If you’ve gone through an average schooling scenario, you are used to attending a class, studying, then taking an exam. You would have to be pretty crazy to skip the class part and go right to the test, right? Believe it or not, here in the Florida CNA world, many people both try to do just that, and they succeed. This is what it means to challenge the CNA exam in Florida.

What Does It Look Like To Challenge the Exam?

Here in Florida, challenging the CNA exam means that you sign up for and take the CNA exam without going through the typical 20-hour training course. If you pass the exam, you receive your certification the same as you would if you went through a training course. You can challenge the exam up to three times. After the third time, you are not barred from the exam—you are just required to attend a training course before trying again.

The Challenges of Challenging the Exam

At a glance, this may seem simple. After all, there are practice materials available, so you could still study up a little before walking into the exam. However, the CNA nursing exam isn’t just a multiple-choice test that you can bubble in and be done with. It requires a written and skill portion. While you can learn about the skills from a book or online, it’s challenging to perform the skill without experience. Again, it is far from impossible, but there is a reason they call it “challenging” the exam.

How To Know if You Should Challenge

Other than being eighteen and having your diploma or GED, there are no specifications as far as who can and cannot challenge the CNA exam. It all comes down to your personal confidence in your abilities.

If you aren’t a good test taker, struggle under pressure, and have no background in science, there’s no shame in taking your time and going through a training program. But, if you do well under pressure and have previous experience, such as a high school AP course related to medicine or caregiving for relatives, you may be a good candidate to challenge the Florida CNA exam.