The Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician (CHT) exam measures the knowledge and technical skills needed to work safely and effectively with patients receiving hemodialysis. This guide covers the current eligibility requirements, exam format, content areas, fees, registration process, scoring, retakes, and study resources.
Exam Background and Purpose
The Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician exam is offered by the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT). It is designed to measure the technical proficiency and general knowledge required of professionals who provide hemodialysis patient care.
The CHT credential is specifically a BONENT certification. It should not be confused with the Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT) certification offered by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission.
Key point: Federal rules generally require patient care dialysis technicians to obtain certification through an approved state or national certification program within 18 months of being hired. Individual states may impose additional requirements, so candidates should also check the rules where they intend to work.
CHT Exam Eligibility
For the standard CHT eligibility pathway, BONENT requires candidates to meet education, experience, and employment requirements.
Education: Submit a copy of your high school diploma or an official high school transcript with the appropriate school signature or seal.
Experience: Have at least 6 months of nephrology patient-care experience.
ESRD Experience: Candidates are normally expected to be actively participating in an end-stage renal disease facility. Candidates who are currently unemployed but have the required experience may still qualify using documentation from their most recent supervisor.
References: Qualifying experience must be verified through the required signed reference letters, including verification from a supervisor and another nephrology professional.
What If I Do Not Have Six Months of Experience?
If you do not have patient-care technician or technologist experience, you may still apply to take the CHT exam within two years of successfully completing a BONENT-approved training program.
What If I Cannot Provide a High School Diploma?
BONENT may waive the high school diploma requirement for a CHT applicant who has more than four years of dialysis work experience but cannot provide proof of high school graduation.
State requirements can be stricter. Meeting BONENT’s eligibility requirements does not automatically mean you have met every state licensing or certification requirement. Verify the rules for the state where you plan to practice.
CHT Exam Format
The CHT exam is offered in both paper-and-pencil and computer-based formats. Both versions contain the same number of questions, cover the same content, and provide the same amount of testing time.
BONENT also makes the CHT examination available in Spanish for candidates in the United States. Supporting paperwork and communication remain in English.
What Is on the CHT Exam?
The exam is divided into five content domains. Patient Care is by far the largest section and accounts for 45% of the examination.
| Content Domain | Exam Weight |
|---|---|
| Patient Care | 45% |
| Machine Technology | 12% |
| Water Treatment | 15% |
| Infection Control | 18% |
| Education and Professional Development | 10% |
Patient Care
Patient Care accounts for nearly half of the entire exam. This domain covers evaluating patients before and after treatment and appropriately managing the hemodialysis treatment process.
Topics include fluid management, vital signs, patient weight, vascular-access assessment, signs of infection, treatment parameters, cannulation, central venous catheter care, laboratory specimens, heparin administration, patient identification, monitoring during dialysis, complications, machine alarms, treatment termination, and documentation.
Machine Technology
This domain covers the safe setup, operation, evaluation, and maintenance of hemodialysis machines. You should understand how machine systems function, how to verify operating parameters, and how to identify or respond to abnormal equipment conditions.
Water Treatment
Water Treatment questions focus on the systems used to produce water suitable for dialysis. Topics include system components, pretreatment, reverse osmosis, disinfection, monitoring, maintenance, testing, and recognizing problems that can affect water quality.
Infection Control
This domain covers infection-prevention procedures used in dialysis facilities. You should understand standard precautions, cleaning and disinfection, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment, isolation procedures, safe handling of equipment and supplies, and practices used to reduce the transmission of infectious organisms.
Education and Professional Development
This section measures your understanding of patient education, communication, professional responsibilities, quality improvement, teamwork, and continued professional development.
How Much Does the CHT Exam Cost?
The current fee depends on whether you choose the paper-and-pencil or computer-based version of the examination.
Additional fees may apply for incomplete applications, transfers, withdrawals, returned payments, or other special circumstances. Exam fees can change, so verify the current amount before submitting your application.
How Do I Apply?
To apply for the CHT exam, submit the BONENT examination application along with the required eligibility documentation and examination fee.
1. Confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements.
Review your education, nephrology experience, and employment history before applying.
