Pass Your NHA Certification Exams

What are NHA Certifications?

National Healthcareer Association (NHA) certifications are nationally recognized credentials for allied health professionals working in clinical, administrative, and patient care support roles. Founded in 1989, NHA is the leading allied health certification agency in the United States, certifying over 1 million healthcare professionals across 12+ specialty areas. NHA certifications validate competency in essential clinical and administrative skills required for entry-level and mid-level healthcare positions including medical assistants, phlebotomy technicians, EKG technicians, patient care technicians, pharmacy technicians, billing and coding specialists, and administrative health professionals.

NHA certifications are employer-preferred credentials required or strongly preferred by hospitals, physician practices, diagnostic laboratories, urgent care facilities, and healthcare systems nationwide. Certified professionals earn 15-25% higher salaries than non-certified peers, experience better job placement rates, and have increased opportunities for advancement. NHA exams are competency-based assessments developed using national job analysis studies ensuring exam content reflects actual workplace requirements. All NHA certifications require passing a computer-based certification exam and most require recertification every 2 years through continuing education or exam retake.

Popular NHA certifications include CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant - the most widely held medical assistant certification nationally), CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician), CET (Certified EKG Technician), CPCT (Certified Patient Care Technician), ExCPT (Pharmacy Technician), CBCS (Billing and Coding Specialist), CMAA (Medical Administrative Assistant), and specialty certifications for phlebotomy instructors, medical assisting instructors, and electronic health records specialists. Each certification validates specific technical competencies and knowledge domains essential for role performance.

Key NHA Certification Paths

CCMA (Certified Clinical Medical Assistant)

CCMA is NHA's most popular certification and the most widely recognized medical assistant credential in the United States with over 200,000+ certified professionals. The exam contains 150 scored questions (plus 30 pretest items) completed in 3 hours, testing knowledge and skills across patient care, infection control, phlebotomy, EKG, pharmacology, and medical office procedures. Content is divided into foundational knowledge and skills (about 27% covering anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, infection control, safety, medical law and ethics), patient care coordination and education (31% covering vital signs, patient interviewing, patient education, documentation, assisting with examinations), and infection control (10% covering standard precautions, sterilization, disinfection).

Additional domains include phlebotomy (12% covering venipuncture techniques, capillary puncture, order of draw, specimen handling), EKG and cardiovascular testing (11% covering 12-lead EKG placement, rhythm identification, Holter monitor application), and pharmacology (9% covering medication administration routes, dosage calculations, common medications, pharmacy calculations). The exam requires 72% to pass (108/150 questions correct). Certified Clinical Medical Assistants work in physician offices, clinics, urgent care centers, and specialty practices performing both clinical duties (vital signs, injections, phlebotomy, EKGs, specimen collection) and administrative tasks (scheduling, documentation, insurance verification). CCMAs earn $32,000-$42,000 with experienced professionals in specialty practices earning $38,000-$48,000.

CPT (Certified Phlebotomy Technician)

CPT certification validates expertise in blood collection techniques and specimen processing, essential skills for diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, blood donation centers, and physician offices. The exam contains 120 scored questions (plus 30 pretest items) completed in 2 hours, testing venipuncture procedures, capillary collection, specimen handling and processing, safety and compliance, and patient interactions. Content covers phlebotomy basics (20% including blood collection equipment, tube types and additives, order of draw sequences, specimen labeling requirements), venipuncture procedures (36% covering site selection, tourniquet application, venipuncture techniques for various patient populations, difficult draw situations), and capillary puncture (14% covering finger sticks, heel sticks for infants, capillary collection devices and procedures).

Additional domains include specimen handling and processing (14% covering centrifugation, aliquoting, storage requirements, specimen rejection criteria), safety and compliance (10% covering infection control, OSHA bloodborne pathogen standards, needlestick prevention, hazardous materials handling), and non-blood specimens and tests (6% covering urine collection, throat swabs, point-of-care testing). The exam requires 72% to pass. Certified Phlebotomy Technicians work in hospital laboratories, diagnostic laboratories (Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp), blood donation centers (Red Cross, blood banks), physician offices, and mobile phlebotomy services. CPTs earn $28,000-$38,000, with experienced technicians in hospital settings earning $35,000-$42,000.

