LNA Exam and Certification Vermont

Vermont’s LNA exam is the final step for a nursing assistant to complete for placement on the Vermont Nurse Assistant Registry. A new nursing assistant graduate must apply to take the exam and successfully pass both the Written or Oral exam and the Skills Evaluation within two years (or three attempts) of graduating from the program. Registered and licensed practical nursing students, endorsement candidates, and nursing assistants trained in an out-of-state program may also apply for the exam after receiving an Authorization to Test Letter from the Vermont Board of Nursing.

LNA Classes in VT:

How to Apply for the NNAAP Exam Vermont

There are four eligibility routes to take the NNAAP exam in Vermont. To apply for the exam, submit a completed application or your Authorization to Test letter to the American Red Cross. The ARC works with Pearson Vue to schedule and administer the exam in Vermont.

E1 – New Nursing Assistant

If you completed a nursing assistant program approved by the Vermont Board of Nursing, submit a non-deficient completed application and a legible copy of your Verification of Nursing Assistant Program Form to the ARC to be scheduled for the exam. You must take and pass both parts of the exam within two years of completing the training program.

E2 – Student Nurse

Registered and licensed practical nursing students enrolled in an approved nursing program are eligible to take the licensure exam. This route is also open if you left a nursing program within the past two years. Students become eligible after completing a course on the fundamentals of nursing and 30 hours or more of clinical training. Candidates must submit a request to the Vermont Board of Nursing. The Board will specify a deadline for taking the test in the Authorization to Test Letter.

E3 – Endorsement

If you’re active and in good standing on another state registry, you must pass both portions of the NNAAP exam to be listed on Vermont’s Registry. Candidates who completed at least 400 hours of nursing assistant practice within the preceding two years and completed an approved NA program no more than 2 years before applying for certification can skip the testing requirements. If you submit an application after the two-year training expiration date, you must retrain and apply to take the test under eligibility route one (E1).

E4 – Out of State Trained Candidate

As an out-of-state candidate, you’re eligible to apply for the exam if you completed the training within the last two years and did not test in that state. The training must be 80 hours or more with a least 30 hours of clinical experience. You’ll have up to two years from the conclusion of the training program or three attempts to pass the exam for placement on the VA Nurse Assistant Registry. Apply to the Board for an Authorization to Test Letter and submit to the ARC to schedule an exam date.

Download the NNAAP application form online from Pearson Vue’s website. You may also contact the ARC to request a copy or get one from your training provider. Complete the application legibly and accurately and submit the form and the fee to the American Red Cross address provided below.

The address you provide on the form must be accurate as it will become your address on record at the Registry. All communications and notices from the Registry will go the address provided, so notify the Registry each time your address changes.

An application is not considered complete without the following:

  • Proof of your eligibility to take the exam. Enclose a Verification of Nursing Assistant Program Form or an Authorization to Test Letter from the Board.
  • The non-refundable application fee. A schedule of established fees is included in this document.

If you need special accommodation for the exam, you should request it with your application. Please allow up to 30 days for Pearson Vue to review your request. A physician’s note on official letterhead must accompany the request. The note should describe your disability and the type of accommodation needed.

Submit the application and documents, at least, ten days before your preferred test date. The ARC will review the application and mail a Confirmation Letter to your address if you meet the requirements. If you provide an email address on the application, it will be sent via email. The Confirmation Letter has vital information, including the test date, location, and time.

If you must schedule an alternative date, you must contact ARC, at least, four business days before the exam date to reschedule. Your application fee will not be refunded if you do not call ARC, at least, four days before the exam and do not show up on the scheduled date. There are no penalties to reschedule a new date if you contact ARC on time.

Exam Costs

Make certified checks, money orders, or Pearson Vue vouchers payable to American Red Cross. No other forms of payment are accepted. Include your name on the money order, check, or voucher so the payment will be applied to your examination. If you’re employed at a Medicaid/Medicare funded facility or receive a signed acceptance of employment, your employer must cover the cost of the exam for the initial test or retests. If you’re taking the test for the first time, pay for both the written (or oral) exam and the skills evaluation.

The fees for the exam are as follows:

  • Written Exam and Skills Evaluation – $130
  • Oral Exam and Skills Evaluation– $130
  • Written Exam Retest – $35
  • Oral Examination retest – $35
  • Skills Evaluation retest – $95

NNAAP Exam Overview Vermont

The NNAAP exam contains a Written and Skills component to assess candidates’ knowledge and clinical abilities. The exam goes hand-in-hand with the nursing assistant training curriculum, and much of the subject areas covered will arise in the exam. A successful candidate will have his or her name added to the Vermont Nurse Aide Registry.