2. Gather your documentation.
Prepare your high school diploma or transcript, employment verification, reference letters, and any other required documents.
3. Choose your testing method.
Select either the paper-and-pencil examination or computer-based testing on your application.
4. Submit the application and exam fee.
Follow BONENT’s current submission instructions and make sure all required signatures and documents are included.
5. Wait for approval.
After BONENT approves your application, you will receive confirmation and the information needed to complete your testing arrangements.
Avoid an incomplete application. BONENT currently charges an additional fee for applications that are missing required documentation, signatures, or other information.
Paper-and-Pencil vs. Computer-Based Testing
The CHT exam is available using two testing methods. The actual examination content and testing time are the same.
Paper-and-pencil exams are offered on specific dates and at listed examination locations.
Your completed application and fee must generally arrive at least 45 days before a U.S. examination date. International paper-and-pencil applications require additional lead time.
There is no fixed application deadline for CBT. After BONENT approves your application, you receive the information needed to select an available CBT location, date, and time.
You must take the exam within six months of receiving your confirmation information or you will need to register again at full price.
What to Know Before Test Day
Bring the confirmation information required for admission to your testing location.
Bring an acceptable form of current photo identification, such as a valid driver’s license, government-issued photo ID, or passport.
Arrive at the required check-in time. Candidates who arrive after testing begins may not be admitted.
Do not bring books, notes, papers, dictionaries, calculators, or other reference materials into the examination room.
Manage your time across all 150 questions and answer every question you can before the examination ends.
How Is the CHT Exam Scored?
BONENT reports CHT results using a scaled score ranging from 1 to 100. You need a minimum scaled score of 70 to pass.
A scaled score is not the same as the raw number or percentage of questions you answered correctly. Scaling is used so that the passing standard remains consistent across different versions of the examination.
Score reporting: Computer-based candidates receive a printed score result and pass/fail status after completing the examination. Paper-and-pencil candidates can generally expect their results by mail approximately three to four weeks after the exam.
What If I Don’t Pass?
If you do not earn a passing score, you may apply to take the CHT exam again. You will need to submit the required retake documentation and pay the applicable examination fee for another attempt.
BONENT allows candidates a maximum of three exam attempts within a 12-month period. If you do not pass after three attempts, you must complete 8 hours of nephrology-related continuing education or complete an approved nephrology educational program before taking another BONENT examination.
After one year has passed from your original examination, BONENT may require you to resubmit eligibility documentation with a new application.
How Long Does CHT Certification Last?
BONENT certification operates on a four-year certification cycle. Certified technicians must maintain their credential during the cycle and complete the applicable recertification requirements when the four-year period ends.
BONENT also charges an annual certification fee of $65. The current four-year advance-payment option is $240.
One standard recertification option is to earn 40 contact hours during the four-year certification period, with at least 30 hours consisting of nephrology-related continuing education. Other BONENT recertification options may also be available.
How Can I Prepare for the CHT Exam?
Start with the official five-domain content outline and use the domain percentages to guide your study time. Patient Care alone accounts for 45% of the exam, so it should receive the largest share of your preparation.
However, nearly one-third of the exam is devoted to Water Treatment and Infection Control. Those topics should not be treated as minor technical details. A strong dialysis technician needs to understand how water quality, equipment safety, disinfection, and infection-prevention procedures directly affect patient safety.
CHT Study Checklist
Review all five official CHT content domains.
Spend the most time on Patient Care, which represents 45% of the exam.
Practice evaluating pre-treatment, intra-treatment, and post-treatment patient information.
Know common dialysis complications and the technician’s appropriate response within the scope of practice.
Review dialysis-machine setup, monitoring, alarms, and basic operating principles.
Study water-treatment components, testing, monitoring, disinfection, and system maintenance.
Review hand hygiene, standard precautions, environmental cleaning, and dialysis-specific infection-control procedures.
Use timed practice to build the stamina needed to complete 150 questions within three hours.
CHT Study Resources
Use these resources to review the CHT exam content and practice before your testing appointment.
CHT and Certified Hemodialysis Technologist/Technician are names associated with the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology. BONENT is not affiliated with StudyGuideZone or Mometrix Test Preparation and does not endorse these products or services.