1.1 About the Georgia CNA Exam
Key Takeaways
- The Georgia CNA written exam is 60 scored NNAAP multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes; you need 70% (42 of 60) to pass, and the written form actually contains 70 items because 10 are unscored pretest questions.
- An oral version adds 10 reading-comprehension (word-recognition) items to the 60 questions and gives you 2 hours; you must pass both the multiple-choice and reading sections.
- You must also pass a Clinical Skills Evaluation of 5 randomly selected skills, and hand washing is always one of the five.
- Credentia administers the exam for the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH); Alliant Health Solutions manages the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry under DCH authority.
- Eligibility requires a DCH-approved training program of at least 85 hours (including 24 supervised clinical hours), and you get 3 attempts within 1 year of finishing training before you must repeat the program.
About the Georgia CNA Exam
Quick Answer: Georgia uses the NNAAP (National Nurse Aide Assessment Program) exam delivered by Credentia. It has two parts: a written (or oral) test scored on 60 questions in 90 minutes that you pass at 70% (42 of 60 correct), and a Clinical Skills Evaluation of 5 randomly selected skills, with hand washing always included. You must finish an 85-hour DCH-approved training program before you may test.
The Georgia Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential rests on the federal OBRA '87 (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987), often called the Nursing Home Reform Act, which requires every state to run a competency exam and keep a Nurse Aide Registry. Georgia carries this out through a three-part "power triangle" you should memorize, because state-specific questions test it directly.
The Georgia Power Triangle
- Credentia — the testing vendor (Credentia Nurse Aide LLC) that administers both the written/oral exam and the clinical skills evaluation and schedules your test dates.
- Alliant Health Solutions — manages the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry and oversees the Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Program (NATCEP).
- Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) — the state agency with regulatory authority that approves training programs and writes the rules.
A common trap question asks which organization "gives" the test. The answer is Credentia — not the DCH (regulator) and not Alliant (registry).
Exam Format and the 70-vs-60 Detail
The NNAAP 2024 content outline is effective October 2024 and is based on NCSBN's 2019-2020 Job Analysis of nurse aides. One detail trips up test-takers: the written form actually presents 70 multiple-choice items, but only 60 are scored — the other 10 are unscored pretest items being tried out for future exams. You cannot tell which is which, so answer every question. You pass at 70% of the 60 scored items, which is 42 correct.
The oral examination is offered for candidates who read English with difficulty. It keeps the same 60 questions (each read aloud twice) and adds a 10-item reading-comprehension/word-recognition section that tests common job-related words; you get 2 hours and must pass both sections.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Written scored questions | 60 multiple-choice (NNAAP), plus 10 unscored pretest items |
| Time limit (written) | 90 minutes |
| Passing score (written) | 70% (42 of 60 scored correct) |
| Oral option | 60 questions + 10 reading-comprehension items, 2 hours, pass both |
| Skills evaluation | 5 randomly selected skills; hand washing always included |
| Skills passing standard | Every required step performed satisfactorily |
| Test vendor | Credentia |
| Registry manager | Alliant Health Solutions (under Georgia DCH) |
Eligibility, Training, and Attempts
To be eligible you must finish a DCH-approved Nurse Aide Training Program of at least 85 total hours, of which at least 24 hours are supervised clinical experience in a nursing home. Georgia's 85-hour floor exceeds the federal OBRA minimum of 75 hours. After training you get a maximum of 3 attempts within 1 year; miss that window or fail all three and you must repeat the entire training program.
Who Pays, and Staying on the Registry
Under federal law and Georgia rules, a nursing home must pay all exam fees — including retest fees — for nurse aides it employs during or after training. If you are not employed by a nursing home, you pay your own fees through Credentia. To keep your registry listing active you must work at least 8 paid hours as a nurse aide every 24 months; there is no grace period.
NNAAP Content Weights
Focus your time by exam weight. The NNAAP groups content into three top-level areas:
| Content Area | Weight | Key sub-topics |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Care Skills | 64% | Activities of daily living (22%), basic nursing skills (35%), restorative/self-care (7%) |
| Role of the Nurse Aide | 26% | Communication (7%), client rights (8%), legal & ethical behavior (5%), member of the health care team (6%) |
| Psychosocial Care Skills | 10% | Emotional & mental health needs (8%), spiritual & cultural needs (2%) |
Example: A candidate answers 41 of the 60 scored questions correctly. Because 70% of 60 is 42, a score of 41 (about 68%) is a fail — even by one question. The skills evaluation is graded separately and cannot rescue a failed written test, which is why the Physical Care Skills area (64%) deserves the most study time.
How to Use This Guide
Each chapter pairs exam-specific teaching with practice quizzes. Read the teaching, then test yourself; if you miss a quiz, return to the table or list that explains it. Build a simple study plan: spend the largest block on Physical Care Skills, a solid block on the Role of the Nurse Aide (this chapter), and a shorter block on Psychosocial Care, while drilling the five most-likely clinical skills — hand washing, vital signs, transfers, perineal care, and range of motion — until each step is automatic.
On the Georgia CNA exam, which organization is responsible for administering the written and clinical skills tests?
A candidate answers 41 of the 60 scored written questions correctly. What is the result?
Georgia requires a DCH-approved nurse aide training program of at least ___ total hours before a candidate may test.
Type your answer below
How does the NNAAP written examination handle the difference between the 70 items presented and the 60 that determine your score?