- What Does PROMETRIC-NA Actually Mean?
- Who Runs the Exam and Why That Matters
- Exam Format: What 60 Questions in 90 Minutes Looks Like
- The Five Domains You'll Be Tested On
- Registration, Fees, and the August 2026 Change
- Who Can Sit for the PROMETRIC-NA and When
- A Domain-Weighted Way to Prepare
- After You Pass: Registry, Renewal, and Jobs
- Frequently Asked Questions
- PROMETRIC-NA is the written knowledge component of Connecticut's Nurse Aide Competency Exam, administered by Prometric.
- It's 60 multiple-choice questions (50 scored, 10 pretest) with a 90-minute limit, delivered by computer.
- Basic Nursing Care (26%) and Promotion of Function and Health (24%) are the two heaviest-weighted domains.
- Written-only or oral-only testing costs $48; the full written-plus-clinical-skills package costs $125 starting August 1, 2026.
What Does PROMETRIC-NA Actually Mean?
PROMETRIC-NA refers to the Prometric Connecticut Nurse Aide Written (Knowledge) Examination - the written half of the two-part Nurse Aide Competency Exam that every candidate must pass to become a certified nursing assistant in Connecticut. It is not a standalone credential you can hold on its own; it's one of two hurdles (the other being the clinical skills demonstration) that together lead to CNA certification and placement on the state registry.
If you've seen the term "PROMETRIC-NA" used to describe something else, be careful - several unrelated credentials share similar abbreviations across different industries. On this site, and in this article, PROMETRIC-NA means exactly one thing: the Connecticut written knowledge exam delivered through Prometric's testing network. For a deeper dive into terminology, see our companion pieces on PROMETRIC-NA Meaning and What Does PROMETRIC-NA Stand For?
Who Runs the Exam and Why That Matters
The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) sets the policy and eligibility rules for nurse aide certification, but Prometric is the contracted developer, administrator, and registry vendor responsible for delivering the exam itself. That distinction matters for candidates because it explains where different pieces of information come from:
- DPH defines training hour requirements, eligibility windows, and renewal rules.
- Prometric writes the test content, sets the passing standard, schedules test sites, and manages registry entries after you pass.
Because Prometric equates the passing standard across different test forms, the number of correct answers needed to pass isn't a fixed number you can memorize - it can shift slightly between versions of the exam while still representing the same difficulty level. We break this down further in our PROMETRIC-NA Passing Score guide.
Testing itself happens at approved, proctored sites in a closed-book, computer-delivered format, entirely in English unless you've requested the oral option or an approved disability accommodation during your application. Translation dictionaries and personal translators are not permitted in the testing room under any circumstances.
Exam Format: What 60 Questions in 90 Minutes Looks Like
The written PROMETRIC-NA consists of 60 multiple-choice questions total. Of those, 50 are scored and count toward your result, while 10 are unscored pretest items used by Prometric to evaluate future exam content. You won't be told which questions are which, so every question deserves your full attention - treat all 60 as if they count.
You'll have 90 minutes to complete the exam, which averages out to roughly a minute and a half per question, though the real-world pace varies since some questions are quick recall and others require reading a short care scenario before answering.
Key Takeaway
Since you can't identify the 10 unscored pretest questions during the test, answer every item as carefully as the last. Don't slow down or speed up based on a guess about which questions "count."
Question style tends to mirror real nurse aide scenarios rather than abstract definitions - expect prompts describing a resident situation and asking what the nurse aide should do first, or which action is appropriate within a nurse aide's scope. For a full breakdown of how difficult this format actually is compared to other credentialing exams, read How Hard Is the PROMETRIC-NA Exam?
The Five Domains You'll Be Tested On
Every question on the written exam is pulled from one of five official content domains defined in the Connecticut Candidate Information Bulletin. Knowing these weights lets you allocate study time proportionally instead of guessing.
Domain 1: Role of the Nurse Aide (18%)
Covers the nurse aide's scope of practice, communication expectations, and the boundaries between what a nurse aide can and cannot do within a care team.
- Understanding chain of command and reporting responsibilities
Domain 2: Promotion of Safety (18%)
Focuses on infection control, body mechanics, fall prevention, and emergency response procedures nurse aides use daily.
- Standard precautions and safe resident handling techniques
Domain 3: Promotion of Function and Health of Residents (24%)
The second-largest domain. Tests knowledge of mobility assistance, restorative care, and helping residents maintain independence and dignity.
- Range-of-motion support and adaptive equipment use
Domain 4: Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide (26%)
The single largest domain on the exam. Covers hands-on care tasks like vital signs, hygiene, nutrition assistance, and elimination care.
- Expect the most questions here - prioritize this domain in review sessions
Domain 5: Providing Specialized Care for Residents with Changes in Health (14%)
The smallest domain by weight but still tests important content around recognizing and responding to changes in a resident's condition.
