Free CNA Practice Test

This free CNA practice test contains 40 of the most essential Certified Nursing Assistant questions that will help you prepare for your exam. The test has just been updated for September 2024. This is the first practice exam in a series that covers the knowledge of Basic Nursing Skills you’ll need as a new certified nursing assistant (CNA). Other tests in the series cover Basic Restorative Services, Care of Cognitively Impaired Residents, Communication and Interpersonal Skills, Infection Control, Legal and Ethical Behaviours, Mental Health and Social Services Needs, Personal Care Skills, Resident Rights, and Safety and Emergency Procedures. The practice questions are based on the same categories that are included in the official exam.

The test covers the following topics: patient safety and emergency situations, positioning the patient, use of restraints, learning the metric system, and preventing your own injuries. Each multiple-choice question has four answer options. Read the question and select the best answer (only one is correct). Not sure which one is right? Click on the hint. If you still make a mistake, you’ll see the correct answer displayed along with an explanation to help you understand. If you miss more than eight questions, you can restart the test and try again.

What to expect

Your CNA exam will have two parts: the written exam and the clinical skills test.

The written part

The written certification exam will test your knowledge of nursing concepts. You’ll have 90 minutes to complete 60 multiple-choice questions.

The Clinical skills

The clinical skills test requires you to perform several essential nursing tasks in front of an evaluator. The skills test portion is about 35-45 minutes and covers five or more skills. Here’s a list of skills you may be asked to perform:

  1. Hand hygiene
  2. Apply one knee-high elastic stocking
  3. Assist in ambulation using a transfer belt
  4. Assist with the use of bedpan
  5. Clean upper or lower denture
  6. Count and record radial pulse
  7. Count and record respirations
  8. Don and remove PPE (gown and gloves)
  9. Dress the client with an affected (weak) right arm
  10. Feed client who cannot feed self
  11. Give modified bed bath (face and one arm, hand, and underarm)
  12. Measure and record electronic blood pressure
  13. Measure and record manual blood pressure
  14. Measure and record urinary output
  15. Measure and record the weight of an ambulatory client
  16. Perform modified passive range of motion (PROM) for one knee and one ankle
  17. Perform modified passive range of motion (PROM) for one shoulder
  18. Position on side
  19. Provide catheter care for female
  20. Provide foot care on one foot
  21. Provide mouth care
  22. Provide perineal care (peri-care) for female
  23. Transfer from bed to wheelchair using a transfer belt.

CNA test is also known as:

Why these health professionals are important

Certified Nursing Assistants are vital members of the health care team. Your skills can keep your patients safe and comfortable and provide assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs). Your ability to provide hands-on care means you may be the first to notice changes in your patients. You have a lot to learn, but we are here to help. Start with the basic skills. Nearly everything builds from there. As you learn, you will become a valuable team member. Remember that health care would not be possible without the CNA. Learn more about what CNAs do on our CNA Job Description page.

Ensuring the accuracy and quality of our practice materials is paramount. Learn more about our rigorous standards in our Commitment to Accuracy article.