South Dakota CNA Requirements (2026): Training Hours, the State Exam, Fees and Transfer

1. Finish 75 hours of approved training.
2. Pass the state exam: a written test from Headmaster and a skills evaluation by an RN evaluator in your training program.
3. Get listed on the South Dakota Board of Nursing CNA Registry.
4. Renew every 2 years. You also need to meet the work rule (below).

A 75-hour Board-approved nurse aide training program (NATP). All students must complete supervised practical training in a skills lab and a skilled facility or similar setting; the Board pages do not state a set number of clinical hours.

Background check: Before starting a training program, each student must be screened for findings and convictions of emotional and psychological abuse, neglect, exploitation, or physical abuse.

WIOA training money can pay for CNA training for people who qualify: WIOA CNA training in South Dakota. Some nursing homes also pay for the class: free CNA training.

Written test: 80 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes, score of at least 75 percent to pass. You can take an oral (read-aloud) version instead.

Skills test: 4 skills, randomly assigned from a Board pool of 22 based on your birth month and day. An RN Skills Evaluator checks you during the training program skills lab or at the end of the 75-hour program, using the Board's checklist forms.

Fees: $45 for the written test.

The knowledge exam is $45 for the first try and $45 for each retake. The audio (oral) version is also $45. Students employed by a nursing facility cannot be charged for training or testing. No separate skills test fee is listed, because the skills evaluation is done in the training program.

Tries: If you fail the knowledge exam, you can retake it 2 times. If you fail a third time, your instructor must give you more instruction.

Read the South Dakota candidate handbook before you schedule.

Practice free below: 10 questions at a time, each with the answer explained. For the hands-on part, study the CNA skills list.

Renew every 2 years.

Work: At least 12 hours of paid nursing or nursing-related work during the 2 years before renewal. You may renew online up to 90 days before you expire.

Training: At least 12 hours of in-service education each year during the 2 years before renewal. It must cover dementia management and how to report resident abuse, neglect, exploitation, and misappropriation of property. Nursing school courses do not count.

South Dakota accepts CNAs certified in another state. You finished a nurse aide training program of at least 75 hours, you are actively registered as a CNA on another state's registry, and you have no findings or convictions of abuse, neglect, or misappropriation of property.

Fill out the online CNA Registration by Endorsement application on the Board's website. Then check your application status and print your registration card on the Board's verification website.

Form: South Dakota Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) Registry by Interstate Endorsement Application.

South Dakota transfer details. Every state is on the CNA reciprocity page.

Look at the CNA openings near you and get your resume written for each one. The CNA resume and CNA interview questions pages help with the rest.

Every state is on the CNA requirements by state page.

