CNA Exam and Certification Hawaii

The Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry lists the names of Nurse Assistants who have successfully completed the Written and Clinical portions of the Nurse Aide Competency Exam. Other candidates who meet the requirements for certification in Hawaii by another means of eligibility are also included on the NAR. Employers must verify the status of a certified nurse aide by checking the registry online. Nurse Aides with convictions for resident abuse, neglect, and misappropriation of resident property or administrative findings will be ineligible for employment after the Registry updates the database with the findings.

CNA Classes in HI:

• CNA Classes Honolulu, HI

How to Apply for the Hawaii CNA Exam

Hawaii has three certification routes to establish your eligibility to become a CNA. Consider the route descriptions below and choose the one that is most appropriate before submitting your application for the Competency Exam.

Route 1 – Testing Candidate

Graduates of a state-approved nurse aide training program are eligible to apply as a testing candidate if they’ve never been certified in the State of Hawaii. If applying under this route, you must pass the exam within two years of your first testing date and within a maximum of three attempts. You will be required to retrain and retest if you do not pass the test within the stipulated period.

Route 2 – Reciprocity/Out of State

CNAs with active certification in another state can transfer their certification through reciprocity. In some cases, the DCCA will add the candidate’s name directly to the Hawaii NA Registry without the additional training and testing requirements. If Prometric determines that your certification is not active in the other state, you will be required to take the Competency Exam for inclusion on the state Registry.

Route 3 – Lapsed/Expired Nurse Aide

There are two paths for recertification if your certificate expires and goes into lapsed status.

Path 1 – Lapsed – Attended a Current State Approved Training Program

If you completed an active, state-approved program, you could apply to take the exam under path 1 by submitting the testing fees to take the exam. Submit a copy of your training certificate with the application and list your HI certificate number. If you pass the exam, your name will be reactivated on the Registry.

Path 2 – Lapsed – Attended a Closed/Non-State Approved Training Program

If you attended a training program that is no longer in operation or is not listed as a current state approved training program, you should select this route to reactivate your certificate. To qualify for the test, you’ll need to retrain at an approved program before applying for the Competency Exam. Submit a copy of your training certificate and include your current HI certificate number on the application. Your name will be reactivated on the Registry if you successfully pass the exam.

To apply for testing under the mentioned certification routes:

• Complete the application form – also available in the Candidate Bulletin. Check the government-issued identification that you’ll present at the test site, and entry your name exactly as it appears on the ID.
• Fill out the form completely and neatly. Incomplete and ineligible forms will be returned. Select the Certification Option and Training Information and indicate whether you’ll take the test at a Regional Test Site or at the Training Facility.
• Payment options for the non-refundable application fee are certified check or money order. Make checks payable to Prometric. Fill out the financial information on the final page of the application if you prefer to pay with a credit card.
• Enclose documentation to support your eligibility to take the exam. This will include your training certificate with the graduation date, your current active CNA certificate from another state, or your HI certificate number if applying under the lapsed status.
• Submit professional documentation of your disability with the application if you need special accommodation for the exam. Prometric will review your application and the documentation to determine if you qualify under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the type of accommodation to provide. The supporting documents must be from a licensed physician or specialist on an official letterhead. Allow up to thirty days for special testing arrangements to be arranged.

Mail the completed application and accompanying documents to Prometric only if you plan to take the test at a regional test site. Enter your preferred testing location on the application form. For in-facility tests, give the completed application to the facility coordinator to schedule your exam appointment.

Prometric will review your eligibility and send you an Authorization to Test letter if you meet the requirements. The letter will include the date, location, and time of the test as well as your password to log-in and view your results after you take the exam. Keep the letter and take it to the regional test site on the scheduled exam date.

If you cannot test on the scheduled date, you can request another date if you contact Prometric, at least, five full working days beforehand. For a late reschedule request, you’ll be required to pay the whole exam fee.

Exam Costs

All candidates must pay a one-time Initial Application Processing fee of $25. If you do not take the test during the eligibility period, you will not be refunded and must pay another fee to take the test.

• $25 – Initial Application Processing Fee (non-refundable)
• $200 – Clinical Skills and Written Examination
• $210 – Clinical Skills and Oral Test
• $150 – Clinical Skills Test (retake)
• $50 – Written Test (retake)
• $60 – Oral Test (retake)
• $25 – Recertification fee
• $15 – Duplicate Score Report
• $15 – Duplicate Certificate
• $25 – Reschedule Fee

An application submitted without proper payment will be returned. Include your name on the money order or cashier’s check.

