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Use this two-week schedule when you want a clear daily starting point. Aim for a manageable 20–35 minutes of knowledge study on most days; shorten or extend it to fit your life. These times are suggestions, not training requirements.
Use your training materials and current testing-vendor handbook alongside this plan. It organizes knowledge study and does not replace a training program or hands-on skills practice. For California, find your vendor through CDPH’s approved testing-vendor list (checked October 23, 2026).
Set up a study session you can finish
- Start with the topic for the day. Decide how much time you have before opening questions.
- Answer a short set without checking the explanation first.
- Review every missed answer and every correct answer you guessed.
- Write one short reminder and its source link. Stop with a clear place to begin next time.
Your 14-day schedule
| Day | Focus | A useful task for that session |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Set up and take a starting sample | Save your vendor handbook. Try 10 free questions. List 3 topics to revisit without treating the score as a prediction. |
| 2 | Resident rights | Answer a small set. Write why each missed or uncertain answer fits its source. |
| 3 | Infection control | Read the explanation before moving on. Save a source you want to revisit. |
| 4 | Safety and emergencies | Explain your choice before revealing the answer. Note where you guessed. |
| 5 | Communication and role and responsibilities | Compare your reasoning with the explanations; add 2 reminders to your notes. |
| 6 | Daily care and nutrition and fluids | Keep the set short enough to review every explanation. |
| 7 | Review and catch up | Revisit your uncertain answers from days 2–6. Move unfinished work here rather than doubling tomorrow’s session. |
| 8 | Mobility and restorative care | Write a question for your instructor if a source or explanation remains unclear. |
| 9 | Observation and reporting | Answer first, then compare the explanation with your original reasoning. |
| 10 | Mental health and psychosocial care and end-of-life care | Read the linked sources for the answers you found least clear. |
| 11 | Mix topics | Use a short mixed set. Separate a content gap from a question you read too quickly. |
| 12 | Return to your two least clear topics | Explain the ideas in your own words, then answer another small set. |
| 13 | Review and organize | Revisit missed and uncertain items. Bring unresolved points to your instructor. Open the test-day checklist. |
| 14 | Light review and next steps | Read your short reminder list. Finish the booking/document check and leave room for rest or a schedule change. |
A review note that is useful tomorrow
| Prompt | Your note |
|---|---|
| Topic | ____________________ |
| What I thought | ____________________ |
| What the explanation and source say | ____________________ |
| My reminder in my own words | ____________________ |
| Source URL and date I read it | ____________________ |
| Still need to ask my instructor | ____________________ |
Adjust the plan when life interrupts
If you miss a day, move the work into a review or catch-up slot. If several days disappear, extend the schedule rather than compressing every topic into one sitting. If your exam is already booked, confirm any change with the vendor before relying on a new date.
You can use the free topic pages throughout the plan. The practice app starts with 10 questions without an account; full-bank practice and saved progress require a paid plan. The number of questions you complete or the score you get does not guarantee an exam result.
Keep planning your next step
- California exam format, time limits and passing rules
- California exam registration and fees by vendor
- California CNA exam retakes: what to do next
- California CNA test-day checklist
- 30-day CNA knowledge study plan
Healthcare Exam Prep is independent. We are not affiliated with the California Department of Public Health or any CNA testing provider. Practice scores do not predict your exam result.