How to Take the Nursing Home Administrator Exams
For those of you who have asked…here, finally is my recommendation for taking the nursing home administrator exams. Not to sound overly confident, but I had no trouble with either test (NAB or state). Of course, I listened to some very wise people in deciding what to do. At the time my preceptor said, “don’t even attempt” to take these exams without a review course. She claimed books and study guides were insufficient on their own.
For the most part, I would agree with her. The material I received from the review courses was by far the most relevant. Originally, I looked into a lot of different avenues. For example James E. Allen has a long term care administration online review course which runs about $600 for both parts. At the time, I was student and this was far more than I could afford. So instead I bought a few books that had been recommended, and decided to sign up for a local review course, which cost me about $150 each.
Below I have listed out a few books, I would recommend to those taking the NAB exam. The most relevant is the NAB Nursing Home Administrators Examination. I read this book several times, and each time I found more relevant material. When taking the exam, it seemed many questions came directly from this text.
Whatever you do, take your time to review all material so you feel prepared. Know your weaknesses, and properly study for them. If you need any help or have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
Recommended Books & Study Guides:
NAB Nursing Home Administrators Examination
Principles to Health Care Administration
The Licensing Exam Review Guide in Nursing Home Administration: Fifth Edition
Similar Posts:
- Update! Nursing Home Administrator Exam Books & Other Recommendations
- Free Nursing Home Administrator Practice Exam for NAB
- Nursing Home Abuse
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December 22nd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Hello, I just took the NHA test for the first time and did not pasa. Can you please tell me where you took the review courses. I live in Youngstown, OH
Thanks, Karyn
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Hi Karyn,
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t pass the Nursing Home Administrator exam. For the NAB exam, I used Batiste & Associates from San Antonio, Texas. I do not endorse them. At the time, I did find their material to be extremely useful, as well as slightly disorganized. They normally provide a local review course, but I am aware they sometimes make exceptions.
Please remember there are other review courses available. You may want to contact your Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators. When I relocated to Florida, they gave me information on review courses available. Hope this information is useful. If you need more specifics, please don’t hesitate to contact me back.
Good Luck!
Erin Blakely
December 24th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Thank you Emily for your reply. I found a review course that i will be going to next week. Thank you and Happy Holiday’s. Karyn
January 9th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I was looking for the book that you suggested to study to take the exam and it apparently is no longer in print. Wonder if you would sell me yours?
January 9th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Hi Becky,
Thanks for your email. You can actually find the book on the National Association of Boards (NAB) website: http://www.nabweb.org/nabweb/common/storefront.aspx?id=388
The NAB sells the book new for $130. You can sometimes find a used version listed on Amazon or Half.com for a discounted price. Hope this is helpful.
Good Luck!
Erin Blakely
January 11th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
[...] written by individuals that know the NAB exam far better than I do. (Check out my other recent post on recommended books for NAB exam). These questions may not even be similar to the ones you [...]
September 1st, 2009 at 6:35 pm
Hello, I have found this website to have some helpful tips. I am preparing to take the exam and wanted to ask if you knew of any inexpensive review courses in Miami, Florida?
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Hi Chantelle,
Thanks for your post, and I appreciate your kind feedback. I am not aware of any specific courses in Miami. I do know of a course in Central Florida. I took this one, and just stayed in a hotel for the weekend. Another option is to take the course online. If you would like more information, let me know. Good luck!
September 7th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Hello Erin,
Thank you for responding. Any information you can give me will help. It would be great if I can get the name of the instructor and contact information from you. I am asking around and trying to gather all the information I can get before making decisions. Thanks again.
December 4th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
If you want to pass the NAB and take Batiste’s course, its a sure thing.
June 13th, 2010 at 1:57 am
IM GETTING READY TO STUDY FOR MY EXAM AND I NEED SOME MATERIALS AND WEBSITES TO STUDY FROM MONEY IS TIGHT SO HELP ME PLEASE.
June 14th, 2010 at 6:51 pm
Hello Autumn,
Thanks for your email. I understand where you are coming from — I was also a financially burdened student when studying for my exams. So much so that at one point I debated not taking a practice study course to save money. I still feel that would have been a mistake because I got a lot out of the study course. If you think about what your time is worth, and then you add in the cost of retaking the exam, it’s worth it to do it right the first time, even if it takes you a bit longer. However, everyone is different and therefore you must do what you need to do.
Check out my recommended books for the NAB exam. Most of them you can purchase from Amazon.com, Ebay, or Half.com for a fraction of the price. Also if you go to http://www.indeed.com they have a forum for nursing home administrators and students that gives helpful information. You can post a question and get feedback from administrators all over the country. Hope this helps.
Good luck!
Erin