- Recognizing signs of decline and appropriate reporting
For a full walkthrough with sample question phrasing for each area, see our PROMETRIC-NA Exam Domains Guide.
| Domain | Weight | Relative Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Basic Nursing Care | 26% | Highest - largest share of questions |
| Promotion of Function and Health | 24% | Second highest |
| Role of the Nurse Aide | 18% | Moderate |
| Promotion of Safety | 18% | Moderate |
| Specialized Care for Health Changes | 14% | Lowest, still tested |
Registration, Fees, and the August 2026 Change
Fees for the Connecticut Nurse Aide Competency Exam are changing effective August 1, 2026. Here's what candidates need to know:
- Written plus clinical skills (combined): $125
- Oral plus clinical skills (combined): $125
- Written-only or oral-only testing: $48
- Clinical-skills-only testing: $77
It's important not to confuse the $48 written-only fee with the total cost of initial certification. Since Connecticut requires passing both the knowledge exam and the clinical skills demonstration to become certified, most first-time candidates should budget for the combined $125 rate rather than assuming $48 covers everything. We cover every fee scenario, including retesting costs, in the PROMETRIC-NA Certification Cost breakdown.
Who Can Sit for the PROMETRIC-NA and When
Most candidates reach exam eligibility through Route 1: completing a DPH-approved training program with a minimum of 100 combined classroom and clinical hours. Once training is finished, the clock starts on a 24-month eligibility window during which you must pass both the written and clinical skills components.
Connecticut's policy on retakes is notably candidate-friendly: there is no cap on the number of attempts allowed within that 24-month period. If you don't pass on your first try, you can register and test again as many times as needed, as long as you stay within the eligibility window. Full eligibility mechanics, including what happens if you miss the 24-month deadline, are detailed in PROMETRIC-NA Requirements and PROMETRIC-NA Exam Dates.
On test day, bring two matching-name identification documents, one of which must be a government-issued photo ID. Mismatched names between your application and your ID are a common, avoidable reason candidates get turned away at the test center.
Key Takeaway
Because retakes are unlimited within 24 months, a failed attempt isn't a crisis - but it does cost time and money each time. Treat your first attempt as your best shot by studying the domain weights seriously before you schedule.
A Domain-Weighted Way to Prepare
Generic study techniques work best when they're mapped directly onto the exam's own structure rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all template. Since Basic Nursing Care (26%) and Promotion of Function and Health (24%) together make up half the scored questions, your review time should reflect that imbalance rather than splitting evenly across all five domains.
Basic Nursing Care + Promotion of Function
- Spend the majority of your time here since these two domains make up 50% of scored questions
- Practice recall of hygiene, nutrition, and mobility-support tasks
Role of the Nurse Aide + Promotion of Safety
- Review scope-of-practice boundaries and infection control procedures
- Use short daily review blocks rather than one long session
Specialized Care for Health Changes + Full Review
- Finish the smallest domain, then run a full 60-question timed simulation
- Revisit any domain where you consistently miss questions
Running a full-length, 60-question timed practice simulation before test day is one of the most useful things you can do - it trains you to pace yourself across the 90-minute limit and gets you comfortable distinguishing scored-style questions from filler content. Our PROMETRIC-NA Study Guide 2026 lays out a complete first-attempt plan, and you can start practicing directly on our practice test platform whenever you're ready.
After You Pass: Registry, Renewal, and Jobs
Once you pass both the written and clinical skills components, your name is placed on the Connecticut Nurse Aide Registry. Renewal itself is free, but it isn't automatic - it requires your employer to verify that you completed at least one eight-hour paid shift providing nursing or nursing-related services before your certification expires.
Recertification runs for two years starting from your last verified date of employment, which means staying active in paid nurse aide work is what keeps your credential current. Letting your certification lapse without qualifying employment can mean having to retest. See PROMETRIC-NA Certification for the full lifecycle explanation.
Certified nurse aides in Connecticut typically find employment in skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, assisted living communities, and home health agencies. If you're evaluating whether this career path fits your goals, our ROI analysis and Salary Guide compare qualitative outcomes candidates commonly report, and PROMETRIC-NA Jobs covers typical hiring settings in more detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The written knowledge exam is one of two required components. You must also pass the clinical skills test to become a certified nursing assistant in Connecticut and appear on the state registry.
The exam has 60 multiple-choice questions - 50 scored and 10 unscored pretest items - with a 90-minute time limit to complete all of them.
Written-only or oral-only testing costs $48. However, most first-time candidates need the combined written-plus-clinical-skills package, priced at $125, since both parts are required for initial certification.
Connecticut allows unlimited retake attempts as long as you remain within the 24-month eligibility window that starts after you complete your training program.
Basic Nursing Care Provided by the Nurse Aide, at 26%, is the largest domain, followed closely by Promotion of Function and Health of Residents at 24%. Together they make up half the scored questions.