Missouri CNA exam-day guide
Missouri CNA · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original (not a photo or copy) of a current driver's license, state ID, passport, or military ID. Confirm with the testing provider which forms of ID they accept and whether the name must match your training records exactly.
Appointment / scheduling confirmation
Print or save the confirmation showing your test date, arrival time, and site address. Some sites require a printed admission document - confirm with the provider whether a paper copy is needed.
Training completion / eligibility paperwork
Bring anything your program told you to submit (certificate of completion, eligibility or authorization form). Confirm with your instructor and the provider what, if anything, is required at check-in.
Uniform or scrubs per the dress code
Clean scrubs or a neat, professional outfit you can move and bend in. Confirm the provider's dress code before the day - some sites prohibit shorts, jeans, tank tops, and open-back shoes.
Closed-toe, flat, non-slip shoes
You will be on your feet and moving around a skills lab. Avoid heels, clogs with slick soles, and sandals.
Watch with a second hand (or provider-supplied timer)
Some skills require counting a pulse or respirations. Confirm whether your site supplies a clock or timer or whether you must bring your own watch; many sites do not allow smartwatches.
Short, clean nails with no polish and no artificial nails
Standard infection-control expectation for skills testing. Confirm your provider's specific rule on polish and nail length before the exam.
No jewelry beyond a plain band; no strong fragrance
Remove dangling earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and strong perfume or cologne. Confirm any exceptions (for example, religious items) with the provider in advance.
Two pens or pencils and a small notebook (for the waiting room only)
The provider usually supplies writing materials for the knowledge test. Confirm what you may and may not bring into the testing room.
Water and a light snack for after the test
Keep it in your bag or car. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed in the waiting area.
Transportation and parking plan
Know the route, parking cost, and backup ride. Arriving late can mean forfeiting your seat and fee - confirm the provider's late-arrival policy.
Glasses or hearing aids you normally use
Bring them if you need them to read the knowledge test or hear instructions. Tell the proctor at check-in if you need any accommodation, and arrange accommodations well before test day.
Plan the day
Re-read the skills checklists your program gave you and rehearse each skill out loud, in order, on a pillow or family member. Practice saying your hand hygiene and safety steps aloud - many candidates lose points by doing a step silently rather than skipping it.
Confirm your test date, arrival time, exact building and room, and what to bring. Call or check the provider's site if anything on your confirmation is unclear. Confirm the late-arrival and rescheduling policies now, not on test day.
Lay out your uniform, shoes, ID, and confirmation. Protect your sleep: studying until 2 a.m. costs more points than one more review of the checklist.
Do one calm pass over the skills you feel least confident about, then stop. Pack your bag with ID, confirmation, paperwork, watch, pens, water, and snack.
Eat normally, avoid alcohol, hydrate, set two alarms, and confirm your ride. Read the provider's candidate handbook section on conduct and prohibited items so nothing gets you dismissed at check-in.
Eat breakfast, dress per the dress code, and leave early enough to arrive at the check-in time stated on your confirmation - many sites ask candidates to arrive 15–30 minutes early; confirm the exact window with your provider.
Silence and stow your phone before you enter the building. Do not bring notes, smartwatches, or phones into the testing room; confirm where personal items must be stored.
At check-in, present your ID, listen to the full instructions, and ask the proctor to repeat anything unclear before the test starts - not after.
Knowledge test: read each question fully, watch for 'except' and 'best,' answer every item, and use the review/flag feature if one is offered before submitting.
Skills test: before each skill, take a breath and silently picture the steps in order. Perform hand hygiene first and last, explain what you are doing, maintain privacy and safety (bed height, brakes, side rails, call light within reach), and verbalize anything the evaluator cannot see you do.
If you make a mistake, keep going calmly - stopping or arguing with the evaluator helps nothing. If you genuinely do not understand an instruction, ask for clarification; confirm in advance what kind of questions the evaluator is allowed to answer.
Rules to check
Bring and present the original government-issued photo ID you were told to bring. If your name has changed, confirm with the provider in advance how to document the match to your training records.
Follow the provider's identification, sign-in, and secure-storage rules exactly. Phones, smartwatches, notes, and unauthorized materials in the testing area are typically grounds for dismissal - confirm the prohibited-item list with your provider.
Dress and groom per the provider's dress code: clean uniform or professional clothing, closed-toe flat shoes, short unpainted nails, minimal jewelry, and no strong fragrance. Confirm specifics before test day.
Treat the evaluator, proctor, and other candidates professionally. Do not discuss or share test content with anyone; coaching another candidate during the exam is a conduct violation.
In the skills lab, protect the 'resident's' dignity at all times: explain each step, provide privacy, and avoid unnecessary exposure. Safety and privacy errors are commonly counted as critical failures - confirm your provider's critical-step rules.
Break and restroom policies vary by site. Ask at check-in when breaks are permitted and whether leaving the room during a timed section is allowed; do not assume you can step out mid-skill.
Scoring and retake rules differ by provider: how many skills you must pass, whether critical steps must be perfect, how soon you can retest, and what the fee is. Confirm all of this with your testing provider before exam day rather than relying on what other candidates tell you.
If you need an accommodation (extra time, a reader, a physical accommodation, or a language or oral-version option), request it well before test day. Confirm the provider's deadline and documentation requirements.