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NURSE AIDE · US WRITTEN & KNOWLEDGE PRACTICE

Free CNA practice test.
Understand each answer.

Try eight original CNA knowledge questions below. Create a free account for more AI-generated multiple-choice practice, explanations, and basic progress tracking.

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✓ No account needed for the 8 samples✓ Answers explained✓ State exam guidance
Practice previewLearn the reason. Keep the knowledge.
RESIDENT RIGHTSLearning example
A resident declines a routine bath. What principle should guide your response?
A Complete the task regardless of their wishes
✓ Respect their choice and report the refusal
Choice is part of resident care.

Ask about their concern without pressure. Follow the care plan and tell the nurse about the refusal.

Practice. Understand. Review.

Published by PrepForCerts · Editorial responsibility and sources · Updated

Original AI-assisted learning samples prepared by PrepForCerts and checked against the linked sources. These are not actual issuer exam items or a claim of clinical or practical competence.

Start with a short CNA knowledge check

These free CNA practice questions help nurse aide students review resident rights, infection prevention, communication, observation, and daily care. Each question has four choices and one best answer for the situation described. You can check a choice or open the answer directly.

This is an eight-question learning sample. Your results can help you choose what to study next; they do not predict an official exam score.

Prepare for the right exam. CNA testing rules depend on your state and provider. This page supports written and knowledge study. Prepare separately for hands-on skills using your training program and the current state candidate handbook.

8 free CNA practice questions with answers

Choose an answer, then select Check answer. Read why the best answer fits. You can reset each question and try it again. Select a choice to enable its check button.

Original educational examples created for this page. They are not official, recalled, or leaked exam questions. Clinical review is pending.

QUESTION 1 OF 8 · INFECTION PREVENTION

After helping a resident with care that required gloves, a nurse aide removes the gloves. What should happen next?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. Gloves do not replace hand hygiene. Clean your hands after removing them. Use the method required for the situation and facility policy; visible dirt is not the only reason to clean your hands.

Source: CDC hand hygiene guidance

QUESTION 2 OF 8 · RESIDENT RIGHTS

A resident says, “I do not want my scheduled bath now.” What is the best response?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. Respect the resident’s choice. Ask calmly about the concern and report the refusal through the proper process. Do not force routine care or change the care plan on your own.

Source: Federal resident rights requirements

QUESTION 3 OF 8 · PRIVACY

Before helping a resident with personal care in a shared room, what should the nurse aide do?

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Answer: A. Explain what you will do and protect privacy during personal care. Keep the resident covered as much as possible. A shared room does not remove the right to dignity and personal privacy.

Source: Federal resident rights requirements

QUESTION 4 OF 8 · OBSERVATION & REPORTING

Which report gives the nurse the clearest observation about a resident’s meal?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. Report what you observed and what the resident said. Specific facts help the nurse assess the situation. Labels, guesses, and unsupported diagnoses make the report less useful.

Source: New York nurse aide handbook, communication and reporting topics

QUESTION 5 OF 8 · COMMUNICATION

A resident has difficulty hearing you. Which response best supports communication?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: B. Make it easier for the resident to see and hear you. Check that they understood and follow their communication plan. Shouting can distort speech; talking past the resident excludes them.

Source: New York nurse aide handbook, communication topics

QUESTION 6 OF 8 · SAFE DAILY CARE

After routine care, which action helps a resident who is able to use a call device request assistance?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: C. Keep the call device accessible and check that the resident can use it. Follow the care plan for any additional support. A device out of reach does not help the resident request assistance.

Source: New York nurse aide handbook, resident safety and skills guidance

QUESTION 7 OF 8 · ROLE & RESPONSIBILITY

A resident asks the nurse aide to change a prescribed medication dose. What is the best response?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: A. Pass the request to the nurse. A nurse aide must not independently change a prescription. This question concerns changing a dose, not the separate rules for trained medication aides in some states.

Source: New York nurse aide handbook, role and responsibility topics

QUESTION 8 OF 8 · INDEPENDENCE & CHOICE

A resident can safely brush their own hair according to the care plan. What is the best way to help?

Show answer and explanation

Answer: D. Support the resident’s abilities and preferences within the care plan. Offer the help they need rather than taking over a task they can safely do.

Source: Federal resident rights requirements

Keep practicing for your CNA written exam.

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Account practice is separate from these public samples. Prepare for hands-on skills with your training program.

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What to review for a CNA knowledge exam

Use your provider’s content outline to choose your full study coverage. The topics below explain the focus of this sample; eight questions cannot cover a complete exam.

