Loading...To earn a Nursing Assistant certification in the state of Vermont requires taking and qualifying the examination, called- “National Nurse Aide Assessment Program”. The NNAAP Examination is an assessment of Nursing Aide related skills, knowledge and abilities. Candidates get 3 attempts and two years after the completion of training program to qualify the NNAAP in order to appear on the Vermont Nursing Assistant Registry.
The NNAAP Examination is conducted by the combined work of the Vermont Agency of Human Services and Pearson VUE. Pearson VUE is a nationally recognized group that provides assessment services to national associations and regulatory agencies. Pearson Vue scores and reports the results of the examination for the Nursing Aide Registry of Vermont. Pearson VUE works with NACES (Nurse Aide Competency Evaluation Service) to administer and schedule the NNAAP Examination.
Eligibility
Eligible candidates for the NNAAP Examination are:
- New Nursing Assistant candidates– Applicants who have finished Nursing Assistant Education program approved by the Vermont Board of Nursing.
- Nursing Students (RN and PN) candidates– Applicants who left a nursing course within the last 2 years or are presently enrolled in a Nurse Assistant program. Also, those candidates who have provided service of 30 hours in a healthcare setting with adult clients.
- Endorsement – Candidates who are in good standing and active on LNA or CNA Registry of another state, but these candidates failed to deliver LNA work of 400 hours within the past 2 years.
- Out-of-State trained candidates –Candidates who have completed the Nurse Aide training course in a state (other than Vermont) within the past 2 years. Training program must include 80 hours with clinical lecture of at least 30 hours.
- Renewal by Inactive/Lapsed Vermont LNAs – Candidates who provide nursing service of required hours during the last 3 years but have not take clinical experience of required hours (400 hours) during the past 2 years.
Components of the Examination
Written Examination: This part of the NNAAP examination consists of the 70 multiple choice questions. Students have to complete the asked 70 questions within 2 hours. Students have to mark the answers of the test booklet questions in a separate answer sheet given at the test center.
Oral Examination: Students with difficulty in English may take an English Oral Examination in place of the Written Examination. There are 2 parts in the oral examination- 60 multiple choice questions (read twice) and 10 reading comprehension questions (read thrice). These questions test candidates’ ability to speak and understand a minimal amount of English used often in long term care facilities. Candidates have to place the request for an English Oral Examination while filling out the Examination Application. The Oral examination is taken via a cassette tape. Earphones and a cassette tape are provided to students at the test center.
Skills Evaluation: This testing is done in an area that resembles actual work setting that have all the equipments needed to demonstrate the assigned skills. Candidates must dress in short sleeved loose fitting top and wear slip-on, flat, non-skid shoes. Each skill is divided into various steps, and a step in bold font is called a Critical Element Step. It is important to perform the Critical Element Step correctly and carefully in order to pass the skill. Candidates are asked to perform 5 randomly selected skills and “hand-washing” skill is always going to be that one skill among those 5 skills which needs to be performed. Students also need to perform 1 measurement skills (like radial pulse, blood pressure, urine output, respiration or weight). Students get a Recording Sheet to write down the measurement of the performed measurement skill.
The official Score Report of Skills- Evaluation lists all five performed skills with a score of “Unsatisfactory” for a failed skill and “Satisfactory” for a passed skill. It is crucial to get the “Satisfactory” score for all 5 performed skills in order to pass the Skills Evaluation.
Application and Scheduling
Application: To apply for the NNAAP Examination, candidates must fill an Application for the NNAAP Examination form, and submit it along with the examination fee and the Authorization to Test letter or nurse aide training completion form to NACES at:
NACES Plus Foundation, Inc.
Vermont NNAAP
8501 North Mopac Expressway, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78759
NACES must receive all required materials at least 12 working days before the date of examination. For any query related to the application, NACES is available at: 888-730-9292. The Examination Application form is obtainable from the website of Pearson VUE (www.pearsonvue.com ), by contacting NACES or from Nursing Aide training program.
Scheduling: NACES schedules candidates for testing after receiving required documents, exam application and fees. NACES delivers Authorization to Test Notice at applicants’ address mentioned in the exam application within 48 hours after receiving required materials.
Applicants must call NACES at 888-730-9292 if they do not receive their Authorization to Test Notice within 10 business days.
