- Print and complete the Exam Application and Honor Statement for the exam
you wish to take (CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CMC or CSC)
- Submit application and processing
fee to AACN. - Candidates desiring documentation of mailing or verification
of receipt of application should send the application and all supporting documentation
"return receipt requested" or use certified mail. AACN Certification Corporation
cannot be held responsible for materials lost in the mail or the timely performance
of the post office.
- When you receive your approval-to-test
postcard, promptly follow the instructions to schedule your test, in order
to get the date, time and location most convenient for you. You will need to take
the exam within about four months of sending in your application, so be sure that
you'll be ready and available to test during that time period.
Day 1 - Your application and
fees are received in our office.
About 6-8 weeks - You receive
a confirmation postcard, with a toll-free number and Web site to use to schedule
your exam.
Three months - You are given
a 90-day window, printed on the postcard, during which you MUST schedule and sit
for the exam or pay a $100 rescheduling fee.
Computer-based testing is available year-round at the more
than 160 Applied Measurement Professionals, Inc. (AMP) testing sites nationwide.
Click here
to visit the AMP Web site and find the testing site nearest you. Candidates may
schedule their exam for the location, time and date most convenient for them. Calling
(or going online) as soon as you receive the approval-to-test postcard (
click here
to view sample postcard) will give you the best chance of getting the appointment
date and time you would like. All locations are open five days a week. You DO NOT
need computer experience in order to take the exam - the keyboard commands are fairly
simple, and there is a tutorial that you can take before beginning your timed exam
in order to become familiar with the testing procedure. If you have any questions
after you have begun testing, there will be testing site personnel available to
answer them.
Candidates must present two pieces of identification: a government-issued
photo ID such as driver's license or passport and a credit card for signature identification.
Candidates will not be admitted to the testing assessment site without the proper
identification. All candidates may be thumb-printed and photographed at the testing
site. All testing sessions will be videotaped.
Books, papers or other reference materials are not permitted
in the examination room. No electronic devices other than simple calculators are
permitted in the assessment center, including telephones or signaling devices such
as pagers and alarms. In addition, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other
hand-held computers are prohibited.
Candidates must arrive at the test center 15 minutes prior
to their scheduled appointments. If traveling to an unfamiliar area, allow adequate
travel time to locate the center.
All examinations consist of four-option multiple-choice questions.
The CCRN examination has 150 items; the PCCN examination has 125 items; the CCNS
& ACNPC examinations has 175 items; the CMC and CSC examinations each have 90
items. Candidates are advised to use their time effectively and mark the best answer
to every question, even if they are not sure of the answer they mark. Scores will
be determined only by the number of questions answered correctly. Candidates should
not spend too much time on questions that are difficult, proceeding to other questions
and returning to the difficult ones if time permits.
Name and address changes must be communicated to the AACN Certification
Corporation. If a name or address change occurs prior to the examination, the candidate
must make arrangements with the post office for mail to be forwarded to the correct
address. Name and address changes made in this time period must be called into AACN
Certification Corporation at (800) 899-2226, e-mailed to
certcorp@aacn.org or faxed to 949-362-2020, as soon as possible.
Approximately 6-8 weeks after you have successfully applied
for the examination, you should receive a confirmation postcard. Upon receipt of
this postcard you may schedule an examination appointment with AMP by phone or on-line.
If you do not receive your postcard within 6-8 weeks after you have successfully
applied for the examination please contact us.
Examinations are administered by appointment only, Monday through
Friday at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Exam candidates are scheduled on a first-come,
first-served basis. When the appointment is made, the candidate will be given a
time to report to the site. Please make note of the time and
date. An admission ticket will not be sent. The candidate will only be
allowed to take the exam for which the appointment has been made; therefore, verify
on your confirmation postcard that you are registered for the correct test and notify
AACN Certification Corporation of any error. No changes in examination type will
be made at the assessment site. UNSCHEDULED CANDIDATES (WALK-INS) WILL NOT BE ADMITTED
to the assessment site.
