Section 1.2: Written & Manual Skills Exam Formats

Written & Manual Skills Exam Formats

To become a Certified Nursing Assistant in Utah, you must pass the state competency evaluation administered for UNAR. The evaluation has two parts: a written knowledge exam and a manual skills (clinical) exam. Both are managed through the TMU (Testmaster Universe) platform used with D&S Diversified Technologies / Headmaster. Knowing the exact format, timing, scoring rules, fees, and attempt limits prevents avoidable failures caused by pacing mistakes or misunderstanding key-step grading.

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Testing Platform: TMU

UNAR uses TMU for candidate accounts, eligibility tracking, exam scheduling, and score posting. After an approved training program reports your completion, you create or use your TMU account to select testing dates and locations. Results are typically posted to the registry system after scoring is complete so employers can verify status. Treat TMU as your official record of attempts, fees paid, and pass/fail outcomes—not informal emails from classmates.

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The Written Knowledge Exam

The written exam measures whether you understand the knowledge base behind safe CNA practice: resident rights, communication, infection control, safety, basic nursing skills, personal care, mental health and cognitive impairment concepts, body systems at the observation level, and restorative care ideas reflected in the UNAR handbook blueprint.

Format and timing

• Questions: 75 multiple-choice items.
• Time limit: Up to two (2) hours (120 minutes)—not 90 minutes. Plan pacing for roughly 1.5 minutes per question while leaving time to review flagged items.
• Language: The standard exam is in English. Candidates who qualify for an oral administration option follow UNAR/TMU registration rules; do not assume a separate fee exists unless it appears on the current UNAR fee table.
• Content weighting: Official handbook subject areas allocate questions across domains such as introduction to healthcare and resident rights, basic nursing skills, personal care, infection prevention, safety, mental health/cognitive impairment, body systems, and rehabilitation/restorative care. Study the full handbook domains rather than memorizing only skills checklists.

Passing score

You must score at least 75%. On a 75-question exam that means 57 or more correct answers. Fifty-six correct answers is a fail. There is no partial credit for "almost" meeting the threshold.

$\text{Minimum correct} = 75 \times 0.75 = 56.25 \rightarrow \mathbf{57}$

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The Manual Skills Exam

The skills exam is a timed, observed demonstration of clinical competence before an approved RN Test Observer. You perform assigned skills on a candidate volunteer acting as the resident, using standardized equipment in a simulated clinical room.

Format and timing

• Skills assigned: 5 skills selected for your testing session (hand hygiene / handwashing expectations are mandatory elements of safe practice and appear in testing materials as required performance).
• Time limit: 45 minutes for all five skills. Incomplete skills when time expires are failed.
• Resident simulation: Speak to the volunteer as a real resident—knock/identify as required by the skill steps, explain procedures, protect dignity and privacy, and leave the call light in reach when the skill requires it.

Double scoring rule: 80% and 100% key steps

Passing skills requires both standards on each of the five skills:

1. At least 80% of the steps for that skill performed correctly.
2. 100% of key steps (critical safety/rights/infection-control actions) performed correctly. Missing one key step fails that skill even if your overall percentage looks high.

Failing any one of the five skills fails the skills exam; you must retake the skills component.

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Fees, Retakes, and Attempt Limits

According to the current UNAR fee table used with candidate registration:

• Written Knowledge Exam: $55
• Skills Exam: $55
• Both components together: $110

Retakes are charged the same per-component fee for whichever part you failed. Do not rely on outdated materials that invent oral-exam prices; if an oral administration option is offered, confirm any fee only from the live UNAR fee table—current published component fees list Written $55 and Skills $55.

Utah allows up to three (3) attempts to pass the competency evaluation components under UNAR rules. A recorded No-Show generally does not consume an attempt, but you may still owe fees depending on cancellation/no-show policy—read TMU notices carefully. After unsuccessful attempts are exhausted, you typically must retrain before testing again; follow the handbook/TMU instructions for your situation.

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Key Steps: Why One Miss Fails a Skill

Key steps protect residents from predictable harm. Examples commonly emphasized in skills testing include:

• Adequate hand hygiene friction time and correct faucet handling with a clean paper towel.
• Locking wheelchair brakes before a transfer.
• Keeping clean linens off the uniform and dirty linens off the floor.
• Providing privacy, identifying the resident, and placing the call light within reach when required.

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Scenario: The Forgotten Brake

Testing scenario: Candidate Sarah nearly completes "Transfer Resident from Bed to Wheelchair" perfectly but forgets to lock the wheelchair brakes before the pivot.

• Result: Locking brakes is a key safety step. Sarah fails that skill despite a high percentage on non-key steps, fails the skills exam, and must pay the $55 skills retake fee for another attempt within her remaining attempt allotment.