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1. Do I need a BSN to take the Certified Pediatric
Nurse exam?
2. How much pediatric nursing experience do
I need to be eligible for the CPN® Exam?
3. What materials are available to study for
the CPN® Exam? Can you recommend a particular book or review course?
4. What are the benefits of being a Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN®)?
5. Once I am a CPN®, what are the recertification requirements?
6. How do I document my clinical practice hours when applying?
7. Do I need to submit my transcript to the PNCB?
8. What is the registration process for year-round testing?
9. How long does it take to determine eligibility in order to sit for the exam?
10. Do I need computer knowledge to take the certification exam?
11. How long is the exam?
12. When will I receive my exam results?
13. Will I be able to take the exam at the time and place I want or need?
14. I have a disability-related need and may require special accommodations to take the exam. What do I do?
15. If I take the exam and am unsuccessful, may I take the exam again? If so, how long must I wait in order to re-exam?
16. What if I am unable to take the exam once I have applied?
17. May I extend or have my 90-day testing period reassigned?
18. What if I do not show up to take the exam at my assigned date and time?
19. Once my exam is scheduled, may I reschedule within my 90-day testing period? How do I switch from an On-site Exam to computer-based testing with AMP?
20. What circumstances would cause me to forfeit the exam fee?
21. I've lost my CPN® lapel pin. How do I get another?
22. I would like a duplicate CPN® wall certificate. Can you mail me one?
23. I'm an LPN. Am I eligible to take the Exam?
1. Do I need a BSN to take the Certified Pediatric
Nurse exam?
No. Education requirements for RNs who work in a
pediatric nursing specialty are a diploma or associate, baccalaureate
or master's degree in nursing.
2. How much pediatric nursing experience do
I need to be eligible for the CPN® Exam?
You must provide documentation
of a minimum total of 1800 hours as an RN in a pediatric nursing specialty
within the past 24 months on the Documentation
of Practice Experience Form. This experience must be in U.S. or Canadian facilities.
Practice hour requirements must be met at time of application. Pediatric
nursing experience includes direct patient care, teaching, administration,
clinical research, or consultation in pediatric nursing.
3. What materials are available to study for
the certified pediatric nurse exam? Can you recommend a particular book or review course?
The PNCB does not provide, endorse, or encourage
specific review courses or materials, but we can suggest questions for you to consider when making your choices. Do take time to become familiar with the CPN
Content Outline and see our CPN
Resource List for possible reference books. If you'd like to become familiar with the
structure and presentation of the Exam, our CPN Exam Prep is a learning activity that may help. Participants earn
contact hours. Click here for more details.
4. What are the benefits of being a Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN®)?
The Certified Pediatric Nurse exam provides registered
nurses a special mechanism for recognition of knowledge and practice excellence
in pediatric nursing. Recognition as a CPN® has fostered career growth,
provided opportunities for clinical leadership and contributed to the
continuing education of registered nurses. For more about the
benefits of certification, click here.
5. Once I am a CPN®, what are the recertification
requirements?
CPNs® maintain national certification through annual
required participation in the PNCB Recertification
Program.
- Annual recertification enrollment is required
- Annual recertification enrollment begins approximately 1 year or more
from initial certification
- Annual recertification program activities/requirements will be managed
in 7-year cycles
- Certification expires February 28 of each year (see renewal date on
certification card)
- Annual recertification enrollment forms are available annually in
October
- Deadline for receipt of annual enrollment forms to PNCB: December
1, annually
- Complete and current RN license information must be provided
6. How do I document my clinical practice hours when applying?
Applications completed online will require you to attest that you've completed this requirement, which is subject to audit.
When you complete a paper application, there will be a section on this form to document your practice experience hours.
7. Do I need to submit my transcript to the
PNCB?
No, transcripts are not needed for application.
8. What is the registration process for year-round
testing?
Once registration is complete, the PNCB sends each
candidate notification of eligibility. This email and postcard
will indicate the candidate's assigned 90-day testing period and how to access specific
instructions that provide details about the process of scheduling a testing
date and time within the 90-day eligibility period. The candidate is responsible
for scheduling, and if necessary, rescheduling and cancelling the appointment
after it is made with Applied Measurement Professionals.
9. How long does it take to determine eligibility in order to sit for the exam?
Once the PNCB receives your application, notification of eligibility
will be emailed and mailed to you. Determination of eligibility will be completed
within a timely manner following receipt of all required materials.
10. Do I need computer knowledge to take the
certification exam?
No. Computer knowledge is not required to take a
computer-based exam. Before the exam begins, a customized introductory
lesson is provided that explains the procedure used to select an answer
and move from question to question. This introductory lesson does not
reduce your assigned testing time.
