electronics storage, and break rules.
Pack your bag: ID, notice, watch, hair tie, and anything else your notice lists. Lay out your clothes and shoes. Confirm your ride or transportation timing. Keep studying light: review the order of steps for a few skills and stop. Avoid alcohol, and go to bed at a normal hour. Do not stay up cramming skill steps.
Eat breakfast and hydrate, but not so much that you are uncomfortable during the skills portion. Dress as planned, leave jewelry and nail polish off, secure your hair, and leave your phone off and out of reach. Arrive early, use the restroom before check-in, and have your ID and notice in hand when you approach the desk.
Follow the staff's directions exactly. Answer questions about your identity, listen to the orientation, and ask for clarification if you do not understand an instruction about logistics, timing, or where to stand. Do not ask for help with how to perform a skill.
Read or listen to each skill prompt fully before you begin. Say your steps out loud at the point you perform them if that is how your program trained you, and narrate safety checks such as hand hygiene, privacy, and bed height. Never rush: perform each step deliberately and in order, and finish the skill completely before moving on. If you realize you missed something, correct it if the skill allows; otherwise complete the skill cleanly and move on rather than freezing.
Turn in any materials the staff requests, retrieve your belongings, and leave the testing area quietly. Do not discuss specific skill scenarios or written items with other candidates. Ask the staff how and when results are reported and what the retake process is if you need one.
Rules to check
Bring your original, unexpired photo ID. The name on it must match your training and testing records. If your name has changed, confirm with the testing provider in advance what documentation is required; do not assume a married name or nickname will be accepted.
Follow all proctor instructions about where to sit, where to stand, what to touch, and when to speak. In many skills rooms you are expected to narrate your actions; confirm with your provider what narration, if any, is required or permitted.
Electronics must be off and stored as directed. Do not use a phone as a timer, and do not wear a smartwatch if the site prohibits it. Confirm the device policy with your provider before test day.
Ask the provider in advance about breaks: whether they are allowed, whether they are timed, and whether the clock stops. Do not leave the testing area without permission.
Skills are typically scored pass/fail against a checklist that includes critical (mandatory) steps. Missing a critical step, or performing steps out of the required order, can fail that skill, and you must pass the required number of skills to pass the practical portion. Confirm the number of skills tested, the passing standard, and the retake rules with your provider.
Hand hygiene and standard precautions are evaluated throughout the skills portion, not only in a dedicated handwashing skill. Treat every hand-hygiene moment as a scored step.
A late arrival or missed appointment can affect your ability to test. Confirm the late-arrival and no-show/rescheduling policy with your provider; do not assume you will be allowed to test or reschedule without a fee.
Do not share, photograph, or discuss test content, and do not accept help from another candidate. Report any problem with equipment or instructions to the proctor immediately.