CNA Exam and Certification Georgia

Approved nurse aide training programs are available in high schools, colleges, technical schools, nursing homes, and acute facilities throughout Georgia. The programs are a minimum 85 hours in length, including 24 hours of clinical experience in a nursing home. After successfully completing approved nurse aide training, the graduate is eligible to apply for the NNAAP exam for certification and placement on the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry. Long-term care facilities can hire/train nurse aide students. However, students must complete the requirements for certification within 120 days from the time the training commenced. Candidates for the exam must pass both the Written exam and the Skills evaluation within one year of completing the training or within three attempts – whichever comes first.

CNA Classes in GA:

How to Apply for the NNAAP Exam Georgia:

There are six ways to establish eligibility to take the Pearson VUE administered NNAAP exam in Georgia.

E1 – New Nurse Aide Candidates

If you completed a Georgia state-approved nurse aide training program, you’ll have up to one year or three attempts to pass both parts of the NNAAP exam. You must submit a non-deficient application to the NACES before the one-year expiration to schedule a date for the exam. Applications submitted past the one-year expiration will require that you retrain and reregister for the exam.

E2 – LPN/RN Candidates

This route applies to candidates who are currently licensed in Georgia or another state. If applying under this route, you must pass both components of the exam within one year of the application receipt date. Provide a copy of your LPN/RN license, social security card, and photo ID with the completed application.

E3 – Out-of-State Trained Nurse Aide

A nurse aide trained in another state but not listed on that state’s registry can apply for the exam under this route. The candidate must submit a legible copy of the training certificate (signed by the instructor), social security card, and photo ID and pass both parts of the exam within one year of completing the training program.

E4 – Out-of-State Trained Nurse Aide Lapsed

CNAs with a lapsed registration and out-of-state training can apply for the exam in Georgia. Candidates must pass both portions of the exam within three attempts and within three years following the certificate expiration. A legible copy of the out-of-state registry verification (in good standing), a copy of social security card, and photo ID must be submitted with the application.

E5 – Georgia Lapsed or Expired Registration

CNAs with a lapsed or expired license can apply for the exam to renew their certification. Applicants must submit copies of their social security card and photo ID and provide the certification number and expiration date on the application. Candidates must pass both components of the exam within three attempts and within three years of the certificate expiration.

E6 – Reciprocity Candidates

Candidates with an unexpired verification on another state’s registry but who have not worked as a nurse aide in the past two years must apply for and pass both portions of the NNAAP exam within one year or three attempts. Upon successful completion of the exam, the candidate will be included in the Nurse Aide Registry. A valid copy of the GMCF approval to test letter, social security card, and photo ID must be submitted with the completed application.

After establishing your eligibility route, use the following guidelines to schedule the exam:

  • Complete the Application for Registration by Competency form. The form is available online or at your nurse aide training program.
  • Submit payment in the form of money order, certified check, company check, or Pearson Vue voucher made payable to NACES and displaying your name.
  • Include the required documents with the application – training certificate, GMCF Approval Letter, Out-of-state registry verification, social security card, photo ID, etc.
  • Request special accommodation for the test with your application if you have a documented disability. The GMCF must review your request and will provide written notification of their decision. Provide documented proof of your need and the type of accommodation needed.
  • Mail the completed application and enclosed documents to:

NACES Plus Foundation, Inc.
Georgia NNAAP
8501 North Mopac Expressway, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78759

The NACES will schedule your test date only after receiving all pertinent documents, a completed application, and the application fee. You’ll receive the Authorization to Test Notice (a yellow postcard) within 48 hours of the approval. The card will contain information on the test date, time, and location. Contact the NACES if you do not receive the ATT within 10 business days.

If you need to reschedule an alternative test date, call NACES, at least, five business days before the exam date. Your exam fee will not be refunded if you fail to reschedule and show up for the exam. Your new exam date would be scheduled within one month of the original scheduled date if the original exam was scheduled past the one or three-year expiration date.

Exam Costs

The established testing fees in Georgia are as follows:

  • Written and Skills Evaluation – $112
  • Oral and Skills Evaluation (English) – $112
  • Oral and Skills Evaluation (Spanish) – $112
  • Written Exam re-test – $27
  • Oral Exam re-test (English) – $27
  • Oral Exam re-test (Spanish) – $27
  • Skills Evaluation re-tests – $85

Schedule both the written or oral test and the skills test if you’re taking the test for the first time. Once paid, exam fees are not refundable.