QUESTIONS 1 & 6

Infection prevention and safety

Review when hand hygiene is needed and how a resident requests assistance. For skills practice, use your provider’s procedures and your instructor’s feedback.

QUESTIONS 2, 3 & 8

Resident rights and independence

Connect dignity, privacy, choice, and the care plan to everyday situations. A time-saving action is not always the best resident care.

QUESTIONS 4 & 5

Communication and observation

Separate facts from judgments. Practice clear reports and communication that includes the resident.

QUESTION 7

The nurse aide’s role

Recognize requests that need the nurse’s attention. Check your state’s rules and training; do not assume that every healthcare task is part of the aide’s role.

Complete the rest of your outline. Add topics such as personal care, nutrition, elimination, mobility, restorative care, and psychosocial needs when they appear in your provider’s outline. The examples on this page are a starting point.

CNA exam format: check your state first

“CNA exam” can refer to different state nurse aide competency tests. Providers and requirements can differ. The two official handbook examples below show why a single national question count or time limit would be misleading.

North Carolina · Credentia NNAAP

Written examination
70 multiple-choice items
Scoring
60 scored items + 10 unscored pretest items
Time
2 hours

The handbook identifies the content outline as effective October 2024. This is a North Carolina example, not a rule for every state.

Read the North Carolina NNAAP exam outline

New York · Prometric

Written knowledge examination
60 multiple-choice questions
Time
90 minutes
Separate component
Clinical skills examination

These facts are from the New York handbook revised November 11, 2025. Check for updates before booking.

Read the New York candidate handbook

Before you schedule, confirm your state, approved testing provider, eligibility route, current fees, ID requirements, available oral or accommodation options, passing rules, and retake policy. Use the state agency or provider handbook for these details.

Knowledge practice and skills preparation have different jobs. Answering a question can help you understand a care principle. A skills evaluation requires you to perform tasks according to the applicable testing procedures. This page does not provide a hands-on simulation or replace required training.

Put your study plan into practice.

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Turn practice answers into a CNA study plan

  1. Identify your exam

    Write down your state, provider, and exam component. Keep the current candidate handbook beside your course materials.

  2. Try the questions before opening the answers

    For each choice, explain why you selected it. A correct guess still identifies a topic you may need to review.

  3. Record the reason for each error

    Was it an unfamiliar term, a missed detail, or confusion about the aide’s role? Review that point in your training materials and ask your instructor about unclear care procedures.

  4. Study knowledge and skills separately

    Use your full content outline for knowledge review. Arrange skills practice with your training program. Revisit sample questions after studying, and explain the answer without memorizing its letter.

Three common practice mistakes

Start your practice for your CNA written exam with a free account.

Create an account and enter your full exam name, including your state and provider. For example: “North Carolina Nurse Aide I — NNAAP written exam.” Review AI-generated multiple-choice practice alongside your official outline and course materials.

The eight samples above are available without an account. Account practice uses AI-generated questions and does not establish official coverage or replace instructor-led skills training. See current plan limits before choosing a plan.

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View plans and question limits

CNA practice test FAQs

Can I use this CNA practice test for free?

Yes. All eight questions and explanations on this page are free to use without an account. Create an account if you want to use the PrepForCerts study platform. Its plan features and question limits are listed on the pricing page.

Are these official CNA exam questions?

No. They are original educational examples created for this page. PrepForCerts is an independent study platform and is not endorsed by Credentia, Prometric, or a state nurse aide registry. The examples are not taken from a live certification exam.

How many questions are on the CNA exam?

Check your state and provider. The North Carolina NNAAP handbook lists 70 written items in two hours. The New York Prometric handbook lists 60 knowledge questions in 90 minutes. These are two state examples, not a nationwide rule.

What CNA practice score means I am ready?

This short sample has no validated readiness cutoff. Use mistakes to choose your next study topic. Check your provider’s official passing rules and review your full course and content outline with your instructor.

Does this page prepare me for the CNA skills test?

It reviews knowledge used in resident care. It does not assess physical performance or simulate a skills evaluation. Prepare for that component through your training program and the skills instructions in your current candidate handbook.

Can I use this page if my state has a different provider?

You can use it to review the general concepts in these examples. Match your full study plan to your own provider’s outline. Do not use the North Carolina or New York exam facts as your state’s rules unless they apply to your exam.

Official sources and content review

Exam format facts were checked against the linked handbooks on October 10, 2026. The questions are original drafts; their links identify supporting care principles or training topics, not provider approval of our questions.

Prepared by PrepForCerts for human review. Qualified clinical reviewer approval has not yet been obtained. Educational exam study only; follow your training, supervision, care plan, and facility procedures for resident care.