10.4 Exam-Day Plan & 7-Day Final Review
Key Takeaways
- Florida candidates may test by completing a state-approved training program OR by the exam-challenge route (no full program required); both written and skills must be passed.
- Written exam: ~60 multiple-choice questions, ~90 minutes, ~72% to pass; skills: 5 skills in ~31-40 minutes scored on Critical Element Steps.
- Retake only the failed portion within Florida's attempt window; a passed portion holds while you re-sit the other.
- Bring a valid government photo ID matching your registration exactly plus your Prometric admission letter; arrive ~30 minutes early with no phone or smartwatch.
- After passing both parts you are added to the Florida Nurse Aide Registry (pending a clear Level 2 background screen); recertify with in-service hours and paid nursing work every 2 years.
Routes, Format, and Retakes
Florida is unusual in offering two routes to the exam. You may complete a state-approved nurse-aide training program, or you may use the exam-challenge route — sitting the competency exam without finishing a full approved program (Florida explicitly permits this). Either way, you must pass both parts: the written (or oral) knowledge test of about 60 multiple-choice questions (roughly 90 minutes, pass at about 72%) and the 5-skill clinical evaluation (about 31-40 minutes, scored on Critical Element Steps).
The two parts are scored separately, so if you pass one and fail the other you retake only the failed portion — the passed part holds while you re-sit. Florida allows a limited number of attempts within a defined window; if you exhaust them you must complete (or repeat) approved training before testing again. Pacing your attempts and not rushing an unprepared sitting is part of the strategy.
What to Bring
| Bring | Notes |
|---|---|
| Valid government photo ID | Name must match your Prometric registration exactly |
| Prometric admission/confirmation letter | Confirms date, time, and site |
| Knowledge of your test-site route | Plan parking and traffic; arrive ~30 minutes early |
Leave study notes, phones, and smartwatches in the car or in approved storage — personal items are not allowed in the testing area. Wear clean, professional clothing you can move in, since you will perform physical skills.
High-Yield Integrated Final Review
Use this compact cram as a last pass. These are the figures the written test and the skills tolerances both lean on.
Normal Adult Vital Sign Ranges
| Vital Sign | Normal Adult Range |
|---|---|
| Temperature (oral) | ~97.6-99.6 degrees F (avg 98.6) |
| Pulse (radial) | 60-100 beats/min |
| Respirations | 12-20 breaths/min |
| Blood pressure | <120/80 normal; ~90/60 to 120/80 acceptable |
| Oxygen saturation | 95-100% |
NNAAP-Style Measurement Tolerances
| Measurement | Pass Within |
|---|---|
| Blood pressure | +/-8 mmHg (systolic and diastolic) |
| Radial pulse | +/-4 beats |
| Respirations | +/-2 breaths |
| Weight | +/-2 lb (+/-0.9 kg) |
Infection Control & Resident Rights (memorize)
- Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infection — before and after every resident contact.
- Standard precautions apply to all residents; treat all blood/body fluids as infectious. Don PPE in order gown, mask, goggles, gloves; remove gloves, goggles, gown, mask (gloves off first, mask off last).
- Resident rights (OBRA): privacy and confidentiality, dignity and respect, freedom from abuse/neglect/restraint, the right to refuse treatment, to be informed, to manage finances, and to voice grievances. The CNA scope is basic care and observation/reporting — never diagnosing, never giving medications, never changing a sterile dressing.
7-Day Final Review Plan
The last week consolidates; it does not introduce new material. Rotate domains so weak areas get attention while strong areas stay sharp, and drill the always-tested hand washing every single day.
| Day | Focus |
|---|---|
| 7 | Florida facts: exam-challenge vs. approved-program routes, Nurse Aide Registry, abuse hotline 1-800-962-2873, CNA scope of practice; 40 practice questions |
| 6 | Basic Nursing Care: vital-sign ranges and tolerances, observation/reporting, emergencies; hand washing drill |
| 5 | Promotion of Function/Health: personal care, nutrition/feeding, elimination, mobility, ROM; transfer + feeding skill drill |
| 4 | Safety + Infection Control: falls, RACE fire response, PPE don/doff order, standard precautions; hand washing drill |
| 3 | Specialized care: dementia, mental health, disease process, end-of-life; perineal/catheter skill drill |
| 2 | Full timed written practice + full timed 5-skill simulation with a partner reading prompts once |
| 1 | Light review of weak notes only; confirm logistics and ID; rest |
Daily Routine This Week
- Answer 30-40 practice questions and review every missed rationale.
- Perform hand washing plus one rotating skill against a checklist, then verify against the tolerances table.
- Write one short note on your weakest area.
- Stop studying early enough to sleep fully — fatigue causes the small misses (privacy, call light, documenting before "done") that fail skills.
Day-Before, Exam Day, and After You Pass
The Day Before
- Do not cram or learn new material — review weak-area notes only for a short session.
- Confirm the test-site address, parking, and travel time; plan to arrive ~30 minutes early.
- Lay out your photo ID, confirmation letter, and clothing you can move in.
- Eat a normal dinner, hydrate, and get a full night's sleep. A rested candidate notices privacy, call light, and sequence; a tired one does not.
On Exam Day
- Arrive early, store personal items, and check in with matching ID.
- For the skills portion: open every skill the same way (greet, identify, explain, privacy, hand hygiene/gloves), narrate to the resident throughout, and close every skill the same way (comfort, low/locked bed, call light in reach, hand hygiene). Begin hand washing on your own — it is not prompted.
After You Pass and Staying Certified
Passing both parts is not the final administrative step. Your results go to the state and your name is added to the Florida Nurse Aide Registry (generally within about 30 days), contingent on a clear Level 2 background screening. You are not employable as a CNA until you appear on the registry.
To stay certified, a Florida CNA must complete the required in-service training (about 24 hours over each 2-year period) and perform at least one day of paid nursing or nursing-related services during that period; keep copies of in-service certificates and work verification, and update your name/address with the registry rather than waiting until renewal month to find missing hours.
A Florida candidate passes the written test but fails the skills evaluation. Under Florida policy, what happens next?
What is the most appropriate plan for the day before the Florida CNA exam?
Which feature makes Florida's path to the CNA exam notable compared with many other states?
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