Free Medication Aide Practice Test (MACE and State CMA Exams)
Certified medication aide practice questions for the MACE and the North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, Tennessee and Oklahoma exams, with an explanation for every answer.
The pharmacy delivers a resident's new medication, but the MAR has no matching order. What should the medication aide do?
401 original questions · 7 timed mocks in each exam’s own format · 60 drug class questions and 56 on the six rights and controlled substances
Medication aide practice exams by state
Each state sets its own exam. Pick yours: every mock has that exam’s question count and time and draws questions in its published counts. Each exam has a guide with free sample questions.
MACE practice test
Colorado, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah and Washington · 60 questions
MACE is the national medication aide exam that Credentia gives in Colorado, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah and Washington.
NC Medication Aide practice test
North Carolina nursing homes · 60 questions
North Carolina gives its own medication aide exam for nursing homes.
Ohio CMA practice test
Ohio · 50 questions · 80% to pass
Ohio’s certified medication aide exam has a 50-question knowledge test and a skills test, given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) for the Ohio Board of Nursing.
Michigan MA-C practice test
Michigan · 50 questions · 80% to pass
Michigan certifies medication aides (MA-C) through a competency exam given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster): a 50-question knowledge exam and a skill test.
Arizona CMA practice test
Arizona · 55 questions · 80% to pass
Arizona certifies medication assistants through a two-part exam given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster): a 55-question knowledge test and a skill test.
Tennessee Medication Aide practice test
Tennessee · 55 questions · 75% to pass
Tennessee’s medication aide exam, given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) for the Tennessee Board of Nursing, has a 55-question knowledge exam and a skill test.
Oklahoma CMA practice test
Oklahoma · 50 questions · 70% to pass
Oklahoma’s medication aide knowledge exam, given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) for the Oklahoma State Department of Health, has 50 multiple-choice questions in 55 minutes.
Medication aide practice questions by topic
The MACE outline and the state test plans share the same core topics. Each topic has a free ten-question drill with an explanation after every answer.
Role and Responsibility
40 questions
Working under a licensed nurse, delegation, permitted duties and limits, when to hold a dose and report, using the nurse, pharmacist and drug references, and building relationships with residents.
Legal, Ethical and Resident Rights
30 questions
The right to refuse and to be informed, privacy and confidentiality, abuse, neglect and misappropriation reporting, chemical restraints, the registry and federal nursing home rules.
Six Rights of Medication Administration
30 questions
Right resident, medication, dose, route, time and documentation, the three label checks, two identifiers, allergies and when a mismatch means hold and ask.
Medication Administration
48 questions
Preparing and giving doses: crushing rules, extended-release and enteric-coated tablets, positioning, fluids, timing with meals, swallowing problems, refusals and how the body absorbs and clears drugs.
Routes of Administration
35 questions
Oral, sublingual and buccal tablets, eye and ear drops, nasal sprays, inhalers and spacers, transdermal patches, creams and ointments, and rectal and vaginal medications.
Orders, MAR, Storage and Disposal
34 questions
Reading orders and the MAR, documenting given, held and refused doses, corrections and late entries, refrigerator and room temperatures, labels, expiration dates and disposal.
Controlled Substances
26 questions
DEA schedules, double-locked storage, shift counts and declining-count sheets, witnessed waste, discrepancies and diversion.
Medication Errors and Reporting
30 questions
Types of medication errors, what to report and how fast, incident reports, side effects and allergic reactions, and changes in a resident’s condition.
Medication Effects and Drug Classes
60 questions
Drug classes by body system (cardiovascular, diabetes, antibiotics, psychiatric, respiratory, digestive), their common side effects, interactions, and paradoxical and idiosyncratic reactions.
Terminology, Abbreviations and Measurements
40 questions
Order abbreviations, the Do Not Use list, medication forms, household and metric equivalents, and simple dose calculations.
Body Systems
14 questions
The organs that absorb, break down and remove drugs, body systems drugs act on, and normal pulse and breathing rates.
Infection Control and Safety
14 questions
Hand hygiene, standard and contact precautions, gloves, sharps, clean handling of medications and the cart, and fall safety during the pass.
Ready for the full exam?
