Pennsylvania CNA

Two components: a written test of multiple-choice questions covering the aide's role, safety, resident function and health, basic nursing care, and care of residents with changes in condition; and a hands-on skills demonstration in which you perform assigned procedures while an evaluator scores your technique, safety, and infection control.

The current question count and time limit are set by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and its testing vendor, and they are not published in the general program information. Check the DOH Nurse Aide Testing page or your test provider's candidate handbook before exam day so you can practice at realistic pace.

Passing standards are established by the state and communicated through official testing materials rather than general program pages. Confirm the current passing score, and whether written and skills portions are scored separately, with the Department of Health or your approved test provider before you sit for the exam.

Retake rules, waiting periods, and any limits on attempts are set by the state and by the individual test site. Do not rely on secondhand accounts - ask your test provider in writing what happens after a failed portion, how soon you may reschedule, and what the additional fee is.

A defined subset is selected from the full state skills checklist on the day of your test, so you cannot predict the exact list. The safe strategy is to practice every skill on the checklist until each is automatic, including hand hygiene, measuring vital signs, positioning, transfers, feeding, and perineal care.

Start with safety and infection control, since those points are embedded in every other skill and every written scenario. Then move to the aide's role and boundaries, basic nursing care, promoting function and health, and finally care of residents whose condition is changing - the area where clinical judgment questions cluster.

Missed hand hygiene, forgetting to identify the resident and explain the procedure, skipping privacy measures such as closing the curtain or door, unsafe body mechanics during transfers, and failing to report an abnormal finding. Evaluators score what they see, so narrate your safety steps aloud as you work.

Fees, registration steps, and accepted payment methods are set by the Department of Health and its testing contractor and can change. Get the current fee schedule and scheduling instructions from the official DOH Nurse Aide Testing resource rather than from a training program brochure or a third-party website.

Eligibility requirements - including any required training hours and whether your program must be state-approved - are governed by state and federal rules. Verify your specific eligibility pathway, including any work-experience route, with the Department of Health before paying for an exam date.