Anatomy and Physiology
26%of exam
Microbiology
4%of exam
Nail Services
27%of exam
Implements, Tools and Equipment
17%of exam
Product Knowledge and Chemistry
18%of exam
Safety and Infection Control
8%of exam
Oregon Definitions — 21 Items
Not publishedof exam
Facility Standards — 35 Items
Not publishedof exam
Practice Standards — 6 Items
Not publishedof exam
Facility Operations — 6 Items
Not publishedof exam
Examinations — 5 Items
Not publishedof exam
Licensing and Certification — 9 Items
Not publishedof exam
Chemicals — 8 Items
Not publishedof exam
Quick Facts
- Credential
- Oregon Nail Technologist
- School Path
- Practical + two written
- Nail Written
- 100 questions
- Laws Written
- 90 questions
- Written Time
- 90 minutes each
- Passing
- 75% each written
- Written Provider
- Oregon HLO
- Written Delivery
- Walk-in at HLO
- Exam Fee
- $45 each written
- School Training
- 241 nail hours
- Practical Operations
- 70 required
- Practical Time
- Not published
- Practical Tasks
- Not published
- Practical Fee
- Not published by HLO
- Practical Score
- Valid five years
Nail Blueprint Order
Anatomy Micro Services | Tools Products Safety
26%4%27%17%18%8%
Skin + Nail Histology
- Nail matrix
- Produces nail plate
- Nail bed
- Supports nail plate
- Nail plate
- Visible hardened keratin
- Eponychium
- Living skin above matrix
- Cuticle
- Dead tissue on plate
- Hyponychium
- Seal under free edge
- Onycholysis
- Plate separates from bed
- Onychomycosis
- Fungal nail infection
- Pterygium
- Abnormal skin adhesion
Nail Structure Line
Matrix makes; bed supports; plate protects
Matrix: growthBed: supportPlate: keratin
Hands + Feet Anatomy
- Phalanges
- Finger and toe bones
- Metacarpals
- Palm bones
- Metatarsals
- Midfoot bones
- Muscles
- Create movement
- Tendons
- Muscle-to-bone connectors
- Ligaments
- Bone-to-bone connectors
- Nerves
- Carry sensory impulses
- Blood vessels
- Deliver oxygen and nutrients
Bacteriology
- Bacteria
- Single-celled microorganisms
- Virus
- Needs host to reproduce
- Fungus
- Includes molds and yeasts
- Parasite
- Lives on another organism
- Pathogen
- Disease-causing organism
- Immunity
- Resistance to infection
- Disinfection
- Destroys many harmful organisms
- Sterilization
- Destroys all microbial life
Service Safety Picker
- Healthy nail and skin→Proceed with service
- Suspected infection→Stop and refer
- Open wound→Do not perform service
- Product causes reaction→Stop product exposure
- Product becomes contaminated→Discard product
- Service exceeds scope→Refer appropriate professional
Treatment + Consultation
- Consultation
- Identify client needs
- Client record
- Document services and findings
- Nail analysis
- Assess plate and skin
- Contraindication
- May prohibit service
- Infection signs
- Stop and refer
- Physician referral
- Outside technician scope
- Service plan
- Match current condition
- Home care
- Support service results
Nail Care Procedures
- Manicure
- Hand and nail service
- Pedicure
- Foot and nail service
- Paraffin
- Heat-based conditioning treatment
- Effleurage
- Light gliding movement
- Petrissage
- Kneading massage movement
- Base coat
- Improves polish adhesion
- Color coat
- Adds nail color
- Top coat
- Protects color finish
Artificial Nail Procedures
- Nail tip
- Adds free-edge length
- Nail wrap
- Fabric reinforcement system
- Gel system
- Light-cured enhancement
- Acrylic system
- Monomer plus polymer
- Dehydrator
- Removes surface moisture
- Primer
- Improves product adhesion
- Maintenance
- Rebalances new growth
- Removal
- Protect natural nail
Single-Use vs Reusable
Single-use
- Cannot be disinfected
- Discard or give client
- Never reuse
Reusable
- Remove debris
- Clean thoroughly
- Disinfect before client
Discard versus reprocess
Tools + Implements
- Nipper
- Trims dead cuticle
- Nail brush
- Cleans nail surface
- Nail clipper
- Shortens nail plate
- Cuticle pusher
- Moves cuticle tissue
- Curette
