Exam Overview

Examination Overview

Based on findings from the 2019–2020 Job Analysis and Knowledge, Skill, and Ability Study of Nurse Aides, published by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in 2023.

The NNAAP® examination consists of two required parts:

1. Written (or Oral) Examination
2. Skills Evaluation

You must pass both parts to be listed on the North Carolina Nurse Aide I Registry.

Written Examination

• Contains 70 multiple-choice questions
  • 60 scored items 
  • 10 pretest (non-scored) items
  • Pretest items are used to gather statistical information and do not affect your scores. 
• You will have two (2) hours to complete this examination
• Questions are based on a broad range of knowledge required for entry-level nurse aides in long-term care facilities

Oral Examination (Optional Substitute for Written Exam)

• Must be requested at the time of application
• Total time allowed: two (2) hours to complete this examination
• A wired headset is required if taking the oral examination online

Structure of the Oral Examination:

Part 1:

• 60 multiple-choice questions
• Each question is read twice
• Candidates mark their answers on a provided answer sheet

Part 2:

• 10 multiple-choice questions
• Tests your understanding of common words used in long-term care
• Each word is read three times
• Candidates must match the spoken word to the correct written word

Both parts must be passed to receive a passing score on the oral examination.

Skills Evaluation

• You will be required to perform five (5) randomly selected nurse aide skills
• Hand Hygiene (Hand Washing) will be included as one of the five (5) nurse aide skills to be performed. 
• Skills are evaluated by a Nurse Aide Evaluator
• The evaluation reflects real-life scenarios you may encounter in a long-term care facility

Important Note:

The Nurse Aide Evaluator will have limited interaction with candidates during the examination. They are not permitted to answer questions while you are performing skills, as this is a standardized credentialing assessment.