Introduction

This handbook is designed for candidates seeking enrollment on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry. It describes the process of applying for the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP®) and taking the NNAAP® Examination. It should be kept for future reference.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has contracted with Credentia, a nationally recognized leading provider of assessment services to regulatory agencies and national associations, to develop, score, and report the results of the competency examination for the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry. Credentia also processes applications, schedules examinations, and administers the examinations.

National Nurse AIDE Assessment Program (NNAAP®)

The Nursing Home Reform Act, adopted by Congress as part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA ’87), was designed to improve the quality of care in long-term health care facilities and to define training and evaluation standards for nursing assistants who work in such facilities. Each state is responsible for following the terms of this federal law.

The National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP) is an examination program designed to determine minimal competency to become a certified nursing assistant in your state. The NNAAP examination is managed by Credentia Nurse Aide LLC, to meet the nurse aide evaluation requirement of federal and state laws and regulations.

The NNAAP Examination is an evaluation of nursing assistant-related knowledge, skills, and abilities. The NNAAP Examination is made up of both a Written (or Oral) Examination and a Skills Evaluation. The purpose of the NNAAP Examination is to test that you understand and can safely perform the job of an entry-level nurse aide.

Exam Overview

The two parts of the NNAAP Examination include the Written (or Oral ) Examination and Skills Evaluation.  You must pass both parts to be certified and listed on the Pennsylvania Nurse Aide Registry.

You may take Written (or Oral) examinations either online or at a test center.  Skills Evaluations are only offered at a test center.  

The Written Examination consists of seventy (70) multiple choice questions written in English. Sample examination questions are provided in this handbook. An Oral Examination in English and Spanish may be taken in place of the Written Examination if you have difficulty reading English. The Oral Examination consists of sixty (60) multiple-choice questions plus ten (10) reading comprehension/word recognition questions. If you want to take the Oral Examination, you must request it when you submit your registration form. 

For the Skills Evaluation, you will be asked to perform five (5) randomly selected nurse aide skills. You will be rated on these skills by a Nurse Evaluator. A complete listing of the skills is shown in the Skills section of this handbook. You must perform all five (5) skills correctly to pass the Skills Evaluation.