If you'd like exposure to a simulation of the computer-based testing experience,
our CPN Exam Prep learning activity offers 5 contact hours and a
practice test to help you become familiar with the presentation of exam questions.
11. How long is the exam?
The exam includes 200 multiple-choice questions. Total testing time is 3 hours and 30 minutes.
12. When will I receive my exam results?
Computer-based exam results are received following
the exam. On-site paper-pencil exam results are
mailed within 3 weeks after your testing day. No results are given over
the telephone or Internet.
13. Will I be able to take the exam at the
time and place I want or need?
Probably. However, in order to obtain a desired
time and place within your testing period, an appointment must be made
as soon as possible. Many other groups use AMP for testing. Waiting to
make your appointment may jeopardize your scheduling needs.
14. I have a disability-related need and may
require special accommodations to take the exam. What do I do?
In order to facilitate disability-related needs,
we work with AMP to arrange specific accommodations. Please call our office at 1-888-641-2767
for a "Request for Special Exam Accommodations" or
click here to print a PDF version.
This form can be returned with your paper application or mailed separately if you complete your application online.
15. If I take the exam and am unsuccessful,
may I take the exam again? If so, how long must I wait in order to re-exam?
Unsuccessful candidates may repeat the certification
exam provided they meet the PNCB's eligibility criteria at the time they
apply for re-examination. Application for re-examination may be made once scores are finalized.
This occurs weekly from AMP or within three weeks for the On-site Exam.
An application form (online or paper) and your reapplication fee
are needed to reapply. No other documentation is needed.
16. What if I am unable to take the exam once I have applied?
Candidates who have scheduled an appointment and are unable to take the exam must
submit a written request for withdrawal from the exam to the PNCB. To
receive a refund of the exam fee, the request must be received five business days' before
the termination of the assigned 90-day testing period. The registration
fee is nonrefundable under any circumstances. If the candidate has scheduled
an exam time and date with AMP, the candidate must also cancel with AMP
within the two business days' notice.
17. May I extend or have my 90-day testing period reassigned?
Yes, one time only. An email request for exam extension
or reassignment must be sent to the PNCB office before the end of the
candidate's 90-day testing period. Please note that at no time will your testing period
be more than 90 days. Once you apply for the extension, your 90-day testing window will begin soon after
your request for an extension is processed. Many people incorrectly interpret this to mean
that applying for an extension grants them 180 days.
An additional registration fee is required
for an extension or reassignment. No fees will be refunded if a candidate
fails to test within the assigned 90-day testing period. Candidates must
cancel any assigned testing time and date with with AMP within the two business days'
notice period. Click here to apply for an extension.
18. What if I do not show up to take the exam at my assigned date and time?
Candidates will forfeit all registration and exam
fees if failure to cancel or re-reschedule an exam results in a "no
show" recording with AMP. No fees will be refunded if a candidate
fails to test within an assigned 90-day period. If candidates have already
scheduled an appointment and either withdraw or request an extension of
the testing period, it is their responsibility to cancel and/or reschedule
their AMP testing appointment with AMP. Failure to cancel an assigned
appointment with AMP with the appropriate two business days' notice
will cause forfeiture of all exam and registration fees.
19. Once my exam is scheduled, may I reschedule within my 90-day testing period?
How do I switch from an on-site exam to computer-based testing with AMP?
Candidates my cancel and reschedule
their exam time and date with AMP one time only within their 90-day testing period.
Instructions for cancellation and rescheduling are provided by AMP. However,
failure to cancel an appointment within the appropriate AMP two business
days' notice period will cause forfeiture of all exam and registration fees.
On-site exam candidates may switch to a different on-site location
or to a computer-based exam by emailing our office at admin@pncb.org.
20. What circumstances would cause me to forfeit the exam fee?
The registration fee is nonrefundable under any
circumstances. The exam fee will not be refunded if a candidate fails
to test within the assigned 90-day testing period, or if a candidate fails
to cancel and reschedule an assigned appointment with within
the appropriate two business days' notice period, or if a candidate fails
to submit a written request to the PNCB for withdrawal, extension, or
reassignment five business days before the termination of the 90-day testing period.
21. I've lost my CPN® lapel pin. How do I get another?
Simiply email us and we'll be glad to send out a replacement.
22. I would like a duplicate CPN® wall certificate. Can you mail me one?
We'll be glad to send you another copy. Click here to order a duplicate.
23. I'm an LPN. Am I eligible to take the Exam?
When we developed the Certified Pediatric Nurse Exam, we undertook an extensive role delineation study that
specifically looked at the kinds of tasks RNs perform. LPN and RN roles are different and training for each
is different. LPNs and RNs are also not viewed the same under state nurse practice acts. This information
guided our development of this exam, and the RN license is a requirement to sit for the exam.
We hope that LPNs working in pediatric settings will consider us should they become RNs in the future.
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