Becoming a CNA in Washington

3. Pass the CNA Exam

After completing your training program, the next step is to pass the state’s CNA certification exam. Washington uses the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP), administered by Pearson VUE, to assess candidates’ knowledge and skills.

Structure of the CNA Exam:

The Washington CNA exam consists of two parts:

• Written (or Oral) Exam:
• The written exam includes 70 multiple-choice questions, which cover a variety of topics such as basic nursing care, infection control, patient rights, and safety procedures.
• You will have 2 hours to complete the exam.
• If English is not your first language, you can opt to take the exam orally. The oral exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and 10 reading comprehension questions.
• Skills Test:
• During the skills test, you will be asked to demonstrate 5 randomly selected skills from a list of 34 possible skills, such as handwashing, assisting with feeding, or transferring a patient. You must correctly perform 4 out of 5 skills to pass.
• You’ll have 30 minutes to complete the skills portion of the exam.

CNA Exam Fees:

You can schedule your exam through Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Services (NACES) by calling 1-800-444-5178 or by visiting the Washington Board of Nursing page. If you don’t pass the exam on your first attempt, you can retake the exam up to three times. After three failed attempts, you’ll need to retrain before taking the test again.

On Exam Day: What to Bring

• Valid Photo ID (driver’s license, passport, or state-issued ID)
• Social Security Card
• Non-skid, closed-toe shoes for the skills evaluation
• Three No. 2 pencils and an eraser
• A watch with a second hand

Call-to-Action:

Prepare for your test with our CNA Practice Test to improve your chances of passing the exam on the first try.

4. Certification Registration and Upkeep

Once you’ve successfully passed the CNA exam, you’ll need to apply for certification through the Washington State Department of Health.

How to Register as a CNA:

• After passing the exam, you must submit an application to the Washington Department of Health to be placed on the Washington Nurse Aide Registry. This registry allows you to work legally as a CNA in the state.
• There is a $65 fee to obtain your certification. Once your application is approved, you’ll receive your CNA license number and certification by mail.

Renewing Your Certification:

• In Washington, CNA certifications must be renewed annually. Your renewal date is based on your birthday, and it’s your responsibility to renew before the expiration date.
• To renew your CNA certification, you must submit a renewal application and pay a $70 renewal fee.
• Work Requirement: You must have worked as a CNA for at least 8 paid hours in the previous two years to be eligible for renewal. If you fail to meet this requirement, your certification will become inactive, and you’ll need to retake the CNA exam.

Recertification for Out-of-State CNAs:

• If you are certified in another state and wish to transfer your certification to Washington, you can apply for reciprocity. This process typically requires proof of your out-of-state certification, passing the Washington CNA exam, and paying the necessary fees.

CNA Exam Preparation Tips

• Study Materials: Use the NNAAP Candidate Handbook to study for the written and skills portions of the exam. The handbook provides valuable study guides and practice questions.
• Practice Tests: Take our CNA Practice Tests to simulate the exam and get comfortable with the types of questions and tasks you’ll be tested on.
• Review Skills: Focus on practicing key skills like hand hygiene, patient transfers, and recording vital signs. These are commonly tested skills during the exam.
• Prepare Early: Make sure to start preparing early to ensure you have plenty of time to study and practice for both the written and skills portions of the exam.

By thoroughly preparing for both parts of the exam, you’ll increase your chances of passing on your first attempt.

Other Local CNA Programs

id	Name	Image	Website	Street Address	City	State	Zip Code	Map Link	plus_code	Phone	latitude	longitude	latlong	Category	Reviews	Rating	5star	4star	3star	2star	1star	description	Monday Hours	Tuesday Hours	Wednesday Hours	Thursday Hours	Friday Hours	Saturday Hours	Sunday Hours	Details
2,059	Canterbury House		https://www.empres.com/location/canterbury-house/	502 29th St SE	Auburn	WA	98002	Map It!	7QJH+P9 Auburn, Washington	(253) 939-0090	47.28	-122.22	47.2818585-122.22154	Nursing home	59	2.9	26	1	2	3	27		8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	Closed	Closed	More details
2,060	Cascades Job Corps		https://www.jobcorps.gov/	2060 Powerhouse Dr	Sedro-Woolley	WA	98284	Map It!	GQJQ+JJ Sedro-Woolley, Washington	(360) 854-3400	48.53	-122.21	48.53162-122.2109885	Education center	60	3.4	31	2	6	3	18		8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	Closed	Closed	More details
2,061	Christian Health Care Center		https://chcclynden.org/	855 Aaron Dr	Lynden	WA	98264	Map It!	XH76+5W Lynden, Washington	(360) 354-4434	48.96	-122.44	48.9629228-122.4377284	Nursing home	12	4.4	9	1	1	0	1		8AM to 9PM	8AM to 9PM	8AM to 9PM	8AM to 9PM	8AM to 9PM	8AM to 9PM	8AM to 9PM	More details
2,062	Columbia Basin Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center		https://columbiabasin.jobcorps.gov/	6739 24th Ave NE	Moses Lake	WA	98837	Map It!	5MPJ+4C Moses Lake, Washington	(509) 793-1629	47.19	-119.32	47.1853039-119.318973	Vocational school	33	3.1	13	3	2	5	10		8AM to 4PM	8AM to 4PM	8AM to 4PM	8AM to 4PM	8AM to 4PM	Closed	Closed	More details
2,063	Frontier Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center		https://www.empres.com/location/frontier-rehab-care-center/	1500 3rd Ave	Longview	WA	98632	Map It!	43PH+RH Longview, Washington	(360) 423-8800	46.14	-122.92	46.1370273-122.9210664	Nursing home	72	3.6	43	4	1	2	22		8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	Closed	Closed	More details
2,064	Josephine Caring Community		https://www.josephinecc.com/	9901 272nd Pl NW	Stanwood	WA	98292	Map It!	6JVM+Q3 Stanwood, Washington	(360) 629-2126	48.24	-122.37	48.24441-122.367296	Nursing home	26	3.9	16	3	1	0	6		8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	More details
2,065	Life Care Center of the San Juan Islands		https://lcca.com/	660 Spring St	Friday Harbor	WA	98250	Map It!	GXJG+QX Friday Harbor, Washington	(360) 378-2117	48.53	-123.02	48.5319757-123.0225764		1	5.0	1	0	0	0	0									More details
2,066	Cottesmore of Life Care		https://lcca.com/locations/wa/cottesmore/	2909 14th Ave NW	Gig Harbor	WA	98335	Map It!	7CMV+XF Gig Harbor, Washington	(253) 851-5433	47.28	-122.56	47.284942-122.556283	Nursing home	250	4.7	215	22	2	0	11		Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	More details
2,067	Blossom Valley by Cogir		https://cogirusa.com/communities/blossom-valley/	1701 Orchard Ave	Wenatchee	WA	98801	Map It!	CMG4+88 Wenatchee, Washington	(509) 667-0990	47.43	-120.34	47.4258689-120.3442153	Assisted living facility	37	4.8	33	2	1	0	1		Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	Open 24 hours	More details
2,068	Lower Columbia College		https://lowercolumbia.edu/	1600 Maple St	Longview	WA	98632	Map It!	43V7+4C Longview, Washington	(360) 442-2322	46.14	-122.94	46.1428243-122.9364315	College	91	4.3	57	19	5	2	8		8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	8AM to 5PM	Closed	Closed	Closed	More details

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