CNA Exam Overview Hawaii

The Hawaii Nurse Aide Competency Exam is composed of the written (knowledge) test and the skills evaluation. If you’re taking the test for the first time, you should register for both exams. However, you don’t need to pass one before taking the other.

The Written Exam

The content outline for the written test is available in the Candidate Bulletin. The questions will be delivered electronically with a computer at the testing center. Candidates will have 90 minutes to respond to the 60 multiple-choice questions. Although the training program’s curriculum provides all the information you’ll need to pass the written test, you can use free or paid practice tests to prepare for the exam. Prometric’s paid practice tests follow the same format as the test and give you the opportunity to answer questions in a timed format and receive immediate feedback to your responses. All questions fall into five major categories further divided into readily identifiable sub-categories.

The five main categories are:

• Role of the Nurse Aide – 18%
• Promotion of safety – 18%
• Promotion of Function and Health of Residents – 24%
• Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide – 26%
• Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changes in Health – 14%

The Oral Exam

If you have a reading disability or speak English as a second language, you might consider the oral exam. The oral alternative to the written exam contains 60 multiple-choice questions just like the written. Personnel at the test site will provide a headset for you to listen to the questions – read in English. You can rewind, pause, and play the audio as you need. A Reading Assessment on Prometric’s website will help you to determine if you need to take the oral exam which costs more than the written exam. To take the oral exam, you must request it when you submit your application to Prometric.

The Skills Exam

The skills exam will be approximately 31 to 40 minutes depending on the skills you have to perform. Your appointed skills will be assigned randomly by a computer when Prometric schedules you for the exam. In addition to the three appointed skills, you’ll be scored on your Handwashing and Indirect Care skills for a total of five skills that you must pass. You don’t have to perform the skills perfectly, but you must perform the key (critical) steps to pass the skill. You can make corrections during the activity, but you cannot go back to correct a mistake if you’ve moved to another skill. For Handwashing and Indirect Care, the Nurse Aide Evaluator will score your communication methods, respect for the resident’s rights, and attention to the resident’s comfort and needs along with your attempts to control the spread of infection.

A list of the skills and key steps are available in the Candidate Handbook. Be prepared to play the role of the resident for another candidate. Dress appropriately in a loose-fitting scrub top and pants and flat, non-skid shoes.

What To Bring To The Exam

Do not bring reference materials, books, or study papers to the test site as they’re not permitted. Electronic items like cell phones, cameras, tape recorders, and pagers, are not allowed in the testing area. Prometric will not be responsible for the loss of personal items and recommends that you not bring purses and briefcases to the center as they’re not allowed in the testing area. You will not have access to personal items during the test.

Upon arrival at the center, site personnel will verify your identification and review the guidelines for before, during, and after the test. Arrive at least 30 minutes beforehand to verify your ID and confirm your authorization. You must present two pieces of valid ID. One must have your photo and signature. Examples are a passport, driver’s license, or military ID. The second ID must also have your signature. A credit card or social security card are two examples. Cracked, torn, or altered IDs will not be accepted, and you will not be allowed to take the exam. All IDs must exactly match the name on the Authorization to Test Letter, or you will not be permitted to take the test.

If you’re taking the clinical skills evaluation, you must dress appropriately in a uniform or scrub and flat, non-skid shoes with enclosed toes.

Receiving Your Scores

You’ll receive your official score report at the address you provided during registration within 10 business days of completing the exam. If you pass both tests, you’ll also receive a Nurse Aide Certificate and wallet card in the mail, and your name will be added to the Hawaii Nurse Aide Registry.

The results of the Clinical Skills Test will be available within 48 to 72 hours after the test. You can log-in using your username and password (on the ATT letter) to view the results online.

If you fail the Written or Oral test, diagnostic information will be included with the official score report. The diagnostic report provides helpful feedback on your areas of strength and weaknesses for specific sections of the test. You can use the information to prepare for a retest.

You must submit a new application to retake the test if you failed one or both parts. You’ll have up to three attempts within your eligibility period to pass the test.

Prometric
HI Nurse Aide
7941 Corporate Dr.
Nottingham MD 21236
Phone: 800.805.9128

Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
DCCA-PVL
Attn: NA
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801
Phone: (808) 586-2695
Email: nurse_aide@dcca.hawaii.gov