Key Takeaways
- CNA exam covers 9 major content areas
- Personal Care and Basic Nursing Skills are the largest areas (15-20% each)
- Infection Control is heavily emphasized (10-15%)
- Legal and ethical considerations appear throughout
- Mental health and cognitive care focus on dementia and Alzheimer's
Last updated: January 2026
CNA Exam Content Areas
The CNA examination tests your knowledge across nine major content areas that reflect the daily responsibilities of a nursing assistant. Understanding these areas will help you focus your study efforts.
Content Distribution
| Content Area | Approximate Weight |
|---|---|
| Role and Responsibilities | 10-15% |
| Communication and Interpersonal Skills | 10-15% |
| Infection Control | 10-15% |
| Safety and Emergency Procedures | 10-15% |
| Personal Care Skills | 15-20% |
| Basic Nursing Skills | 15-20% |
| Mental Health and Cognitive Care | 5-10% |
| Legal and Ethical Considerations | 5-10% |
| Care of Special Populations | 5-10% |
Detailed Content Breakdown
1. Role and Responsibilities (10-15%)
- CNA scope of practice and limitations
- Working within the healthcare team
- Delegation and supervision
- Chain of command
- Documentation and reporting
- Time management and organization
2. Communication and Interpersonal Skills (10-15%)
- Verbal and nonverbal communication
- Active listening techniques
- Communication with patients, families, and team
- Cultural sensitivity and awareness
- Handling difficult conversations
- Reporting changes in condition
3. Infection Control (10-15%)
- Chain of infection
- Standard precautions
- Hand hygiene (most important!)
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Transmission-based precautions
- Cleaning, disinfection, and sterilization
- Bloodborne pathogens
4. Safety and Emergency Procedures (10-15%)
- Fall prevention
- Fire safety (RACE and PASS)
- Restraint use and alternatives
- Body mechanics and safe lifting
- Emergency response procedures
- Disaster preparedness
- Incident reporting
5. Personal Care Skills (15-20%)
- Bathing and showering
- Oral hygiene and denture care
- Hair care and grooming
- Nail care (within scope)
- Dressing and undressing
- Perineal care
- Toileting and incontinence care
6. Basic Nursing Skills (15-20%)
- Vital signs measurement
- Height and weight
- Intake and output
- Positioning and transfers
- Range of motion exercises
- Specimen collection
- Catheter care
- Nutrition and feeding
7. Mental Health and Cognitive Care (5-10%)
- Dementia and Alzheimer's care
- Depression in elderly
- Anxiety and agitation
- Reality orientation
- Validation therapy
- Behavioral interventions
- Abuse recognition and reporting
8. Legal and Ethical Considerations (5-10%)
- Residents' rights (OBRA)
- HIPAA and confidentiality
- Advance directives
- Informed consent
- Abuse and neglect
- Mandatory reporting
- Ethical decision-making
9. Care of Special Populations (5-10%)
- Elderly (geriatric) care
- Pediatric considerations
- Rehabilitation patients
- Hospice and end-of-life care
- Developmentally disabled
- Post-surgical patients
Test Your Knowledge
Which content area makes up the largest portion of the CNA exam?
A
B
C
D