Credentia vs Prometric vs Headmaster: how the CNA skills test differs
Updated · Reviewed against official sources
The three big CNA skills test vendors score you differently. Credentia (NNAAP-style) gives five skills, usually in 30 minutes, with bold critical element steps. Prometric scores three assigned skills plus Handwashing and Indirect Care. D&S Headmaster gives three or four tasks in 35 minutes and requires every key step plus 80% of the rest, and it lets you go back to earlier tasks.
| Credentia (NC, VA, GA, PA, CA region) | Prometric (TX, FL) | D&S Headmaster (OH) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills/tasks | 5 | 3 assigned + Handwashing + Indirect Care | 3–4 (1 mandatory first task) |
| Time | 30 min (PA, VA, GA, CA region) | By test form; FL 31–40 min | 35 min |
| Hand hygiene | Always one of the 5 in NC, VA, GA | Scored on every test, unprompted | Built into the mandatory first task |
| Pass rule | Critical element steps (+ cut score in VA) | Pass all 5; checkpoints | All key steps + 80% of non-key |
| Go back to a finished skill? | No | No | Yes, within 35 min |
| Pulse / respirations tolerance | ±4 / ±2 | See checklist | ±6 / ±4 |
| Who plays the resident | Candidate volunteers | Actor or mannequin (TX); candidates (FL) | Actors; manikin for peri/catheter care |
What this means for how you practice
- Credentia: learn the bold steps cold and watch the clock — 30 minutes goes fast.
- Prometric: treat handwashing and resident rights as a sixth sense running through everything; they're scored the whole time.
- Headmaster: do every step physically, and use leftover time to review earlier tasks.
Find your vendor
Your state's nurse aide registry page or your instructor will name the vendor. Then open your state page: Texas, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Ohio.
Quick answers
- How many skills do you get on the CNA skills test?
- Five with Credentia, five scored (3 assigned + 2 always-scored) with Prometric, and three or four tasks with D&S Headmaster in Ohio.
- Which vendor is easiest?
- None is easier overall: Headmaster lets you go back but requires 80% of all steps; Credentia and Prometric don't let you go back.
- Do all vendors test blood pressure?
- No. Credentia lists include BP; the Texas and Florida Prometric lists and Ohio's Headmaster list don't.
What to do next
Know your vendor? Next learn exactly what counts as a critical step.
You must pass the written test too. Take the free 20-question practice test, or unlock the timed 60-question exam simulator, the full question bank and every skill checklist for $29 one-time (or $9/month).
Related guides
Sources
- Credentia North Carolina handbook — The Skill Evaluation
- Credentia Virginia handbook — The Skill Evaluation
- Credentia Georgia handbook — The Skill Evaluation
- Credentia Pennsylvania handbook — Exam overview
- Texas Nurse Aide Candidate Information Bulletin (Prometric, PDF)
- Florida CNA Candidate Information Bulletin, Rev. 11012025 (Prometric, PDF)
- Ohio Nurse Aide Candidate Handbook, Version 27, December 2025 (D&S Diversified Technologies / Headmaster, PDF)
Checked: . Rules, fees and vendors change — always confirm with your state's official page and candidate handbook.