CNA Study Schedule — Week-by-Week Plan

Week 1 tackles the two highest-weighted domains on the CNA exam: Basic Nursing Skills (22%) and Infection Control (18%). Together, these topics make up 40% of your written exam — mastering them gives you a massive head start. This week, focus on understanding vital signs (normal ranges, measurement techniques), patient positioning, bed-making procedures, and catheter care. Then shift to infection control fundamentals: hand hygiene technique, PPE donning and doffing order, standard vs. transmission-based precautions, and isolation protocols. Don’t just read — actively practice clinical skills with a study partner whenever possible. Take the topic quizzes at the end of each section to test your understanding before moving on.

Week 2 covers Activities of Daily Living (16%) and Patient Rights & Ethics (14%) — another 30% of your written exam. For ADLs, focus on the proper techniques for bathing (water temperature, washing order), dressing (affected side first on, unaffected side first off), feeding (aspiration prevention, positioning at 45–60 degrees), and toileting procedures. Then dive into patient rights: memorize the key OBRA requirements, understand informed consent and advance directives, and know your responsibilities as a mandatory reporter for abuse and neglect. By the end of this week, you’ll have covered 70% of the exam content. Take the topic quizzes and review any areas where you score below 80%.

Week 3 wraps up the remaining exam topics: Safety & Emergencies (12%), Communication (10%), and Mental Health & Social Needs (8%). These three domains make up the final 30% of the written exam. Memorize the RACE and PASS acronyms for fire safety, learn fall prevention protocols, and review choking and seizure responses. For communication, focus on active listening techniques and how to communicate with patients who have hearing or vision impairments. For mental health, learn Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (heavily tested) and dementia care techniques. Saturday is the big day — take your first full 60-question practice test under timed conditions (90 minutes). This simulates real exam pressure and reveals your true readiness level.

Week 4 is all about targeted review and building test-day confidence. Start by analyzing your practice test results from Week 3 — which topics did you score lowest on? Spend Monday and Tuesday drilling those weak areas specifically. Wednesday is dedicated entirely to practicing clinical skills with a partner, because the skills portion is where most candidates fail. Focus on the #1 failure points: hand hygiene between every skill, patient identification, explaining procedures, and providing privacy. Thursday, take your second full practice test — aim for 80% or higher. If you hit that mark consistently, you’re ready. Friday is light review only (flashcards, quick notes). Saturday, prepare your test-day supplies: two forms of ID, clean scrubs, confirmation letter. Sunday — rest completely. You’ve earned it.