1. A nurse who is busy asks you to give a resident her morning pills. You are a CNA and do not hold a medication aide certificate. What should you do?
   Answer: Politely tell the nurse that giving medicine is outside your duties. Giving medicine is outside a CNA's duties unless you hold a separate medication aide certificate. Tell the nurse politely and offer to help with a task you are trained to do.
2. Who writes the care plan that tells you what care each resident needs?
   Answer: The nurse, working with the care team. The licensed nurse builds the care plan with the rest of the care team. You follow it and report changes that might mean it needs an update.
3. What is the single most important way to stop germs from spreading in a nursing home?
   Answer: Cleaning your hands before and after every resident contact. Hands carry most germs from one person to the next. Hand hygiene before and after every contact is the first rule of infection control.
4. A resident has diarrhea from C. diff. After giving care, how should you clean your hands?
   Answer: Wash with soap and water. Alcohol rub does not kill C. diff spores well. Washing with soap and water and rubbing your hands together removes them.
5. You are wearing a gown, a mask, goggles and gloves. Which do you take off first when you leave the room?
   Answer: Gloves. Gloves are the most soiled item, so they come off first. The mask comes off last, after you are away from the resident.
6. Standard precautions tell you to treat which of these as if it could spread infection?
   Answer: Blood, body fluids, broken skin and mucous membranes of every resident. You cannot tell who carries a germ by looking. Standard precautions apply to every resident, every time.
7. You find a small fire in a resident's room. Using the RACE steps, what do you do first?
   Answer: Rescue anyone in immediate danger. RACE stands for Rescue, Alarm, Contain, Extinguish. Moving people out of danger comes first.
8. A resident you are walking with starts to fall. What should you do?
   Answer: Ease her down to the floor and protect her head. Trying to stop a fall can hurt both of you. Guide her gently to the floor, protect her head, stay with her, and call for the nurse.
9. A visitor says she is a resident's neighbor and asks what his diagnosis is. What should you do?
   Answer: Do not share the information, and refer her to the nurse. A resident's health information is private under HIPAA. Only people with a right to know may get it, and the nurse handles those requests.
10. A resident tries to give you $20 for being kind to her. What should you do?
    Answer: Thank her and politely decline, following facility policy. Taking money or gifts from residents can look like taking advantage of them. Decline kindly and follow your facility's policy.
11. A resident says she does not want her shower today. What should you do?
    Answer: Respect her choice, ask if later would work, and tell the nurse. Residents have the right to refuse care. Respect the choice, offer another time, and report the refusal so the nurse knows.
12. Which action best protects a resident's privacy during perineal care?
    Answer: Close the door, pull the curtain, and keep the resident covered except the area you are washing. Privacy is a resident right. Closing the door and curtain and keeping the body covered protects dignity during personal care.
13. You see a coworker slap a resident. What should you do?
    Answer: Make sure the resident is safe and report it to the nurse or supervisor right away. Abuse must be reported right away. You are a mandated reporter, and waiting puts the resident at risk.
14. A resident is hard of hearing. What helps the most when you talk with her?
    Answer: Face her and speak clearly in a normal or slightly lower tone. Facing her lets her see your lips and face. Shouting distorts words, and a lower pitch is often easier to hear.
15. A resident who is blind feeds himself. How can you help him find the food on his plate?
    Answer: Describe where each food is using the numbers on a clock face. The clock method, such as "chicken at 6 o'clock," lets him find each food and keep eating on his own.
16. Which of these is an open-ended question?
    Answer: How are you feeling this morning? An open-ended question cannot be answered with yes or no. It invites the resident to tell you more.
17. Which resting adult pulse should you report to the nurse right away?
    Answer: 112 beats per minute. A normal adult resting pulse is 60 to 100 beats per minute. 112 is too fast and needs to be reported.
18. Which adult breathing rate is outside the normal range and should be reported?
    Answer: 8 breaths per minute. Normal adult breathing at rest is about 12 to 20 breaths per minute. A rate of 8 is too slow.
19. Which blood pressure reading is in the normal range for an adult?
    Answer: 116/76. Normal adult blood pressure is under 120 on top and under 80 on the bottom. The other readings are high.
20. Where do you usually check the pulse when taking routine vital signs?
    Answer: The radial artery, on the thumb side of the wrist. The radial pulse is easy to reach and comfortable for the resident. Use your first two fingers, never your thumb, because your thumb has its own pulse.
21. When should you write down the care you gave?
    Answer: Right after you give it, recording only what you did and saw. Charting is a legal record. Write it after the care is done, and only write what you did and observed yourself.