Once you have scheduled your exam with AMP, you may reschedule
one time within your 90 day window by calling AMP.
This request must be made at least four business days
prior to your previously scheduled date. See table below.
If you are still within your 90-day testing window, you may
reschedule an appointment for examination at no charge once
by calling AMP at least four business days prior
to the scheduled testing session. See table below.
|
If the Examination is scheduled on . . .
|
AMP must be called by 3:00 p.m. Central Time to reschedule
the Examination by the. . .
|
|
Monday
|
previous Tuesday
|
|
Tuesday |
previous Wednesday |
|
Wednesday |
previous Thursday |
|
Thursday |
previous Friday |
|
Friday
|
previous Monday
|
There are no refunds or extensions for missed appointments.
If you are unable to sit for the exam within your 90 day eligibility period, you
may call AACN Certification Corporation at 800-899-2226 before
the scheduled testing session to request a one-time 90-day extension
for a fee of $100.
A candidate who does not schedule an examination within the
90-day eligibility period must contact AACN Certification Corporation and pay a
$100 reschedule fee in order to obtain a new 90-day eligibility period.
A candidate who contacts AACN Certification Corporation to
cancel his/her examination after confirmation of eligibility is received will be
given a refund, minus a $100 processing fee.
A candidate who is unable to sit for an NTI or Trends paper
& pencil examination may reschedule to a computer-based exam within their 90-day
eligibility period. The candidate will be charged the difference between the paper
and pencil exam fee and the computer-based testing fee and be given terms of when
payment is due.
Alternatively, a candidate who is unable to sit for the NTI
or Trends paper & pencil examination or to reschedule within their 90-day window
may request a refund. The candidate will be refunded the paper and pencil examination
fee minus a $100 processing fee.
The AACN Certification Corporation is interested in ensuring
that no individual is deprived of the opportunity to take the examination solely
by reason of a disability or impairment. All test centers are fully accessible and
compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Special testing arrangements
will be considered for disabled individuals provided a request is submitted in advance
with the examination application. Documentation and verification of the disability
or impairment from a suitably licensed professional must be submitted to the AACN
Certification Corporation with exam application.
Special testing accommodations, such as additional testing
time, reader signer or amanuenses are scheduled subject to advance approval by AACN
Certification Corporation. Only those candidates who have been granted this approval
from AACN will receive special accommodations during testing. Scheduling for the
hearing impaired is available.
A proctor/supervisor may dismiss a candidate from the test
administration and/or test scores may be canceled for any of the following reasons:
- the candidate's admission to the examination is unauthorized;
- the candidate creates a disturbance, is abusive, or otherwise uncooperative
- the candidate leaves the premises without notifying the supervisor
- the candidate gives or receives help or is suspected of doing so
- the candidate attempts to record test questions or make notes
- the candidate attempts to take the examination for someone else
- the candidate is observed with notes or other resources
Candidates may comment on the test administration conditions
or the content of the examination questions at the conclusion of the testing session
by completing an examinee comment form. Only comments recorded on the examinee comment
form will be considered during the final scoring process. Because of test security
considerations, individual replies to candidates regarding the content of examination
questions will not be made, nor will candidates be permitted to review examination
questions after the testing session.
Complaints or comments about test center facilities, test supervision,
or any other matter related to the testing program should be directed to AACN Certification
Corporation, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109 or by e-mail to certcorp@aacn.org.
Candidates must indicate their name and address in all correspondence.
If questions or comments concern an examination already taken, the date of the examination
and the location of the test center must also be noted. We will investigate each
complaint and reply to all comments.
The passing scores for the CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CMC and
CSC certification examinations have been set by the AACN Certification Corporation.
A systematic procedure was used to establish the passing scores. This procedure
represents a collaborative effort of experts from the AACN Certification Corporation
Examination Development Group and professional psychometricians from our testing
service.
The candidates' score reports will indicate a "pass" or "fail".
