Tennessee CNA

A written knowledge test and a separate hands-on skills demonstration. The written portion is multiple choice, with an oral read-aloud version available for candidates who qualify for that option. The skills portion requires you to physically perform assigned nursing tasks while an evaluator watches and scores each step. You must prepare for both; passing one does not carry the other.

Those specifics are set by the official testing program and are not stated in the sources we were able to verify, so we do not publish a number. Check the current candidate handbook or your training program coordinator before exam day, and plan your pacing around the official time limit rather than around any figure you see online.

The passing standard is set by the state program and its testing vendor, and we could not verify a current figure from an authoritative source. Do not rely on a number quoted in forums or older study guides. Confirm the current passing score and scoring method in the official candidate materials before you sit for the exam.

Retake rules - including waiting periods, the number of attempts allowed, and any additional fee - are governed by the state program and are not stated in the sources we verified. Contact the official testing program or your training coordinator for the current policy. Build a retake plan before exam day so a single failure does not stall your job search.

The skills demonstration is the usual stumbling block, and rarely because of technique. Candidates lose points on hand hygiene timing, skipping a step in a multi-step procedure, forgetting to explain what they are doing to the resident, and omitting safety checks such as locking brakes or lowering the bed. Practicing the full sequence out loud, in order, catches these errors.

Start with basic nursing skills and infection control, since hand hygiene and transmission precautions also appear inside the skills demonstration. Then move to personal care and activities of daily living, then safety and emergency care. Resident rights, communication, and cognitive impairment content is largely recall-based, so it rewards shorter, repeated review sessions rather than long cramming blocks.

No. Multiple-choice practice builds recall for the written test, but the skills portion is scored on observed performance of physical steps. Recruit a partner, use a checklist written in the same order as the published procedure, and rehearse with a real sink, real linens, and a real timer. Verbalize every step, because evaluators score what they can see and hear.

Requirements vary by site and are set by the testing vendor, so confirm the current list in your admission materials. In general, expect to present valid photo identification matching your registration name, and expect personal items to be stored away from the testing area. Ask in advance about any accommodations you may need rather than raising them on exam day.

No. This is independent study material produced by a separate platform. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Prometric, the State of Tennessee, or any nurse aide training program. Use it as one practice resource, and treat the official candidate handbook as the final authority on eligibility, format, fees, and scoring.

Do a full-length written practice set early in the week to expose weak domains, then spend two days on those domains only. Rehearse each skills procedure from start to finish at least twice, once slowly and once under time. Reserve the last day for light review of resident rights and communication, and stop studying early enough to sleep before an early testing slot.