Certified nursing assistants (CNAs), also known as nurses’ aides, orderlies, patient care technicians, and home health aides, work under the supervision of a nurse to provide assistance to patients with their everyday nursing needs in long term care units or nursing homes. It is their duty making sure that sick and injured patients have their basic needs met.

In order to work as a Certified Nursing Assistant, a nursing aide must complete a nurse’s aide training program, and then pass the CNA certification test given by the State Board of Nursing. The certification test consists of two parts, a written exam and hands-on or clinical skills. After  passing the test, a nursing aide is certified and listed with the Nursing Aide Registry and can work legally in any long term care units or nursing homes.

The CNA competency evaluation tests are conducted to evaluate the skills learned during the course of CNA Training programs, their knowledge and understanding of the fundamental skills and concepts needed in order to become a Certified Nursing Assistant.

The practical or hands on skill tests are anywhere from three to six different clinical skills, which may include tasks such as repositioning patient, taking their temperature, washing your hands, changing the bed linen, measuring temperature and pulse rate or blood pressure and holding the bedpan.

The written portion basically concentrates on the overall medical procedures and concepts that have been learned while the student was in training.

The following sample questions would help a nursing aide to understand, the types of questions, which may be asked during CNA Exam.

Sample Questions for CNA Test:

Before taking the oral temperature of a patient, who has just finished a chilled cold drink, the nurse aide should wait:

• 10 to 15 minutes
• 20 to 30 minutes
• 40 to 50 minutes
• at least 1 hour

When helping a patient who is recovering from a heart stroke to walk, the nurse aide should assist:

• from behind the client
• on the client’s weak side
• on the client’s strong side
• with a wheelchair

Should a nurse aide share a patient’s status with?

• any one the nurse aide sees fit
• the patients family members
• the patients roommate
• the patients friends

By preparing similar types of questions, Nursing Aide student can prepare for the CNA examination.