Mocks for MACE and six state exams, each with its real question count, time and subject-area counts, and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillThe medication aide exams at a glance
A certified medication aide (also called a medication assistant, MA-C or CMA in some states) is usually a nurse aide with extra training who gives routine medications under a licensed nurse, mostly in nursing homes. Each state decides which written exam its aides take. These are the ones our practice covers, with the facts each exam’s owner publishes.
| Exam | Questions | Time | Passing score |
|---|---|---|---|
| MACEColorado, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah and Washington | 60 (50 scored) | 2 hours | Not published |
| NC Medication AideNorth Carolina nursing homes | 60 | Not published | Not published |
| Ohio CMAOhio | 50 | 1 hour | 80% |
| Michigan MA-CMichigan | 50 | 1 hour | 80% |
| Arizona CMAArizona | 55 | 1 hour | 80% |
| Tennessee Medication AideTennessee | 55 | 1 hour | 75% |
| Oklahoma CMAOklahoma | 50 | 55 minutes | 70% |
D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) also gives medication aide exams in Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Wyoming, and Texas runs its own medication aide program through HHSC. The topics here are the core of those exams too; check your state’s handbook for its format.
How to use this medication aide exam prep
- Find your state’s exam above and read its guide: the question count, time, passing score and how many questions come from each area.
- Take the free mixed drill to see where you stand across every topic.
- Drill the biggest areas first: medication administration, drug classes and effects, and the role of the medication aide.
- Clear the smaller, learnable areas: the six rights, controlled substances, routes, documentation and terminology.
- Take your state’s mock under its clock, then drill your two lowest topics and take it again. Each new sitting shows questions you have not seen first.
Still working on your nurse aide certification? Our CNA practice test covers the written nurse aide exam.
Common questions
Which medication aide exam does my state use?
Credentia gives the MACE in Colorado, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah and Washington. North Carolina has its own nursing home exam through Credentia. Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, Tennessee and Oklahoma use state exams given by D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster), each with its own subject-area counts. Other states, such as Texas, run their own programs; check your state’s board of nursing or health department.
How many questions are on the medication aide exam?
It depends on the state: 60 on the MACE (50 scored) and on North Carolina’s exam; 50 in Ohio, Michigan and Oklahoma; 55 in Arizona and Tennessee.
What score do you need to pass the medication aide exam?
Ohio, Michigan and Arizona require 80% on the knowledge test, Tennessee 75% and Oklahoma 70%. Credentia (MACE) and the North Carolina Board of Nursing do not publish a passing score.
Is a certified medication aide the same as a CMA medical assistant?
No. A certified medication aide (sometimes also called CMA, medication assistant or MA-C) is usually a nurse aide with extra training who gives medications under a licensed nurse in nursing homes and similar settings. A certified medical assistant works in clinics and takes a different exam.
Are these real medication aide exam questions?
No. They are original practice questions written to the published content outlines (the MACE outline, the North Carolina Board of Nursing outline and the D&SDT state test plans), with an explanation and a source for every answer.
Is the mock exam in the real format?
Yes. Each state’s mock has that exam’s question count and time limit and draws questions in its published shares: MACE is 60 questions in 2 hours with 10 unscored pretest questions; Ohio is 50 in 60 minutes with exactly the handbook’s count per subject area, and so on. North Carolina does not publish a time limit, so its mock uses 2 hours.
Do the exams include a skills test?
Ohio, Michigan, Arizona and Tennessee also have a skill test where you give medications in front of an RN observer. Our practice covers the written (knowledge) part.
Ready for test day?
Mocks for MACE and six state exams, each with its real question count, time and subject-area counts, and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillSources
- NCSBN: MACE (NCSBN no longer develops or owns MACE content; questions go to Credentia)
- Credentia (Utah help center): National Medication Aide Certification Examination (MACE) Content Outline
- Credentia North Carolina: Medication Aide Examination content outline (nursing homes)
- D&SDT-Headmaster candidate handbooks: Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, Tennessee, Oklahoma
- Credentia: test-taker programs (MACE in Colorado, Kentucky, South Carolina, Utah and Washington; North Carolina medication aide exams)
- CMS State Operations Manual, Appendix PP (pharmacy services, F755–F761)
- ISMP List of Error-Prone Abbreviations, Symbols and Dose Designations
Original practice questions written to the MACE content outline, the North Carolina Board of Nursing outline and the D&SDT state test plans; they are not exam questions. Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by NCSBN, Credentia, D&S Diversified Technologies (Headmaster) or any state board of nursing or health department. Follow your facility’s policies, your state’s rules and the supervising nurse in practice.