Test Locations: NACES take both parts of the examination at a Regional Test Site. Students may call Pearson VUE at (877)244-1694 or visit Pearson VUE at www.pearsonvue.com to know the schedule of the testing location most suitable to them.
Special Exam Requests and Services: Disabled candidates may ask for special arrangements to take the NNAAP Examination. Request must be approved from the VT BON well in advance.
Examination Fees
| EXAMINATION | FEES | |
| Written Examination & Skills Evaluation | Both | $ 130 |
| Written Examination ONLY | Retake | $ 35 |
| Oral Examination & Skills Evaluation | Both | $ 130 |
| Oral Examination ONLY | Retake | $ 35 |
| Skills Examination ONLY | Retake | $ 95 |
- Students are scheduled for both parts of the examination when they test for the first time.
- Examination fee is acceptable only in the form of certified check, Pearson VUE voucher, company check, money order or training program check payable in the name “NACES”. Any form of payment candidates may choose but not personal check and cash. Pearson VUE voucher, the money order, company check or certified check must carry applicant’s name even if the examination fee is payable by their employer.
- The fee paid to NACES is neither transferrable nor refundable.
- Candidates who work in a nursing home as a Nursing Assistant are escaped from paying the examination fee. The fee is paid by their employer. This is applicable under the Vermont State and Federal laws.
Cancellation and Rescheduling
Candidates must call NACES minimum 5 business days before the date of examination in order to reschedule the missed examination. Students who do not inform NACES timely, their fee is not reimbursed and also not transferred. Examination fee is not refunded once it is received by NACES
Sometime unforeseen situation occurs because of which students are unable to attend the exam. NACES reschedules the exam under following situations if students notify NACES within 10 business days following the scheduled examination date:
- Death in the family
- Illness of the student or his immediate family member
- Military duty
- Disabling traffic accident
- Jury duty or court appearance
- Weather emergency
Students need to give the reason of absence from the exam in written, and NACES must receive the written request with 10 working days following the scheduled date of examination. Along with the written request, candidates need to provide verification of their absence from a suitable source. It is in the hands of NACES to deny or approve candidates’ excused absence.
What to Bring on the Exam Day
The Candidates are supposed to reach at the examination center at least half an hour before the scheduled examination time. The fee of the test is non-refundable and non-transferrable, if candidates reach the test center late. Candidates must bring the following materials to the test center:
- Two forms of proper identification. Candidates cannot sit for examination without proper identification. A list of proper identification includes-
- Alien registration card
- Driver’s License issued by the Government
- Signed Photo University Identification Card (for University students)
- Signature bearing photo I.D. of High School (for High School students)
- Credit Card
- Clinic Card
- Library Card
- Passport
- Signed photo bearing Military I.D.
- Vermont DMV non-driver I.D.
- Three No. 2 well sharpened pencils.
- Eraser
NOTE: Identifications must be original and non-expired (current). Both identifications must bear signature and one of the two needs to be a photo-identification.
Score Reporting
The Nursing Assistant Evaluator does not declare result of the NNAAP Examination to students. Candidates may contact Pearson VUE for any sort of query regarding the content of the exam and the Score Report at (877)244-1694. Result is not announced over the telephone. Students receive the official Score Report for the Written/Oral Examination and Skills Evaluation. The Score report indicates whether candidates have failed or qualified the examination. Students receive their official Score Report within 10 minutes after the Nursing Assistant Evaluator faxes their answer sheet.
Occasionally, because of some technical glitch, the result gets delayed by 5-7 working days after testing. Students must contact Pearson VUE at (877)244-1694 if they do not receive result even after 5-7 working days.
Failing: Failing Score Reports of Written/Oral Examination and Skills Evaluation provide information on how failed part or parts can be re-taken. A new examination fee is charged every time when candidates re-take the examination. Students have to submit a new Examination Application or their official Score Report and an appropriate retake fee to NACES in order to retake the failed part/parts of the NNAAP Examination.
Passing: Aspirants who successfully pass both the parts (Written/Oral Examination and Skills Evaluation) of the NNAAP Examination appear on the Vermont Board of Nursing. Candidates can view their name on the registry by clicking on the vtprofessionals.org .