Understanding the National (NAB) Nursing Home Administrators Examination
The national examination consists of 150 questions in the one-best-answer format. Questions are written by administrators from across the United States at what are called "item writing workshops" usually conducted twice each year. NAB has about 2000 items or questions in its computer-based bank of questions. Several versions of the 150 question national examination are developed each year, assuring that anyone retaking the national examination will have a new test each time.
Subject Areas Covered by the National Nursing Home Administrators Examination
The five subject areas of the national examination are the five areas covered by the textbook Nursing Home Administration. The percent of questions in each test area is as follows:
| 14% management | 21 questions |
| 23% personnel | 34 questions |
| 16% finance | 24 questions |
| 13% environment | 20 questions |
| 34% resident care | 51 questions |
What Must You Score to Pass the Nursing Home Administrators National Exam?
You must give about 65% to 70% correct answers to pass. The number of correct answers varies with each exam based on a scaled score which is tied to the difficulty level of each exam version.
What Percentage of NAB National Nursing Home Administrators Examination Candidates Pass?
On average, the percentage of first time candidates who pass varies between roughly 70% to 80% who pass the first time. The passing rate for first time repeaters taking the exam is much lower: about 35% to 45% pass on their second try. Each year, about 3,000 persons take this national nursing home administrator examination.
Get Detailed Contents of Each National Nursing Home Administrators Exam Test Area
Detailed contents of each of these five test areas are available in the NAB Study Guide, edited by James E. Allen, and in NAB Five-Step Administrator-in-Training Guide by James E. Allen and Philip Brown.
Obtain a Booklet About the National Nursing Home Administrator's Exam
For a more complete explanation of the licensing process obtain a copy of Nursing Home Administrators Licensing Examination Information for Candidates from NAB by calling NAB at 202-712-9040 in Washington, D.C. or by contacting your state licensing board or agency.