CANDIDATE INFORMATION BULLETIN (CIB)

EXAMINATION CONTENT AND IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS

Please visit your official examination provider website OR www.nictesting.org for the most current bulletin prior to testing.

The National Tattooing Theory Examination is a licensure examination for Tattooing, developed by the National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC).

This bulletin contains IMPORTANT INFORMATION regarding National Tattooing Theory Examination content and references.

The time allowed for this examination is 90 minutes.

PLEASE REVIEW ALL INFORMATION CAREFULLY.

For each NIC National Theory Examination, there are multiple parts to every Candidate Information Bulletin (CIB):

  • Important Instructions and Examination Content Domain Sections – This provides information and guidelines related to administration of the Theory examination and information about the scope of content covered in the examination.
  • References – This provides a list of references used to develop and support the content covered in NIC examinations. References will be the same across exam types for each exam.

BE CERTAIN TO REVIEW ALL PARTS OF THIS NIC EXAMINATION CIB CAREFULLY!

IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS

General

  • Do not leave the examination area without permission. Permission must be obtained to leave the examination area for any reason, including restroom usage or at the completion of the examination. Picture ID is required for re-entry into the examination.
  • All examinations are administered in a testing environment.

Standardized Administration

Due to standardization of the NIC National Examinations, proctors and examiners are required to adhere to the following standards:

  • With the exception of verbal instructions, proctors and examination administration personnel are NOT allowed to speak with candidates.
  • If a candidate experiences an emergency situation, they may notify the proctor by raising their hand.

Prohibited Items

  • The following provides examples of materials and actions that are prohibited in the examination room during the examination administration:
    • Possession of cellular phones, watches (of any kind), pagers, tablets, computers, projectors, cameras, or any other electronic or recording devices, printed materials, or handwritten notes.
    • Purses, bags, coats, hats, and any other personal items not directly needed to complete the examination, are not allowed.
  • Communicating to other candidates or any examiner.
  • Exhibiting disruptive behavior. The above referenced items or actions are not an exhaustive list.

Failure to comply with any of these conditions or exhibiting ANY behavior that suggests an effort to cheat will result in immediate dismissal from the examination and the candidates’ actions reported to the proper authorities.


TATTOOING THEORY EXAMINATION
CONTENT OUTLINE

Domain Details

The following outlines the scope of content covered by the NIC National Tattooing Theory Examination. The percentages represent the percentage of items from each domain. The examination contains 110 items, of which 100 items are weighted and contribute to the candidate’s final score.

  1. Scientific Concepts (55%)
    1. Infection Control and Safety Practices
      1. Identify how disease and infection are caused and transmitted
      2. Recognize purpose and/or effects of infection control
        1. Levels of infection control
          1. Sanitation/Cleaning
          2. Disinfection
          3. Sterilization
        2. Process of infection control (e.g., dispensing of products, disposal of soiled materials, storage of supplies)
          1. Prevent cross-contamination
          2. Differentiate between the purpose of single- and multi-use items (e.g., supplies, materials, tools)
      3. Indicate first aid and CPR procedures
      4. Recognize requirements of federal agencies
        1. Blood exposure and contact procedures (OSHA, CDC)
        2. Safety and Data Sheets (OSHA)
    2. Human Anatomy and Physiology
      1. Identify functions and structure of the skin
      2. Identify signs and symptoms of conditions, disorders, and diseases of the skin
    3. Recognize basic chemistry of inks used in tattooing
  2. Tattoo Procedures and Services (45%)
    1. Client Consultation, Analysis, and Documentation for Tattoo Services
      1. Obtain informed consent
      2. Recognize client expectations
        1. Explain permanency of tattoo
        2. Verify design, spelling, and location of tattoo
      3. Evaluate client’s skin and identify contraindications
        1. General health
        2. Skin disorders and diseases
      4. Explain pre- and post-treatment instructions
      5. Establish/Maintain client records (e.g., service history, client card, medical history)
      6. Recognize skin preparation procedures
    2. Tools and Equipment Used for Tattoo Services
      1. Maintenance and storage of equipment, supplies, and materials
      2. Comprehend function and operation
        1. Hand/Manual
        2. Rotary/Pen
        3. Coil
      3. Differentiate between needle options and selections
        1. Magnified needle inspection (eye loupe)
        2. Needle grouping types
        3. Needle properties
        4. Needle making
      4. Recognize tattoo application concepts
        1. Outlining
        2. Shading
        3. Coloring
        4. Application of design to skin


NATIONAL TATTOOING THEORY EXAMINATION
SAMPLE QUESTIONS

The following sample questions are similar to those on the NIC National Tattooing Theory Examination. Each question is followed by four answer options. Only one option is correct. Correct answers (keys) are listed along with the sample questions.

  1. What is occurring when the autoclave is venting?

    A. Release of pressure

    B. Pressure is building

    C. Machine is warming up

    D. Machine is operating at full capacity

  2. A sterilized bottle of tattoo ink remains sterile until it is

    A. placed on the station.

    B. opened.

    C. touched.

    D. placed in storage.

  3. An effective consent or release form should disclose

    A. client professional occupation.

    B. client dietary preferences.

    C. client medical conditions.

    D. client financial information.

  4. What are the basic ingredients in tattoo ink?

    A. Pigment, oil, witch hazel, alcohol

    B. Distilled water, pigment, glycerin, alcohol

    C. Dye, distilled water, alcohol, witch hazel

    D. Food coloring, glycerin, witch hazel, alcohol

  5. Building up the thickness of line work is known as?

    A. line weight.

    B. shading.

    C. color packing.

    D. outline.

Answer Key
Item Key
1 A
2 B
3 C
4 B
5 A


NATIONAL-INTERSTATE COUNCIL OF STATE BOARDS OF COSMETOLOGY (NIC) REFERENCES

This list provides the references used to develop and support the content covered in the NIC National Tattooing examinations. References will be the same across exam types for each exam. Candidates are responsible for using these most updated versions of references, as these editions were used to reference test material.

Standard

Milady Standard Esthetics Fundamentals + Foundations

Copyrighted 2020

12th Edition

9780357263792

Milady www.Milady.com

;

APP Procedure Manual

Copyrighted 2013

Association of Professional Piercers safepiercing.org

; 888-888-1277

Copyright 2018 National-Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology, Inc.