The Written Exam

All answers for the multiple-choice Written exam will be recorded on the test sheet. Markings in the test booklet will not be scored. The Written exam contains 70 multiple-choice questions but only 60 questions count towards the final score. Ten questions are non-scored items used for statistical purposes. The maximum time for the exam is two hours, and the NAE will sound an alert fifteen minutes before the time expires.

Questions fall into three categories according to priority. The percentages and number of questions are available in the Candidate Handbook.

The Oral Exam

If you have difficulty reading English, the Oral exam is designed just for you. The English Oral exam has content similar to the Written exam. However, instead of reading the questions, you’ll receive a headset and MP3 player at the test center that you’ll use to listen to the questions. Each question will be read twice, and you’ll indicate your answer on the score sheet. There are two parts to the exam. The first part tests your readiness for practice with questions similar to the Written exam. The second part is a reading comprehension assessment that is also in a multiple-choice format. The recording will read common English words, used by nurse aides, three times and you’ll have to match the word to the information in the booklet. You must pass both parts of the two-hour test to pass the Oral exam. If you think that you need to take the Oral exam, you should request it on the application for the exam.

The Skills Exam

The practical aspect of the nursing assistant training will prepare you for the challenges of the Skills Evaluation. Hands-on training in the lab and direct patient care in a long-term setting will help you to understand the legal and ethical responsibilities of patient care. You’ll learn the importance of following prescribed steps as you perform your duties and the importance of communication and respect for patients’ rights, privacy, and independence. Those learned skills will be on display for the NAE during the skills evaluation as you perform five clinical skills. Practice is your key to success. You must be familiar with the critical element steps of each skill as you must perform those key steps perfectly to pass the exam. Apart from the critical element steps, you must also perform a reasonable amount of steps to pass the skill. Hand Hygiene (hand washing) will be evaluated. Recording a Measurement, such as vital signs, weight, blood pressure will also be included. Perform the skills in the order they’re listed on the instruction card and notify the NAE if you must make corrections during a skill. Note that you cannot go back to make corrections once you begin a new skill. Another candidate will play the role of the resident. Dress appropriately to play the resident role for another candidate. A loose fitting scrub top and pants, and flat, non-skid shoes with enclosed toes are acceptable clothing for the exam. The maximum time for the exam is 30 minutes. A full listing of the NNAAP skills with the critical element steps highlighted in bold is available in the Candidate Handbook.

What To Bring To The Exam

Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled time for check-in and instructions. If you arrive late, you’ll not be admitted to the exam room, and your fee will not be refunded. You must have two forms of valid identification to take the test. One ID must have a recent photo on your signature. The other ID must have your name and signature. Both IDs should have your name exactly as it appears on the request to take the exam. No photocopies or tampered IDs will be accepted. Examples of proper identification include a driver’s license, passport, signed photo high school ID, clinic card, credit card, DMV non-driver ID, alien registration card, alien registration card, or library card.

Other items to take to the center are:

  • At least three no. 2 sharpened pencils
  • An eraser
  • A watch with a second hand.

Study aids, books and similar materials are not allowed at the test center. Personal items, such as large handbags and briefcases are not allowed in the exam room. Cell phones and other electronics must be turned off during the exam.

Receiving Your Scores

The Nurse Aide Evaluator will fax the answer sheet for the Written or Oral exam for scoring. The official score report will be available approximately ten minutes later. The report will indicate whether you passed or failed the exam. The NAE will not answer questions about the report. The report for the skills evaluation will also be available 10 minutes after the NAE faxes it for scoring. If there are technical difficulties at the center, the NAE will mail the report for hand scoring, and you’ll receive your official report in the mail within 5 to 7 business days after the test.

The report will provide guidelines for retesting if you fail one or both parts of the exam. According to the federal regulations, you’ll have up to three attempts within two years to pass both the Written (Oral) exam and the Skills evaluation.

Contact the Registry

American Red Cross
Vermont NNAAP
85 Lowell Street
Peabody, MA 01960

Vermont Board of Nursing
89 Main Street, 3rd floor
Montpelier, Vermont 05620-3402
(802) 828-2396
(802) 828-2484

Pearson Vue
Vermont NNAAP
PO Box 13785
Philadelphia, PA 1901-3785
(877) 244-1694

Crystal G

Crystal is a certified Registered Nurse (RN) with a passion for writing about nursing education. Through her articles, Crystal shares insights and tips to help fellow nurses enhance their skills and stay updated with the latest developments in the field. With a focus on practical advice and relevant topics, Crystal's writing is a valuable resource for nursing professionals seeking to advance their careers.