Is the bedpan skill tested in Pennsylvania?

No. The PA skills list marks Assists With Use of Bedpan as not tested in Pennsylvania.

How many skills on the PA nurse aide skills test?

Five, in 30 minutes, and all five must be correct.

PA CNA skills test: is hand washing always on it, and which skills are tested?

Updated November 12, 2026 · Reviewed against official sources

Pennsylvania's skills evaluation (Credentia) is five randomly selected skills in 30 minutes, and you must perform all five correctly. Bedpan and electronic blood pressure are marked not tested in Pennsylvania. Credentia's PA pages list Hand Hygiene first "as a reminder" and build hand washing into the skills, but the pages we checked don't say it is always a separately scored skill, so plan to wash correctly in every skill.

Credentia Pennsylvania skills list (checked 2026-11-12)
#	Skill	Tested in PA?
1	Hand hygiene (hand washing)	Yes
2	Applies one knee-high elastic stocking	Yes
3	Assists to ambulate using transfer belt	Yes
4	Assists with use of bedpan	Not tested in Pennsylvania
5	Cleans upper or lower denture	Yes
6	Counts and records radial pulse	Yes
7	Counts and records respirations	Yes
8	Donning and removing PPE (gown and gloves)	Yes
9	Dresses client with affected (weak) right arm	Yes
10	Feeds client who cannot feed self	Yes
11	Gives modified bed bath (face and one arm, hand and underarm)	Yes
12	Measures and records electronic blood pressure	Not tested in Pennsylvania
13	Measures and records urinary output	Yes
14	Measures and records weight of ambulatory client	Yes
15	Modified passive ROM for one knee and one ankle	Yes
16	Modified passive ROM for one shoulder	Yes
17	Positions on side	Yes
18	Provides catheter care for female	Yes
19	Provides foot care on one foot	Yes
20	Provides mouth care	Yes
21	Provides perineal care (peri-care) for female	Yes
22	Transfers from bed to wheelchair using transfer belt	Yes
23	Measures and records manual blood pressure	Yes (state-specific)

Hand washing in Pennsylvania: the honest answer

Other Credentia states say it outright: North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia state that hand hygiene will always be one of the five skills. Pennsylvania's exam overview and skills pages we checked do not say that; the skills page says Hand Hygiene is listed first as a reminder to perform it before all other skills.

Either way the practical answer is the same: hand hygiene steps sit inside most checklists, so a sloppy wash can fail a skill even if hand washing isn't announced as its own task.

Format

5 skills, 30 minutes, at a test center only; a Nurse Evaluator rates you.
All five must be performed correctly to pass.
Critical element steps are in bold on the checklists.
Manual BP within ±8 mm Hg; pulse ±4; respirations ±2; urine ±25 mL; weight ±2 lb.

Quick answers

PA CNA skills test: is hand washing always on it?: Credentia's PA pages list Hand Hygiene first as a reminder and include hand washing inside skills; they don't state it is always one of the five. Treat it as always required.
Is the bedpan skill tested in Pennsylvania?: No. The PA skills list marks Assists With Use of Bedpan as not tested in Pennsylvania.
How many skills on the PA nurse aide skills test?: Five, in 30 minutes, and all five must be correct.

What to do next

See how the hand hygiene rule differs by vendor before test day.

Handwashing rules by vendor Get full access — $29 one-time

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

Checked: November 12, 2026. Rules, fees and vendors change — always confirm with your state's official page and candidate handbook.