Initial CMC Certification

You have already demonstrated your knowledge, skills and abilities by achieving certification in your specialty area. Achieving subspecialty certification will further exemplify your commitment to your patients and their families.

• CMC Exam Content
• Initial Eligibility Requirements
• CMC Initial Exam Fees

The Certification Exam Policy Handbook will provide you with detailed testing and policy information. The CMC/CSC Exam Handbook includes exam-specific information, including the CMC application/honor statement and the CMC test plan.

• Certification Exam Policy Handbook
• CMC / CSC Exam Handbook

Once you have reviewed all available information and are ready to sit for the CMC exam, we recommend you submit your application online.

• Apply Online

CMC Exam Content

• The CMC exam is a 2-hour test consisting of 90 multiple-choice items. Of the 90 items, 75 are scored and 15 are used to gather statistical data on item performance for future exams.
• The CMC exam focuses on the care of adult cardiac patients.
• 100% of the exam focuses on clinical judgment.

Initial Eligibility Requirements

• Current unencumbered licensure as an RN or APRN in the United States is required. An unencumbered license is not currently being subjected to formal discipline by any board of nursing and has no provisions or conditions that limit the nurse's practice in any way. Candidates and CMC-certified nurses must notify AACN Certification Corporation within 30 days if any restriction is placed on their RN or APRN license. If randomly selected for audit, you will be asked to provide a copy of your RN or APRN license — please do not submit with your application.
   
• Practice as an RN or APRN is required with 1,750 hours in direct bedside care of acutely and/or critically ill adult patients during the previous two years, with 875 of those hours accrued in the most recent year preceding application. Of those 1,750 hours 875 need to be in the care of acutely or critically ill adult cardiac patients.
   
• Clinical practice hours for the CMC exam or renewal eligibility must take place in a U.S.-based or Canada-based facility or in a facility determined to be comparable to the U.S. standard of acute/critical care nursing practice, as evidenced by ANCC Magnet Status or Joint Commission International accreditation.
   
• A current, nationally accredited NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) or ABNS (American Board of Nursing Specialties) clinical nursing specialty certification, to which your subspecialty certification will be attached, is required. A clinical nursing specialty certification refers to a certification that involves direct care of the patient, such as CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, ACNPC, CEN, CRNFA, APRN-BC, ACNP-BC, etc.
   
• Nurses serving as manager, educator (in-service or academic), APRN or preceptor may apply their hours spent supervising nursing students or nurses at the bedside. Nurses in these roles must be actively involved in caring for patients at the bedside (e.g., demonstrating how to measure pulmonary artery pressures or supervising a new employee or student nurse performing a procedure).
   
• The name and address of a professional associate must be given for verification of eligibility. A professional associate is defined as either a clinical supervisor (RN or physician) or RN colleague with whom you work. If randomly selected for audit, this associate will be asked to verify in writing that you have met the eligibility requirements. 
   
• AACN Certification Corporation may adopt additional eligibility requirements at its sole discretion from time to time. Any such requirements will be designed to establish, for the purposes of CMC certification, the adequacy of a candidate's knowledge and experience in caring for the acutely and critically ill.

CMC Initial Exam Fees

Payable in U.S. Funds. Fees are suject to change without notice.