1.4 Current Two-Part Exam Flow: Skills First, Knowledge Next

Two Parts, One Fixed Order

The NAC examination consists of two parts, and the order is not optional:

1. In-person skills test (also called the skills evaluation) — performed live and observed by an RN evaluator.
2. Online knowledge test (with an oral alternative) — multiple-choice items delivered on a webcam-proctored computer.

The critical rule is sequence: skills first, knowledge second. Washington instructs candidates to register for the online knowledge (or oral) test after passing the skills test. This is the reverse of the order some other states use, so out-of-state advice frequently leads candidates to try to book the knowledge test too early.

Before either part, you need a NAC credential number issued through the credentialing application. Think of the credential number as your key: without it you cannot register for the exam at all. The sequence is therefore: get the credential number, pass the skills test, then register for and pass the knowledge test.

Inside the Skills Test

The skills evaluation is concrete and checklist-driven. From a bank of 22 possible skills, the RN evaluator hands you an instruction card listing 5 skills to perform, and the 5 always follow a fixed composition:

Key rules to internalize:

• All 5 skills must be completed successfully within 30 minutes. Pace is graded indirectly through this time limit.
• You must demonstrate enough required steps to meet the passing standard for each skill — partial or out-of-order performance can fail a single skill.
• It is recommended to perform the skills in the order listed on the instruction card.
• For the handwashing skill specifically, after performing it you may verbally state when you would wash your hands during other skills rather than physically repeating it each time.
• The RN evaluator cannot answer questions or give feedback during the test.

Because hand hygiene and a measurement skill are guaranteed, drill those two cold. The three random skills make the rest of the lab checklist non-negotiable study material — any of the remaining skills can appear.

Inside the Knowledge Test and the Attempt Rules

Once you pass skills, you register for the online knowledge test through the exam vendor. It is delivered on a webcam-proctored computer with a live proctor. Washington offers three delivery modes:

• Online Knowledge (written) exam — you read each English question yourself and select an answer.
• Online Oral exam (English) — the questions and answer choices are read aloud to you while you read along; you still select the answer.
• Online Oral Spanish exam — questions and answers are read aloud in Spanish for candidates who read English with difficulty.

The oral options exist specifically to accommodate reading difficulty, and the oral version adds a short reading-comprehension component (covered in detail in the next chapter). The written and oral forms test the same clinical content.

Attempt limits matter. Candidates are generally allowed four (4) attempts to pass both portions of the exam, and there is no overall time limit within which those four attempts must occur. The major exception is the OBRA Re-Activation route (code E8), which allows only one re-test attempt — miss it and retraining is required before testing again. Always confirm which eligibility route you are on, because it silently changes your retake math.

Common Sequencing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Because the two parts are gated and order-sensitive, most preventable failures in Washington are logistical, not clinical. Here are the recurring traps and the fix for each:

A further nuance worth internalizing: the skills test is the final part of training in the routine path — many programs administer it as the capstone — while the knowledge test is scheduled separately afterward through the vendor. That structural detail explains the order: your program signs off that you can do the work (skills), and only then do you sit down to prove you know the underlying material (knowledge). Build your personal timeline around that logic.

Rehearse skills throughout your program so the in-person evaluation feels like a normal lab day, then dedicate focused study time to the written test once skills are behind you. Candidates who respect the sequence rarely lose time; candidates who fight it almost always do.