- Cleans nail margins
- Foot paddle
- Reduces surface callus
- Toe separator
- Separates toes during polish
- Nail rasp
- Shapes thickened nails
- UV or LED lamp
- Cures compatible gel
- Finger bowl
- Holds manicure soak
Monomer vs Polymer
Monomer
- Liquid component
- Small reactive molecules
- Combines during curing
Polymer
- Powder component
- Larger molecular chains
- Builds enhancement body
Liquid plus powder
Product Knowledge
- Polish remover
- Dissolves nail coating
- Cuticle remover
- Softens dead tissue
- Nail conditioner
- Supports flexible plate
- Adhesive
- Bonds tips or wraps
- Dehydrator
- Removes oil and moisture
- Accelerator
- Speeds resin curing
- Monomer
- Acrylic liquid component
- Polymer
- Acrylic powder component
- Primer
- Promotes enhancement adhesion
Chemistry Essentials
- Polymerization
- Forms larger molecular chains
- Exothermic reaction
- Releases heat
- pH
- Measures acidity or alkalinity
- Solvent
- Dissolves another substance
- Acetone
- Strong nail-product solvent
- Adhesion
- Attraction between surfaces
- Catalyst
- Speeds chemical reaction
- Water
- Common chemical solvent
Reprocessing Order
Remove Clean Rinse Disinfect
Remove debrisSoap and waterClean-water rinseCorrect disinfectant
Low-Level vs High-Level Disinfectant
Low-level
- Blunt implements
- Electrical tools
- Manufacturer immersion time
High-level
- Sharp implements
- Clipper blades
- Tuberculocidal activity
Sharp means high-level
Oregon Reprocessing Picker
- Single-use nail item→Discard or give client
- Reusable blunt implement→Clean, then low-level immerse
- Reusable sharp implement→Clean, then high-level immerse
- Electrical tool→Clean, then low-level disinfect
- Clipper blade→Saturate high-level disinfectant
- Blood-contaminated disposable sharp→Labeled sharps container
Safe Usage + Devices
- Manufacturer directions
- Control safe product use
- Ventilation
- Removes fumes and dust
- Protective equipment
- Match exposure hazard
- Electrical tools
- Inspect before use
- Foot spa
- Clean and disinfect completely
- UV exposure
- Use compatible curing device
- Product storage
- Follow label directions
- Service waste
- Use covered container
Federal Agencies
OSHA workers | FDA products | EPA disinfectants
WorkplaceCosmeticsRegistration
Federal Standards
- OSHA
- Workplace safety requirements
- FDA
- Cosmetic product oversight
- EPA
- Disinfectant registration
- SDS
- Hazards and response guidance
- Product label
- Identity and safe directions
- Exposure control
- Reduce workplace contact
- Ventilation standard
- Controls airborne hazards
- Waste handling
- Follow applicable requirements
Oregon Definitions — 21 Items
- Authorization
- Certificate license permit registration
- Facility
- Location providing regulated services
- Field of practice
- Defined cosmetology service area
- Independent contractor
- Not under facility control
- Freelance authorization
- Practice away from facility
- Soiled
- Used, not reprocessed
- High-level disinfectant
- EPA-registered tuberculocidal agent
- Low-level disinfectant
- Bactericidal, fungicidal, limited virucidal
- Work area
- Services or preparation area
Facility Standards — 35 Items
- Equipment surfaces
- Cleanable and nonporous
- Sinks
- Clean and residue-free
- Clean tools
- Store separately
- Tool drawers
- Clean tools only
- Service waste
- Covered container
- Chemical waste
- Closed container after service
- Animals
- Service animals and fish excepted
- Disinfectants
- Effective strength, immediately available
- Foot spas
- Clean and disinfect properly
Practice Standards — 6 Items
- Practice scope
- Stay within certified field
- Client contact item
- Clean, disinfect, or discard
- Suspected infection
- Stop service and refer
- Manufacturer instructions
- Follow during product use
- Client protection
- Prevent injury and contamination
- Professional conduct
- Follow Board standards
Freelance vs Independent Contractor
Freelance