Additional detail is provided in the form of percent correct scores by major content
category, as identified in the detailed content outline shown in the Exam Handbook.
A raw score is the number of items answered correctly. Pass/fail status is determined
by the total raw score. Each CCRN examination consists of 150 items, total raw scores
are based on 125 items; twenty-five unscored items are being pretested to verify
their appropriateness for use on future examination forms. Each PCCN examination
consists of 125 items, total raw scores are based on 100 items; twenty-five unscored
items are being pretested to verify their appropriateness for use on future examination
forms. Each CCNS and ACNPC examination consists of 175 items, total raw scores are
based on 150 items; twenty-five unscored items are being pretested to verify their
appropriateness for use on future examination forms. The CMC and CSC examinations
each consist of 90 items.
The methodology used to set the minimum passing score is the
Angoff Method; this is a criterion-referenced process in which expert judges estimate
the passing probability of each item on the test. These judgments are averaged to
determine the minimum passing score (i.e., the number of correctly answered items
required to pass the examination), to ensure that those who pass the test have demonstrated
a sufficient level of knowledge of critical care nursing to warrant certification.
Statistical equating procedures are used to ensure that each examination form that
is developed will be of a consistent level of difficulty, based on the average difficulty
of the items being scored. The number of correct answers required to pass is generally
around 70% correct, although the actual passing point can vary somewhat based on
the equating process and the minor variations in difficulty among the forms.
If you were to take another version of a certification examination
after taking a previous one, you would probably achieve a different score. No test
measures performance with perfect accuracy and consistency.
If you took several different versions of the test, you would
probably achieve a number of different scores that cluster around a typical or average
value. The difference between the average score and your actual test score on a
particular version of the test is called the error of measurement. A statistical
estimate of this variation is called the standard error of measurement.
Since the standard error of measurement reflects the accuracy
of examination scores, AMP determines the standard error of measurement for each
CCNS examination. These statistical data are then reported to the AACN Certification
Corporation as a means of monitoring the consistency of CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC,
CMC and CSC examination scores.
The percentage of test questions answered correctly for each
content area on the examinations will also be reported to give candidates an idea
of how well they performed in each area and to identify areas of weakness. Since
the examination measures your abilities in all areas, it is possible to achieve
a very high percentage of correct responses in some areas and still not pass the
examination. Remember that the questions are designed to test not only your ability
to remember specific facts or points of knowledge but your ability to apply that
knowledge in performing the various roles required of acute & critical care
nurses.
Final score reports are issued to candidates at the testing
center at the conclusion of the examination. Candidates may purchase additional
copies of their score reports at a cost of $25 per copy. Requests must be submitted
in writing, within 12 months after the examination, to: Applied Measurement Professionals,
Inc. (AMP), 8310 Nieman Road Lenexa, KS 66214. The request must include the candidate's
name, Social Security number, address, telephone number, date of examination and
examination taken. Duplicate score reports will be mailed within approximately two
weeks after receipt of the request. Requests should be
CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CMC and CSC examination scores are
released only to individual candidates and to the AACN Certification Corporation.
AACN Certification Corporation's policy allows releasing information regarding an
individual only with that person's written consent. To preserve the confidentiality
of scores, neither AMP nor the AACN Certification Corporation will give examination
results by telephone. The application form submitted to the AACN Certification Corporation
constitutes written authorization for AMP to release the candidate score to the
AACN Certification Corporation. Neither AMP nor the AACN Certification Corporation
will release scores to any institution or employer. If candidates wish to release
scores to an institution or employer, they may release a copy of their own individual
score report.
Candidates who do not pass the examination may reapply at a
discounted retest fee, available until the exam is successfully passed. The discounted
retest fee is available to candidates who have taken the exam within their most
recent 90-day window but have not passed the examination. The examination may be
repeated until CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CMC or CSC certification is achieved, but
no more than four times in a 12-month period. Candidates
may register for their retest via
Online Registration,
or you may download and print the application found in the
Certification Exam Handbook
online at www.certcorp.org,
or call AACN at 800-899-2226 to register by phone (this option is available for
1 year from when exam honor statement was first signed).
