Introduction

It describes the process of applying for and taking the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program (NNAAP®) Examination. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) has contracted with Credentia, a nationally recognized leading provider of assessment services to regulatory agencies and national associations, to develop, schedule, administer, score, and report the results of the NNAAP Examination for the OBRA Nursing Assistant Registry.

Exam Overview

You may take Written (or Oral) examinations either online or at a test center. Skills Evaluations are only offered at a test center. If you elect to take a Written (or Oral) examination at a test center, you must schedule your Written (or Oral) examination and Skills Evaluation on the same day. An English or Spanish Oral Examination may be taken in place of the Written Examination if you have difficulty reading English. The English Oral Examination consists of sixty (60) multiple-choice questions and ten (10) reading comprehension questions. The Spanish Oral Examination consists of sixty (60) multiple-choice questions and ten (10) questions that you must read and then choose an answer in English.

If you want to take the Oral Examination, you must request it when you submit your Examination Application. At the Skills Evaluation you will be asked to perform five (5) randomly selected nursing assistant skills. You will be given thirty (30) minutes to complete the five (5) skills. You will be rated on these skills by a Nurse Aide Evaluator. See Written (or Oral) Exam and Skills Evaluation for more details on the parts of the NNAAP Examination.

Assessment Program

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 was developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc., (NCSBN) to meet the nurse aide evaluation requirement of federal and state laws and regulations. Credentia is the authorized administrator of the NNAAP in your state. 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 nursing assistant.