CET (Certified EKG Technician)

CET certification validates competency in performing electrocardiograms, Holter monitor applications, stress testing assistance, and cardiac rhythm interpretation. The exam contains 110 scored questions (plus 30 pretest items) completed in 2 hours, testing EKG equipment operation, electrode placement, rhythm analysis, and patient care during cardiac testing. Content includes anatomy and physiology (17% covering cardiovascular system anatomy, electrical conduction system, cardiac cycle, heart sounds), EKG acquisition and interpretation (50% covering 12-lead electrode placement, lead identification, rhythm strip interpretation, artifact recognition, basic arrhythmia identification including sinus rhythms, atrial arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, heart blocks).

Additional content covers Holter monitoring (16% covering application techniques, patient education, diary completion, monitor troubleshooting), stress testing (8% covering treadmill and bicycle protocols, patient monitoring during stress tests, contraindications, emergency procedures), and safety, patient care, and legal issues (9% covering infection control, patient preparation, pediatric and geriatric considerations, patient privacy, medical documentation). The exam requires 68% to pass. Certified EKG Technicians work in hospitals (cardiac units, emergency departments, telemetry floors), cardiology offices, cardiac rehabilitation centers, and diagnostic testing facilities. CETs earn $30,000-$40,000, with hospital-based technicians earning $35,000-$45,000.

CPCT (Certified Patient Care Technician)

CPCT certification combines skills from multiple allied health disciplines (nursing assistant, phlebotomy, EKG) validating comprehensive patient care abilities. The exam contains 100 scored questions (plus 20 pretest items) completed in 2 hours, testing basic patient care skills, vital signs, phlebotomy, EKG, urinary catheterization, and medical terminology. Content includes patient care and safety (33% covering patient hygiene, mobility assistance, infection control, vital signs, patient rights, communication), phlebotomy (21% covering venipuncture, capillary puncture, specimen handling), EKG (17% covering electrode placement, EKG acquisition, basic rhythm interpretation), and urinary catheterization (12% covering catheter insertion, catheter care, urine specimen collection).

Additional content covers medical terminology and anatomy (17% covering body systems, medical abbreviations, directional terms). The exam requires 70% to pass. Certified Patient Care Technicians work primarily in hospital settings (medical-surgical units, intensive care units, emergency departments, dialysis units) providing direct patient care including bathing, positioning, vital signs, phlebotomy, EKGs, and urinary catheterization under nursing supervision. CPCTs earn $28,000-$38,000, with experienced hospital technicians earning $32,000-$42,000. Many nursing students obtain CPCT certification to work as patient care technicians while completing nursing degrees.

Other NHA Certifications

NHA offers additional certifications across administrative, pharmacy, and specialized clinical areas. ExCPT (Certified Pharmacy Technician) validates pharmacy assistant skills including prescription processing, medication dispensing, inventory management, and pharmacy calculations - exam contains 100 questions, requires 70% to pass, pharmacy technicians earn $28,000-$38,000. CBCS (Certified Billing and Coding Specialist) validates medical coding and billing expertise using ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS coding systems - exam contains 100 questions, requires 72% to pass, billing specialists earn $35,000-$48,000.

CMAA (Certified Medical Administrative Assistant) focuses on front office operations including scheduling, patient registration, insurance verification, medical records management - exam contains 110 questions, administrative assistants earn $28,000-$38,000. CEHRS (Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist) validates EHR system proficiency, meaningful use requirements, and health information management - increasingly valuable as healthcare transitions to fully electronic systems. CCSP (Certified Coding Specialist - Physician-based) focuses on outpatient coding for physician practices. NHA also offers instructor certifications for medical assisting and phlebotomy programs.

Why Choose ExamBlaze for NHA Certifications

NHA exams are challenging with pass rates varying by certification (CCMA pass rates around 65-70%, CPT 68-75%, CET 65-72%). While NHA provides study guides and practice exams, many candidates struggle with the breadth of content, clinical scenario questions, and time pressure. Preparation requires 40-80 hours of study using NHA study guides ($65-$85), practice exams ($25-$40), and allied health training programs. Exam fees range $117-$155 per attempt, and failed attempts delay employment in allied health positions requiring certification as a condition of hire or within 90 days of employment start.

ExamBlaze provides guaranteed passing scores for all NHA certifications. Our allied health specialists hold multiple NHA certifications and have real-world clinical experience in medical assisting, phlebotomy, EKG technology, and patient care. We provide real-time assistance during your computer-based NHA exam using secure, undetectable methods that work with NHA's online proctoring system. Our pay-after-pass model eliminates financial risk - you only pay after receiving your official NHA certification showing you passed. With 600+ successful NHA exam completions across all certification types, we guarantee your success on the first attempt, allowing you to start your allied health career immediately.