The review and appeal process is available to individuals seeking
an amendment of a decision denying eligibility to sit for the CCRN, PCCN, CCNS or ACNPC exam. The review process is conducted by the staff of the AACN Certification
Corporation and the appeal process by the Appeal Panel. If, following the review
process, the staff affirms the decision denying eligibility for the CCRN, PCCN,
CCNS, ACNPC, CMC or CSC certification exam, the appropriate Appeal Panel will review
the case. Decisions of the Appeal Panels are final.
Candidates who meet all eligibility requirements and pass the
CCRN, PCCN, CCNS or ACNPC certification examination may use "CCRN", "PCCN",
"CCNS" or "ACNPC" exam, respectively, after their licensing
title. CCRN is used as the recognition of professional competence in critical care
nursing for a 3-year period of certification. PCCN is used as the recognition of
professional competence in acute care nursing for a 3-year period of certification.
CCNS status is granted for a 4-year period. CCRN and CCNS are registered service
marks; PCCN is a trademark. These credentials are not punctuated with periods. The
proper use of CCRN is: Chris Smith, RN, CCRN. The proper use of PCCN is: Chris Smith,
RN, PCCN. The proper use of CCNS is: Chris Smith, RN, MSN, CCNS. The proper use
of ACNPC is Chris Smith, RN, ACNPC.
New CCRNs, PCCNs, CCNSs and ACNPCs will receive their wallet
card and wall certificate within 6-8 weeks of passing the exam.
A listing of CCRN-, PCCN-, CCNS-, and ACNPC-certified nurses
will be maintained by the AACN Certification Corporation and may be reported in
its publications.
Candidates who meet all the eligiblity requirements and pass
the CMC or CSC subspecialty certification examination may display the CMC or CSC
credential only with a clinical nursing specialty certification, attached by a dash;
for example, CCRN-CMC; or CCNS-CSC. If one were to obtain both subspecialty credentials
they could attach credentials to the same nursing specialty certification, such
as CCRN-CMC-CSC.
New CMCs and CSCs will receive their wallet card and wall certificate
within 6-8 weeks of passing the exam.
A listing of CMC- and CSC-certified nurses will be maintained
by the AACN Certification Corporation and may be reported in its publications.
CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CMC or CSC certification may be revoked
for any reason deemed appropriate by the AACN Certification Corporation including,
but not limited to, the following:
- Falsification of the certification application
- Falsification of the renewal application
- Falsification of any information requested by the AACN Certification Corporation
- Failure to maintain eligibility requirements
- Failure to pay fees
- Failure to meet deadlines
- Failure to respond to an audit
- Failure to meet recertification deadline
- Misrepresentation of certification status
- Conviction of a felony
- Cheating (or reasonable evidence of intent to cheat) on the examination
- Restrictions placed on RN licensure
In the event of revocation, notification will be sent to the
candidate's employer and may be sent to the State Board of Nursing, where appropriate.
The candidate will be notified that he/she is prohibited from reapplying for the
respective examination for a period of three (3) years.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE DIRECT INQUIRIES TO: AACN
Certification Corporation, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109; Telephone:
(800) 899-2226; Fax: (949) 362-2020; e-mail:
certcorp@aacn.org.
AACN Certification Corporation contracts with Applied Measurement
Professionals, Inc. (AMP) for administration of the CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CMC
and CSC exams. Exam candidates receive same-day final results including a breakdown
of scores by content area at the testing assessment site.
The Certification Exam Handbookcontains the exam application
for CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, CMC and CSC certifications, may be downloaded as a .pdf file
by clicking on the below link.
The above document may be viewed and printed using Acrobat
Reader, below. This document may also be obtained as an e-mail attachment; click
on Contact Us above and specify the document you would like to receive. For questions
or to order a copy by phone please call AACN Customer Care at 800-899-2226; ask
for product #7600.