NNAAP Exam Overview Georgia

The Written or Oral exam and the Skills evaluation will be administered on the same day. You can choose between a Written and Oral exam. The Oral exam is further divided into an English or Spanish option. You must pass both parts of the exam for Georgia certification and placement on the Nurse Aide Registry.

The Written Exam

The Written exam contains 70 multiple-choice questions written in English. Moderators will notify candidates when there are only fifteen minutes left in the 2-hour exam. For 2016 and beyond, there will be changes to the content outline for the Written or Oral exam. The revised content is based on an NCSBN report, 2014 Job Analysis and Knowledge, Skill, and Ability Study of Nurse Aides.

Ten of the multiple-choice items will be non-scored items to draw statistical information. Questions will be divided into three main categories in the following order:

Physical Care Skills
Activities of Daily Living – 14%
Basic Nursing Skills – 39%
Restorative Skills – 8%

Psychosocial Care Skills
Emotional and Mental Health Needs – 11%
Spiritual and Cultural Needs – 2%

Role of the Nurse Aide
Communication – 8%
Client Rights – 7%
Legal and Ethical Behavior – 3%
Member of the Health Care Team – 8%

The Oral Exam (Alternative)

The Oral exam is an alternative to the Written exam and is available in English and Spanish. Both exams contain 60 multiple-choice questions and 10 multiple-choice reading comprehension questions delivered on an MP3 player. The candidate will hear the questions read and will provide answers in the test booklet. There will be an option to replay and pause questions. To take the Oral exam, you must request it on your application.

The Skills Exam

The testing area for the Skills Evaluation will resemble a caregiving situation – similar to the work setting. There, you’ll have to perform five randomly selected skills that the Nurse Adie Evaluator will score. The NAE will provide an instruction card with a list of the five selected skills, including Handwashing – which is also one of the skills evaluated. One of the skills will be a measurement skill such as blood pressure, weight, urine output or respiration. Your assigned skills will be selected from the NNAAP Skills List. Review the list in the Candidate Handbook as it highlights the Critical Element Steps which you must perform correctly to pass the test. If you make a mistake during the exam, you should tell the evaluator and correct the step when prompted. You will not have to redo the entire skill. However, you cannot go back to correct a skill after you’ve proceeded to the next skill on the list. The Skills Evaluation is approximately 25 minutes.

Be prepared to act as a candidate volunteer for another candidate’s Skills Evaluation. The NAE will provide verbal instructions on how you should act the role of a client.

What To Bring To The Exam

Dress appropriately for the exam. Wear flat, slip-on-non-skid shoes and loose-fitting scrub top and pants. If there are open areas/sores on your skin, you should reschedule the test to a later date. Arrive 30 minutes early for both the Written and Skills exams. You will not be allowed to test, and your fees will not be refunded if you arrive late.

Proper identification is required. Bring two forms of ID with your signatures to the test site. One ID must be a government-issued ID with your photo. A US driver’s license, Georgia voter ID card, state ID card, passport, alien registration card, and military ID are some examples. The other ID must be a US Social Security Card – no letters from the SS office will be accepted.

You must also take:

  • A watch with a second hand.
  • Three #2 pencils (sharpened) and eraser.

No other materials will be allowed.

Receiving Your Scores

You’ll receive your score report for the Written or Oral exam approximately ten minutes after the NAE faxes your answer sheet for scoring. The score report will indicate whether you passed or failed the exam. The report for the Skills will also be available approximately ten minutes after the NAE faxes the report for scoring. Technical difficulties may sometimes hamper your ability to receive the report at the center. If that happens, your answer sheet will be mailed for scoring, and you’ll receive the results by mail a few days later.

If you fail an exam, the score report will provide guidelines for retesting. A new fee is required each time you take the test.

Contact the Registry

GA Nurse Aide Registry
Georgia Medical Care Foundation
PO Box 105753
Atlanta, GA 30348

NACES Plus Foundation, Inc.
Georgia NNAAP
8501 North Mopac Expressway, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78759

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