Knowledge Test Format & Scheduling in TMU

Knowledge Test Format & Scheduling in TMU

Passing the Oregon Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) exam requires completing a two-part evaluation consisting of a written Knowledge Test and a hands-on Skills Evaluation. The knowledge test measures a candidate’s understanding of clinical guidelines, safety codes, patient rights, and professional standards. In Oregon, this exam is administered using an advanced, web-based testing system, and preparing for its format, timing, and structure is essential for achieving a passing score on the first attempt.

D&S Headmaster and the TMU Platform

The Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) contracts with D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) to manage and deliver the CNA licensing examinations. Headmaster utilizes an online portal called Testmaster Universe (TMU), which is accessed at or.tmutest.com.

As a candidate, the TMU platform is the central hub for the certification process. Through TMU, you will:

• Complete your application and pay exam fees.
• Schedule your exam at an approved regional testing site.
• Receive testing notifications and instructions.
• Access official exam results (usually available within 24 to 48 hours of completing the test).
• Maintain your record on the Oregon Registry after passing.

It is important to secure your login credentials and verify that your training program has marked you as "complete" in the TMU system before you attempt to schedule an exam date.

Knowledge Test Format and Delivery

The knowledge exam is designed to test cognitive recall, clinical judgement, and safety awareness. It is offered in two main delivery formats:

1. Written (Computerized) Exam: This is the standard format. Candidates sit at a computer terminal at an approved testing site and read the questions and options on the screen, selecting their answers using a mouse or keyboard.
2. Audio Exam: Candidates who have reading difficulties, dyslexia, or speak English as a second language can request an Audio Test. In this format, the candidate wears headphones, and a pre-recorded voice reads each question and multiple-choice option aloud. The candidate still selects the answer on the computer screen. There is an additional fee for choosing the audio option, and it must be requested when scheduling the exam in TMU.

Time Limit and Passing Score

• Number of Questions: The exam consists of 80 multiple-choice questions.
• Time Limit: Candidates are given exactly 90 minutes to complete the test. This equates to approximately 1 minute and 7 seconds per question.
• Passing Score: Candidates must achieve a score of 73% or higher to pass the knowledge portion of the exam. This means you must answer at least 59 out of the 80 questions correctly.

Fee Structure

Understanding the fees is important for budget planning. The current fee schedule is as follows:

• Initial Exam Package: $106. This fee covers both the first attempt at the Knowledge Test and the first attempt at the Skills Evaluation.
• Knowledge Test Retake: $25. If a candidate passes the skills evaluation but fails the knowledge test, they only need to retake the knowledge test and pay this $25 retake fee.

Core Content Areas of the Exam

The 80 questions on the knowledge test are divided among several key subject areas based on the OSBN exam blueprint. Preparing for the exam requires a well-rounded understanding of these domains:

• Basic Nursing Skills: Includes monitoring vital signs, measuring height/weight, recording intake/output, bed making, and repositioning.
• Safety and Emergency Procedures: Covers fall prevention, fire safety (RACE and PASS protocols), choking response (abdominal thrusts), and emergency evacuations.
• Infection Control: Focuses on hand hygiene, standard precautions, transmission-based precautions (contact, droplet, airborne), and handling contaminated linens.
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Tests active listening, addressing barriers to communication (e.g., visual or hearing impairments), and proper documentation standards.
• Client Rights: Emphasizes privacy, confidentiality (HIPAA), promoting independence, and obtaining consent.
• Role and Responsibility: Covers scope of practice, delegation rules, professional boundaries, and mandatory abuse reporting laws.
• Mental Health and Illness: Includes basic mental health needs, de-escalation techniques, and emotional support.
• Care of the Cognitively Impaired: Focuses on dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, managing behaviors, and reality orientation vs. validation therapy.

Test-Taking Strategies for TMU

Success on a computerized exam requires more than just memorizing facts; it demands effective test-taking habits.

Time Management and Pacing

Because the exam is timed (90 minutes for 80 questions), do not let yourself get stuck on a single difficult question. A helpful technique is the "two-pass" method:

• First Pass: Go through the exam and answer all the questions that you are 100% sure of. If a question is confusing or requires deep thought, use the TMU "Flag" feature to mark it and move on immediately.
• Second Pass: Once you have completed all the easy questions, return to your flagged questions. You will have plenty of time remaining, and you will feel less pressured because the bulk of the exam is already complete.

Reading the Stem Carefully

CNA exam questions are designed to test clinical safety, which means details matter.

• Look out for key words such as FIRST, BEST, MOST, LEAST, or EXCEPT.
• For example, a question asking "What should the CNA do FIRST when finding a fire?" requires you to identify the immediate step (Rescue/Alarm) rather than a later step (Extinguish), even if all choices are correct parts of the fire protocol.

Process of Elimination

For every question, try to eliminate at least two obviously incorrect choices.

• In CNA testing, options that involve leaving a resident unsafe, ignoring a resident's complaint, performing a task outside your scope of practice (such as administering medication), or acting aggressively are always incorrect.
• If you can eliminate two incorrect answers, your chances of choosing the correct one increase to 50%.

Check Your Answers

Before clicking the final submit button in TMU, review your exam summary screen. Make sure you have answered every single question. There is no penalty for guessing, so never leave a question blank.