INACE Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam Practice Test PDF (Free Printable 2026)
Pass your INACE Illinois Nurse Assistant exam on the first attempt. ✏️ Practice questions with detailed answer explanations, hints, and instant scoring.
INACE Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam Overview
The Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Evaluation (INACE) is the state-approved certification exam required for nurse aides who want to be listed on the Illinois Health Care Worker Registry. The exam has two parts: a 75-question written test and a skills evaluation in which candidates demonstrate three randomly selected clinical skills. Practice with the free Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).
Written Test — What It Covers
The written portion covers activities of daily living (ADL assistance, positioning, ambulation), infection control (standard precautions, hand hygiene, PPE), communication and interpersonal skills, resident rights and dignity, safety and emergency procedures, and mental health and social service needs. Questions are written at a functional reading level appropriate for entry-level nursing assistant candidates.
Skills Evaluation — Clinical Procedures Tested
Three skills are randomly selected from the INACE skill checklist. Core skills include hand hygiene (the most frequently tested skill), complete bed bath, transfer from bed to wheelchair, passive range of motion, vital signs measurement (blood pressure, pulse, respiration, temperature), urinary catheter care, and perineal care. Each skill is scored on a standardized checklist; missing a critical step results in an automatic failure of that skill.
Illinois-Specific Exam Details
The INACE is administered by ProCert at testing centers across Illinois. The written test requires a minimum passing score of 70 percent (53 of 75 questions correct). All three randomly selected skills must be passed in the same testing session. Candidates who fail one or both sections may retest the failed section(s) up to the allowed attempt limit before being required to complete additional training.
Free Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam Study Tools
Interactive Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
- INACE Restorative Care and Rehabilitation 1 — 7 questions with answer explanations
- Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
- Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
- Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review
CNA Scope vs RN Scope — What Nurse Aides Can and Cannot Do
The INACE written test includes questions about scope of practice. Certified nurse aides (CNAs) work under the supervision of licensed nurses and perform delegated tasks only. CNAs may assist with ADLs, take and record vital signs, provide basic personal care, and report observations to the supervising nurse. CNAs may not administer medications, perform sterile procedures, insert or remove urinary catheters, or make clinical assessments — those fall within the registered nurse (RN) or licensed practical nurse (LPN) scope of practice.
Infection Control and Standard Precautions
Infection control is heavily weighted on the INACE. You must know the five moments of hand hygiene, correct donning and doffing sequence for PPE, transmission-based precautions (contact, droplet, airborne), and proper handling of soiled linens and sharps. Hand hygiene skill is tested in nearly every skills evaluation session because it is an embedded step in most other clinical procedures.
Resident Rights Under OBRA
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA) established federal resident rights in long-term care. INACE questions test your understanding of the right to privacy, the right to be informed about care, the right to refuse treatment, freedom from abuse and restraints, and the right to participate in care planning. Knowing the difference between physical, emotional, sexual, and financial abuse — and your mandatory reporting obligation — is essential.
- ✓Review all ADL assistance techniques: bathing, dressing, grooming, and feeding
- ✓Practice the correct hand hygiene procedure step by step
- ✓Study donning and doffing PPE in the correct sequence
- ✓Learn transmission-based precautions: contact, droplet, and airborne
- ✓Memorize normal ranges for blood pressure, pulse, respirations, and temperature
- ✓Practice bed-to-wheelchair transfer with proper body mechanics and safety
- ✓Review passive range-of-motion exercises for all major joints
- ✓Study resident rights under OBRA and mandatory abuse reporting rules
- ✓Learn CNA scope of practice boundaries versus RN/LPN scope
- ✓Complete timed practice tests targeting the 70% passing threshold
How to Use This INACE Practice Test PDF
Print this PDF and work through the questions as if you were sitting the real written test. Aim to complete all 75 practice questions within 90 minutes to build the pacing you will need on exam day. After you score your results, sort your wrong answers by topic area — infection control, resident rights, safety — and review those sections before your next practice round.
For the skills evaluation, use the practice test to identify which skill steps you have memorized and which you still need to rehearse. Ask a study partner or clinical supervisor to score you against the official INACE skills checklist. Repeating each skill at least five times before your test date builds the muscle memory needed to perform correctly under observation pressure.
- +Industry-recognized credential boosts your resume
- +Higher earning potential (10-20% salary increase on average)
- +Demonstrates commitment to professional development
- +Opens doors to advanced career opportunities
- −Exam preparation requires significant time investment (4-8 weeks)
- −Certification fees can be $100-$400+
- −May require continuing education to maintain
- −Some employers may not require certification
Sample Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam Practice Questions
Try these questions from our free Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam practice tests. The correct answer and an explanation follow each question.
What should a INACE professional do when facing a conflict of interest?
- A. Disclose the conflict and recuse if necessary
- B. Ignore it if no one notices
- C. Proceed as normal without disclosure
- D. Delegate to an unqualified colleague
Answer: A. Disclose the conflict and recuse if necessary
Transparency through disclosure and recusal when appropriate maintains professional integrity and public trust.
What is the foundational principle of professional ethics in INACE practice?
- A. Acting in the best interest of the client or patient
- B. Maximizing organizational revenue
- C. Following only personal moral beliefs
- D. Avoiding all risk-taking
Answer: A. Acting in the best interest of the client or patient
The core of professional ethics is prioritizing the welfare and best interests of clients or patients above other considerations.
A nurse aide notices bruising in unusual locations on a resident who is not mobile. This should FIRST be:
- A. Documented in the nurse aide's personal notes
- B. Reported immediately to the charge nurse
- C. Discussed with the resident's roommate
- D. Photographed by the nurse aide for evidence
Answer: B. Reported immediately to the charge nurse
Unexplained bruising on an immobile resident is a potential sign of abuse that must be reported immediately to the charge nurse.
When measuring a patient's blood pressure, you should place the cuff:
- A. Over the patient’s wrist.
- B. Just above the elbow.
- C. Around the patient’s ankle.
- D. Around the patient’s neck.
Answer: B. Just above the elbow.
When measuring a patient's blood pressure, the cuff should be placed on the upper arm, with the lower edge positioned approximately one inch (2.5 cm) above the antecubital fossa (the crease of the elbow). This ensures the cuff is correctly positioned over the brachial artery for accurate measurement. Incorrect placement can lead to inaccurate readings.
Take the full Illinois Nurse Assistant Competency Exam practice test
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- dph.illinois.gov — Score validity · verified Oct 2026
- nurseaidetesting.com — Test dates, test delivery, eligibility, passing score, retake policy, score release, fees, retake fee · verified Oct 2026