22. A resident is in Fowler's position. How is she placed?
    Answer: Sitting up with the head of the bed raised about 45 to 60 degrees. Fowler's position is a sitting-up position with the head of the bed raised about 45 to 60 degrees. It helps with breathing and eating.
23. A resident cannot change position on her own. Unless the care plan says otherwise, how often should she be repositioned?
    Answer: At least every 2 hours. Pressure on the same spot for long periods causes pressure injuries. Turning at least every 2 hours is the usual rule unless the care plan sets a different schedule.
24. You are about to move a resident from the bed to a wheelchair. Where should the wheelchair go?
    Answer: On the resident's stronger side, with the brakes locked. The resident pivots and leads with the stronger side. Locked brakes keep the chair from rolling away during the move.
25. You are helping a resident with weakness on one side walk with a gait belt. Where do you stand?
    Answer: On her weaker side, slightly behind her. She is most likely to lose balance toward her weak side. Standing there, slightly behind with a hand on the gait belt, lets you support her.
26. A resident has a weak right arm. When you help her put on a shirt, which arm goes in first?
    Answer: The weak right arm. Dress the weak side first and undress it last. That way the weak arm moves the least.
27. During a bed bath, how should you wash the resident's eyes?
    Answer: From the inner corner to the outer corner, using a clean part of the washcloth for each eye. Wiping inner to outer moves germs away from the tear duct. A clean part of the cloth for each eye keeps germs from passing between them.
28. During perineal care for a female resident, which direction do you wash?
    Answer: Front to back. Washing front to back keeps germs from the rectal area away from the urinary opening, which helps prevent infection.
29. How should a resident be positioned before you help her eat?
    Answer: Sitting upright, as close to 90 degrees as she can. Sitting upright helps food go down the right way and lowers the risk of choking.
30. While you help a resident eat, she coughs often and her voice sounds wet. What should you do?
    Answer: Stop feeding her and tell the nurse. Coughing and a wet voice while eating can mean food or drink is going into the airway. Stop and report it so the nurse can check her swallowing.
31. A resident drank one full 8-ounce cup of milk. How many milliliters do you record on the intake sheet?
    Answer: 240 mL. One ounce is 30 mL. Eight ounces times 30 is 240 mL.
32. Where should the drainage bag of a urinary catheter be kept?
    Answer: Below the level of the bladder, hung on the bed frame. Urine drains down. Keeping the bag below the bladder stops urine from flowing back in, and off the floor keeps it clean.
33. What is the right way to clean around a urinary catheter?
    Answer: Start where the tube enters the body and wipe away from it, down the tube. Wiping away from the opening moves germs away from the body. Never pull the tube or open the closed drainage system.
34. A resident with dementia is upset and says she has to go home to cook dinner for her kids. What is the best response?
    Answer: Stay calm, listen to her feelings, and gently steer her to an activity. Arguing with a person who has dementia raises stress. Respond to the feeling behind the words and redirect her calmly.
35. A resident with Alzheimer's disease gets more confused and restless in the late afternoon and evening. What is this called?
    Answer: Sundowning. Sundowning is confusion and restlessness that gets worse late in the day. A calm room, good lighting and a set routine can help.
36. A resident tells you she feels hopeless and has stopped eating. What should you do?
    Answer: Tell the nurse what she said right away. Hopelessness and not eating can be signs of depression. Report them to the nurse right away so the resident gets help.
37. A dying resident no longer responds to you. Which sense is thought to be the last one lost?
    Answer: Hearing. Hearing is believed to last the longest. Keep speaking to the resident kindly and explain what you are doing.
38. A dying resident says, "If I can just see my grandson graduate, then I will be ready." Which stage of grief does this show?
    Answer: Bargaining. Bargaining is trying to make a deal for more time. It is one of the five stages of grief described by Dr. Kubler-Ross.
39. Which of these is objective data, something you can see or measure?
    Answer: The skin over the resident's tailbone is red. Objective data is what you observe with your senses, like red skin. What the resident tells you is subjective data, and you report it in her words.
40. Which of these should you report to the nurse right away?
    Answer: The resident says she has chest pain. Chest pain can be a sign of a heart attack. Stay with the resident and get the nurse at once.

• South Dakota Board of Nursing CNA Registry
• South Dakota CNA candidate handbook
• South Dakota: CNA Endorsement (www.sdbon.org)
• South Dakota: NATP Requirements (www.sdbon.org)
• South Dakota: south dakota cna (hdmaster.com)
• South Dakota: info (www.sduap.org)
• South Dakota: CNA Initial Requirements (www.sdbon.org)
• South Dakota: SkillsEvaluation (www.sdbon.org)
• South Dakota: CNA Renewal (www.sdbon.org)