Iowa (RI) — Iowans studying to become Certified Nursing Assistants are now able to take part of the CNA exam online.
Larry Johnson, Junior — director of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing — says it means students don’t have to travel to a community college to take the written test.
Iowa’s multiple-choice test for Certified Nursing Assistants has 100 questions. Johnson says the state hired two companies to administer the online test and ensure the person taking the test is the person who’d get the certification if they pass.
The online option is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It went live in early June, and Johnson says some have already signed up and taken the test online.
An in-person clinical skills evaluation is still required for all aspiring CNAs, too. During that part of the exam, a nurse observes students doing things like taking a patient’s vital signs and following hand-washing guidelines. The latest federal data indicates there were over 22 thousand CNAs working in Iowa three years ago, and, as the population ages, there will be increased demand for CNAs in nursing homes and hospitals.
