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.