Nursing assistants preparing for the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA) credential administered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center can use this resource to study. Candidates must meet practice requirements under registered nurse supervision before testing. This page provides free practice questions, test format details, scoring criteria, and retake policies to help you prepare for test day.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 110 multiple-choice (100 scored + 10 pretest)[1] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Passing score | 500 scaled (scale 200–800)[1] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake fee | $135 (reTEST Assured)[1] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy | reTEST within one of next 3 windows, usable once[1] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | 4 years[2] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery | PSI test centers or live remote proctoring[1] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility | 500 hrs in last 12 months or 1,000 hrs in last 24 months under RN supervision (US)[3] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Score release | Pass/fail on screen; score report emailed within 24 hours[1] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Testing window (December 2026) | December 1–31, 2026[3] | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center, “The Certification Examination for Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistants consists of 110 multiple-choice items, of which 100 have equal weight for scoring.”[1]
The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant examination, offered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center, assesses individuals providing end-of-life and palliative care under registered nurse supervision in the United States. To sit for the examination, candidates must document 500 hrs in last 12 months or 1,000 hrs in last 24 months under RN supervision.
The examination contains 110 multiple-choice questions, which includes 100 scored questions and 10 pretest questions. Testing is delivered at PSI test centers or through live remote proctoring. An upcoming test window runs December 1–31, 2026. Passing requires a scaled score of 500 on a scale of 200–800. Testers receive an immediate pass/fail result on screen, and PSI emails the score report within 24 hours.
Passing candidates earn a credential with a validity of 4 years. If an initial attempt is unsuccessful, the reTEST Assured program allows a candidate to test again for a retake fee of $135. This retake policy permits testing within next 3 windows and is usable once. Nursing practice acts and certified nursing assistant registry requirements vary by state, so candidates should verify state-level rules with their local regulatory boards and the official testing body.
Prepare for the CHPNA - Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: Which document outlines what life-sustaining treatments a patient does or does not want?
Answer: B. Living will (advance directive)
Explanation:
Option B is correct because a living will is an advance directive that records a person's specific directives regarding life-sustaining interventions, such as mechanical ventilation or artificial nutrition, in the event they lose decision-making capacity. Option A is incorrect because a care plan is an interdisciplinary clinical tool developed by the care team to guide daily care, rather than a legal declaration of patient wishes. Option C is incorrect because an insurance form addresses billing and financial coverage, not clinical care preferences. Option D is incorrect because a nursing assessment documents current clinical status and symptoms rather than binding patient choices for future interventions. Remember the general rule that legal documents designating patient choices about life-prolonging procedures are advance directives such as living wills.
Question: When changing bed linens with a patient remaining in bed, what is the most important safety consideration?
Answer: B. Keep side rails up when not actively working on that side and never leave the patient unattended
Explanation:
Option B is correct because raising the opposite side rail and maintaining constant attendance prevents accidental falls while rolling or repositioning an individual during an occupied bed change. Option A is incorrect because rushing increases the risk of injury, skin tears, and falls, even though maintaining warmth and dignity remains helpful. Option C is incorrect because taking away every pillow can compromise airway alignment, respiratory effort, and physical comfort. Option D is incorrect because relying on the patient to pull themselves can lead to muscle strain, skin shear, or sudden loss of grip if they lack physical strength. Remember the general rule that fall prevention and continuous physical monitoring take priority over speed and convenience when performing occupied bed making.
Question: What is 'mottling' in the context of end-of-life care?
Answer: B. Blotchy, purplish discoloration of the skin due to poor circulation
Explanation:
Option B is correct because mottling represents irregular, blotchy, red-to-purple skin discoloration resulting from diminished peripheral blood flow as cardiac output slows near the end of life. Option A is incorrect because an allergic or pharmacological drug eruption typically presents as hives, petechiae, or widespread erythema, rather than localized circulatory mottling. Option C is incorrect because yellowing of the skin signifies jaundice related to hepatic dysfunction or hyperbilirubinemia. Option D is incorrect because fluid accumulation and tissue swelling indicate peripheral edema, which stems from lymphatic or vascular fluid imbalances rather than capillary pooling. Remember the general rule that mottling reflects circulatory deceleration during the dying process, commonly appearing initially on dependent extremities such as feet and knees.
Begin preparation by reviewing the official candidate handbook from the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center to confirm your clinical eligibility. Work through topical practice sets systematically. Start by reinforcing core clinical concepts with CHPNA Palliative Care Fundamentals and CHPNA Pain and Symptom Management.
Next, focus on daily nursing assistant duties and interactions. Use CHPNA Personal Care and Activities of Daily Living alongside CHPNA Patient and Family Communication to refine practical safety procedures and bedside observation skills. Progress to complex emotional scenarios using CHPNA Spiritual and Psychosocial Support and ethical boundaries through CHPNA Legal, Ethical, and Professional Standards.
Conclude your review by evaluating your grasp of physical changes during dying through CHPNA End-of-Life Care. Review full-length sets to simulate testing conditions before scheduling your appointment at a PSI test center or via live remote proctoring for testing windows such as December 1–31, 2026.
You must have completed 500 hrs in last 12 months or 1,000 hrs in last 24 months under RN supervision in the United States. This clinical practice experience must be verified by a registered nurse before the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center will approve your application to take the examination.
The examination consists of 110 multiple-choice questions. Among these items, exactly 100 scored questions count toward your final result, while 10 pretest questions are included by the testing body to evaluate future test items and do not impact your scaled score.
You need a scaled score of 500 to pass. The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center sets passing on a scaled score range of 200–800. You will see an immediate pass/fail result on screen at the end of the test, and PSI will email your official score report within 24 hours.
You can take the examination at computer-based PSI test centers or through live remote proctoring. Candidates choose their preferred delivery option when scheduling their examination appointment during an active testing window, such as December 1–31, 2026. The Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center oversees both test administration methods to ensure standardized testing conditions.
You can retest by paying a retake fee of $135 through the reTEST Assured program. Under this policy, testers who are unsuccessful on their initial examination may sit for the test again within next 3 windows. This retake program is usable once per candidate.
The credential remains valid for 4 years after passing the examination. Once you receive your passing score, the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center grants certification for that duration. To maintain your status, you must follow the official recertification procedures outlined by the credentialing center before your 4 years period concludes.
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