Certification exam study map
The written test has 60 questions in 90 minutes, drawn from five domains. Each percentage is that domain's official share of the test. Pick any topic and NEXA answers from your approved course material — in English or Spanish.
1.Role of the Nurse Aide· Rol del Auxiliar de Enfermería
18% of the testYour responsibilities, reporting, resident rights, and communication.
- Chain of command
- Reporting incidents and observations
- Documentation and legal requirements
- Routine versus urgent reporting
- Body mechanics
- Resident rights and HIPAA confidentiality
- Recognizing and reporting abuse and neglect
- Time management and work prioritization
- Ethics and the Nurse Aide Registry
- The care plan and the care team
- Therapeutic communication techniques
2.Promotion of Safety· Promoción de la Seguridad
18% of the testPreventing injuries, infection control, restraints, and emergencies.
- Hazards in the healthcare environment
- Fall prevention protocols
- Skin tears, burns, and common injuries
- Restraint alternatives and legal implications
- Elopement risk factors
- Standard precautions
- Transmission-based precautions and PPE
- Signs and symptoms of infection
- Emergency and disaster response
- Fire prevention: RACE and PASS
3.Promotion of Function and Health of Residents· Promoción de la Función y Salud de los Residentes
24% of the testPersonal care, nutrition, elimination, mobility, and psychosocial needs.
- Bathing, grooming, and dressing
- Feeding and mouth care
- Perineal and catheter care
- Skin care and preventing pressure injuries
- Nutrition, hydration, and therapeutic diets
- Bowel and bladder elimination and training
- Safe transfers and the gait belt
- Range of motion techniques
- Effects of immobility
- Age-related changes
- Maslow's hierarchy and psychosocial needs
4.Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide· Cuidados Básicos de Enfermería Brindados por el Auxiliar
26% of the testObservation and reporting, vital signs, and acute emergencies — the largest domain.
- Vital signs: pulse, respirations, and what to report
- Basic anatomy and body systems
- Observing and reporting physical changes
- Mental status and mood changes
- Reality orientation and validation
- Defense mechanisms
- Chest pain and cardiac arrest
- Choking, aspiration, and swallowing problems
- Seizures
- Recognizing signs of stroke
- Diabetic emergencies
- Falls, bleeding, and burns
5.Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changes in Health· Cuidados Especializados para Residentes con Cambios de Salud
14% of the testPhysical and psychological impairments, and care of the dying resident.
Clinical Skills Test · Examen de Destrezas Clínicas
- 22 skills are in the test pool; a computer assigns yours.
- Every test scores 5 skills: Handwashing, Indirect Care, and 3 assigned skills.
- Total time ranges from 31 to 40 minutes depending on your skills.
- One skill on every test requires recording a measurement on a form.
Ask NEXA how the skills test works → or practice step-by-step in Skills Practice.
🎧 Nurse Aide Excellence — Audiobook
The full book, narrated chapter by chapter. Included with active NEXA access.
Orientation lessons
New to NEXA? Start here to learn how your virtual instructor works.
1.Welcome to NEXA: your virtual instructor
~8 minWhat NEXA is, what it can and cannot do, and how to get the most from each study session.
2.Study skills that work for healthcare students
~10 minEvidence-informed habits — spaced practice, self-testing, and verbalizing procedures — adapted to a CNA program.
3.How skills checklists work
~7 minUnderstanding steps, order, and critical steps — so checklist practice with NEXA makes sense from day one.