Being a CNA is a tactile job. You work with your hands as you help move, feed, and clean patients. So, it makes sense that a big part of the CNA exam is a demonstration of tactile skills. However, you can perform every CNA skill in the book and still not be able to get your license if you don’t pass the multiple-choice portion.
But that doesn’t mean you need to start hyperventilating. As a CNA-in-training, you know the information. Learning how to pass your multiple-choice CNA test is just a matter of accessing the information you already know and applying it.
Study Early and Often
We all know that we have to study to pass a test. But there is a difference between studying and studying effectively. Spending hours trying to cram all the information into your mind the night before an exam is not an effective form of studying. It’s better to start studying in small amounts toward the beginning of your training. We tend to retain information studied over the course of several days far more effectively than information studied for one day, no matter how many hours we put in.
Practice Tests
When you first learned how to check a patient’s blood pressure, you probably read about it, heard someone talk about it, and maybe even watched someone perform the action. But you probably weren’t completely confident in your ability to check someone’s blood pressure until you physically did it yourself. The same is true for passing your multiple-choice CNA test. Doing a practice test will greatly increase your confidence and your chances of success.
There are practice multiple-choice tests available online for you to try free of charge. If you’re having trouble finding one, your CNA instructors may be able to direct you to available resources.
Be Wary of Multiple-Choice Tricks
It’s easy to forget about all the ins and outs of multiple-choice tests when you’ve been out of school for a while. As a reminder, multiple-choice tests are notorious for trying to trick you. Be ready to avoid their craftiness by reading the questions slowly, paying attention to words like “except,” “sometimes,” or “the most correct answer.” Try to answer the question yourself and then read every option, especially if one of the options is “all of the above” or “none of the above.”
Strategic Guesses
Never be afraid to guess when you don’t know the answer. After all, a 25 percent chance of being correct is better than a 0 percent chance. Here are some tips for making strategic guesses when you aren’t sure of an answer.
- Answer the easy questions first, then go back for the hard ones that you may have to guess on.
- Eliminate options that are obviously incorrect.
- Lean toward the wordier answer options.
- If there are several options that are similar, one of them is probably correct.
Multiple-choice tests can be intimidating, but they’re far from impossible. If you’re still feeling lost, our instructors are here to help you pass your Florida Prometric CNA test.