Nevada CNA
Nevada Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Certification Examination
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Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
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ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
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ExploreAbout this exam
The Nevada Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential is administered under the authority of the Nevada State Board of Nursing, the state agency whose stated mission is to protect the public's health, safety and welfare through effective nursing regulation. Candidates pursue certification to work as nursing assistants in long-term care, acute care, home health and community settings; the standing CNA and Medication Aide Advisory Committee that advises the Board on nursing assistant matters includes representatives drawn from exactly those practice areas. The competency examination is organized around three content areas: physical care skills, psychosocial care skills, and the role of the nurse aide. Expect the test to ask you to apply those areas rather than simply recall them, with items on safe resident handling, infection control, observation and reporting, resident rights, communication, and knowing what falls inside and outside your role. To prepare, start with the Nurse Practice Act that the Board links directly (NRS Chapter 632 for statutes, NAC Chapter 632 for regulations), then build a study plan that covers all three domains instead of drilling personal-care steps alone. Because eligibility, application steps, scheduling and fees are handled by the Board itself, verify every detail through the Board's Application Instructions/Forms/FAQs page and your Nevada Nurse Portal account before you pay for or schedule anything. This page is independent study material and is not affiliated with the Board.
What you'll study
About Nevada CNA preparation
Who regulates CNA certification in Nevada?
The Nevada State Board of Nursing, a government agency established by Nevada law to protect the public from unsafe practice. A separate CNA and Medication Aide Advisory Committee, whose composition is defined by statute in NRS 632.072, advises the Board on nursing assistant and medication aide-certified matters. Applications, renewals and messages run through your Nevada Nurse Portal account.
What content does the exam cover?
Three domains: physical care skills, psychosocial care skills, and the role of the nurse aide. The first covers personal care, mobility, safety and infection control; the second covers resident rights, behavior, communication and family interaction; the third covers scope, delegation, documentation and reporting. The role domain carries roughly as much weight as each of the other two, so do not skip it.
How hard is the examination?
Difficulty comes less from obscure facts than from applied judgement. Items typically describe a situation and ask what you do first, what you report, or what is safe. Candidates who memorize steps without understanding rationale struggle most. Practice explaining out loud why an action is safe or unsafe, and rehearse the order of steps rather than just the steps.
How many questions are on the test, and how long do I have?
Those specifics vary and are not posted on the Board's CNA advisory committee page. Your authorization and the Board's Application Instructions/Forms/FAQs page carry the current structure. Do not plan around a number you saw in an old forum thread or heard from a classmate; confirm the format before you schedule.
What happens if I do not pass?
Retake rules, waiting periods and any additional fees are set by the Board and can change. Check the Application Instructions/Forms/FAQs page and the message center in your Nevada Nurse Portal account for the rule attached to your authorization. For a general question, email [email protected] or call (888) 590-6726 toll free.
In what order should I study?
Go domain by domain: physical care first, because concrete skills give you anchors for the rest; then psychosocial care; then the role of the nurse aide. Finish with mixed practice so you rehearse switching contexts, which is what the real test demands. Two short sessions beat one long one, and the final week should be weak-area review only.
Where do I find the laws and scope-of-practice guidance?
The Board links the Nurse Practice Act online: NRS Chapter 632 for statutes and NAC Chapter 632 for regulations. It also publishes a Scope of Practice Decision Tree and a Delegation to Assistive Personnel Decision Tree. The delegation tree is worth reading closely, since many role-of-the-aide questions turn on who may delegate what to a nursing assistant.
How do I reach the Board with a question?
General questions go to [email protected] or (888) 590-6726 toll free. Offices are in Reno at 6005 Plumas St., Suite 100, and in Las Vegas at 5820 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 200. Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific, Monday through Friday, closed on listed holidays. Use your Nevada Nurse Portal message center for anything about your own application or certificate.
Is this study material official?
No. This page is independent study content and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Nevada State Board of Nursing. Use it for practice and self-checking, but treat the Board's own pages, the Application Instructions/Forms/FAQs page and the Nurse Practice Act links, as authoritative for requirements, deadlines, fees and scoring.