- Works away from facility
- Written authorization
- Off-site practice
Independent contractor
- Separate registration
- Not under facility control
- May work inside facility
Location versus control
Facility Operations — 6 Items
- Facility license
- Required service location
- Freelance authorization
- Permits off-site practice
- Independent contractor
- Separate practitioner registration
- Temporary facility
- Maximum 30 consecutive days
- Home facility
- Facility standards still apply
- Certificate renewal
- Every two years
Oregon HLO vs NIC
Oregon HLO
- Current Oregon written provider
- Oregon-specific blueprints
- Walk-in Salem testing
NIC
- National exam program
- Separate national blueprints
- Not Oregon's listed written route
Use Oregon HLO bulletins
Examinations — 5 Items
- Nail examination
- 100 questions
- Laws examination
- 90 questions
- Each written limit
- 90 minutes
- Written passing score
- 75% minimum
- Written delivery
- HLO walk-in testing
- Application window
- Pass within two years
- Failures one through ten
- Next-business-day retake
- After tenth failure
- Board determines qualifications
Nail Written vs Laws Written
Nail written
- 100 questions
- 90 minutes
- 75% minimum
Laws written
- 90 questions
- 90 minutes
- 75% minimum
Pass both written examinations
Practical vs Written
Practical
- Board-approved
- School submits score
- Valid five years
Written
- HLO administered
- Two examinations
- Pass within two years
School practical; HLO written
Oregon Certification Path
- Oregon school graduate→School submits transcript
- Practical passed→School submits score
- Nail knowledge tested→Take HLO nail written
- Oregon rules tested→Take HLO laws written
- Both written passed→Pay certification fees
- Active outside license→Use reciprocity pathway
Licensing + Certification — 9 Items
- Nail curriculum
- 241 hours
- Practical operations
- 70 operations
- Oregon rules study
- 20 hours
- Career development
- 20 hours
- Practical examination
- Board-approved school examination
- Practical task list
- Not published by HLO
- Practical time
- Not published by HLO
- Practical pass percentage
- Not published by HLO
- Practical fee
- Not published by HLO
- Practical score validity
- Five years
- Application fee
- $30
- Each written fee
- $45
- Original certificate
- $35 for two years
- Identification
- Two originals; one photo
Chemicals — 8 Items
- Unused substances
- Keep covered
- Product temperature
- Follow manufacturer instructions
- Product debris
- Foreign objects prohibited
- Client-contact products
- Prevent container contamination
- Single-use spatula
- Acceptable dispensing method
- Used substances
- Dispose immediately
- Chemical waste
- Close after each service
- End-of-day chemical waste
- Fire-retardant container
Common Traps
Oregon versus NIC
Oregon uses HLO written exams ≠ NIC blueprint is different
One written versus two
Nail written required ≠ Laws written also required
Practical location
School handles practical ≠ HLO handles written
Blunt versus sharp tools
Blunt: low-level disinfectant ≠ Sharp: high-level disinfectant
Single-use items
Discard or give client ≠ Never disinfect for reuse
Application versus practical validity
Written window: two years ≠ Practical score: five years
Failure count
Through tenth: next business day ≠ After tenth: Board review
Business authorizations
Freelance concerns location ≠ Contractor concerns control
Last Minute
- 1.Use Oregon HLO bulletins
- 2.Nail written: 100 questions
- 3.Laws written: 90 questions
- 4.Each written: 90 minutes
- 5.Pass each written at 75%
- 6.Bring two original IDs
- 7.One ID must show photo
- 8.Written exams cost $45 each
- 9.Practical score lasts five years
- 10.Written window lasts two years
- 11.Sharp tools need high-level disinfectant
- 12.Single-use items never return
- 13.Remember 26-4-27-17-18-8
- 14.Check current HLO testing hours
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