The CPCT/A exam covers hands-on patient care (hygiene, mobility, skin care, intake and output, vital signs, feeding tubes, ostomies and end-of-life care), safety and professional responsibility, infection control, phlebotomy and EKG basics.
Exam format at a glance
| Format | 120 questions (100 scored, 20 unscored pretest) in 2 hours, computer-based. |
| Cost | NHA lists the exam fee on its website — check NHA for current pricing. |
| Scoring | Scaled score from 200 to 500; 390 or higher is passing. NHA does not publish a percent-correct equivalent, so practice scores here are an estimate, not a prediction of your scaled score. |
| Validity | Renewed every two years with 10 continuing education credits, per NHA's renewal requirements. |
Who this exam is for
- Students finishing a patient care technician program
- Nursing assistants adding phlebotomy and EKG skills
- Hospital patient care technicians seeking certification
How to actually study for it
- Patient care is nearly half the exam — know bathing, positioning, transfers, skin care and intake and output.
- Learn the Five Rights of Delegation and when to report changes to the nurse.
- Know isolation precautions and PPE order.
- Review order of draw, venipuncture complications and 12-lead electrode placement.
Where to go next
Start with the free 10-question diagnostic to see where you actually stand, or go straight to the one-page CPCT/A cheat sheet. The full CPCT/A practice exam covers every domain at the real exam's weighting, with every answer explained.