Certified Nursing Assistant (NNAAP) Exam: Full Comparison
The Certified Nursing Assistant (NNAAP) exam and NHA's allied-health certifications — the Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) and Certified EKG Technician (CET) exams — all open doors to entry-level roles in patient care, but they credential very different skill sets. This page compares the three so you can pick the credential that matches your career goal, or plan a stackable path across them.
Scope of practice
The CNA (NNAAP) certifies broad, hands-on personal care: activities of daily living, mobility and transfers, vital signs, infection control, and resident rights across long-term care and hospital settings. The Certified Phlebotomy Technician exam is narrow and specialized — it focuses on venipuncture, capillary draws, specimen handling, and lab safety. The Certified EKG Technician exam is likewise focused, covering electrocardiogram setup, lead placement, rhythm recognition, and Holter/stress-test support.
Exam format and difficulty
The NNAAP has a written (knowledge) component and a separate hands-on skills evaluation, and you must pass both parts to earn the credential. The written portion consists of 70 multiple-choice questions with a 90-minute time limit. By contrast, the NHA phlebotomy and EKG exams are knowledge-based multiple-choice tests; hands-on competency is typically demonstrated through program clinical hours rather than a standardized skills station. Difficulty is comparable at entry level, but the CNA's dual written-plus-skills structure means candidates must prepare for a proctored practical demonstration in addition to a written test.
| Attribute | CNA (NNAAP) | Phlebotomy (CPT) | EKG (CET) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focus | Broad personal & nursing care | Blood draws & specimens | Cardiac monitoring & EKGs |
| Written questions | 70 multiple-choice | Multiple-choice (varies) | Multiple-choice (varies) |
| Time limit (written) | 90 minutes | Varies by provider | Varies by provider |
| Separate skills test | Yes — must pass both parts | Program clinical hours | Program clinical hours |
Who each is for
Choose the CNA if you want to work directly with patients in nursing homes, hospitals, or home health, and want the most transferable entry point into nursing. Choose phlebotomy if you prefer a specialized, lab-oriented role with focused technical skills and less full-body patient care. Choose EKG if you're drawn to cardiac and diagnostic work and want a niche technical credential, often in cardiology clinics or telemetry units.
Prerequisites
All three are entry-level credentials that generally require a high-school diploma or equivalent and completion of an approved training program; none requires a prior nursing degree. Exact prerequisites — training hours, age minimums, and background checks — are set by your state and the certifying body, so confirm the current requirements with your program before enrolling.
Frequently asked questions
Which exam is easier — CNA, phlebotomy, or EKG?
All three are entry-level and comparable in academic difficulty, but the CNA (NNAAP) adds a separate hands-on skills evaluation that you must pass in addition to the 70-question, 90-minute written test. The phlebotomy and EKG exams are primarily knowledge-based, so candidates who are nervous about a proctored practical demonstration may find those single-format tests more approachable.
Can I stack these certifications?
Yes — these credentials complement each other well. Many patient-care professionals start with the CNA for broad experience, then add phlebotomy or EKG certification to expand into specialized, better-paid technical roles. Because each focuses on a different skill set, combining them can make you a more versatile candidate, though the exact value depends on your local job market and employer needs.
Do phlebotomy and EKG exams also have a separate skills test like the CNA?
Unlike the CNA (NNAAP), which requires passing both a written test and a standardized skills assessment, the NHA phlebotomy and EKG certification exams are typically knowledge-based multiple-choice tests. Hands-on competency for those credentials is usually verified through required clinical or externship hours in your training program rather than a separate proctored skills station.