Proctor FAQs

Whether you're a new proctor or one who has coordinated many CPN® On-site exams, you may have questions.

If you don't see the answer you need below, please contact onsite@pncb.org for prompt assistance.

• Who Can Proctor?
• All About Time
• Meeting Your Minimum
• Issues on Exam Day
• Receiving the Exams
• Returning the Exams

Who Can Proctor?

Does our proctor need to be a CPN or certified by PNCB? No. CPN or any other PNCB certification is not a requirement for proctoring.

Does our proctor need to be a nurse? No. Administrative support staff often serve as proctors. Being a nurse is not required to proctor the exam.

Can I teach our review course and proctor? Unfortunately not. Because this is a secure exam and the proctor would have access to the exam booklet, we cannot allow those who teach review courses to proctor as well.

Can I proctor if I plan to take the exam myself in the future? If you serve as a proctor, you may not take the CPN exam for 12 months after your proctoring date. You may want to consider taking the exam first, then accept the proctor role.

Everyone in our unit wants to take the exam, so how can we find a proctor? Administrative support staff may be willing to take on the proctor role, or perhaps someone in another unit can help.

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All About Time

How long should I set aside for administration of the exam? The actual testing time is 3 hours, but you will want to be sure to have RNs come at least a half-hour before testing time to begin the check-in process. Prior to the actual exam time, you will need to read the proctor's script, which usually takes about 10 minutes depending on how fast you speak. Also allow time for people to silence electronic devices and stow these and other prohibited items away from the testing area.

Can I schedule our exam for an evening or weekend time? Absolutely! Proctors have the flexibility to schedule testing times according to what their RNs need.

How long does it take to process our Agreement to Offer? Usually 2 business days.

How soon should I schedule our On-site? Most hospitals submit their Agreement to Offer at least 6 to 8 weeks before the exam. This gives the PNCB time to process the Agreement, and you time to continue recruiting candidates if you'd like. The deadline for your RNs to apply for your On-site is always 2 weeks before the exam date to allow PNCB staff time to prepare the exam materials and ship them.

How soon will our RNs receive their exam results? We score and mail these within 3 weeks, often sooner. We know your RNs are awaiting these important results, so we process them as quickly as we can.

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Meeting Your Minimum

Those who were interested when we submitted an Agreement to Offer are no longer interested. What can we do? First, the five who expressed initial interest do not need to be the 5 who actually sit for the exam. Use our free resources like postcards and flyers to encourage others to apply so you'll meet the minimum. If your exam's registration deadline is approaching and the minimum is not met, please contact onsite@pncb.org for guidance.

Although many On-site exams are unit-based, you are encouraged to make your exam a hospital-wide opportunity. Use your hospital newsletters and intranet to promote your test date, and ask unit supervisors to share flyers and announce the exam at staff meetings.

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Issues on Exam Day

What about...

Inclement weather? The Chief Proctor is responsible for making decisions and communicating with PNCB and candidates in the event of inclement weather or unforeseen emergencies on the day of an exam. If you anticipate problematic weather, please keep our phone number handy. If your exam was scheduled for a weekend date, let us know first thing on the next business day.

Late or no-shows? As stated in the Proctor's Manual, sometimes unavoidable circumstances cause a candidate to report late. If the proctor finds the reason for lateness valid and justifiable, the candidate may be allowed to enter the exam. No extra time will be permitted to complete the exam. A candidate who appears more than 15 minutes late for an exam will not be able to sit for the exam. The candidate forfeits the exam fee. The candidate will be required to reapply and submit the reapplication fee.

A candidate emergency? A nurse may not be able to test in the event of a family or personal emergency. Please ask the nurse to contact us as soon as possible after the exam and also make a note on the roster sheet that is returned to us about the occurrence.

A proctor emergency? If because of illness or an emergency the Chief Proctor is unable to administer the test, supervision of the test should be delegated to a responsible person with qualifications similar to those of the Chief Proctor as outlined in the Proctor's Manual. Notify onsite@pncb.org of any change of Chief Proctor prior to the test date if possible. If not, please notfiy us as soon as possible after the exam.

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Receiving the Exams

Our box arrived with damage. What do we do? Contact onsite@pncb.org so we can help you inventory items and assess the damage.

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Returning the Exams

How should I go about proper return of materials after the exam? Your shipment includes a checklist to guide you through the return process, and the Proctor's Manual details this process as well.

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Don't see your questions?

Contact onsite@pncb.org for assistance. We're here to give you all the support you need to make this a smooth process for everyone involved. Please contact us at any time so we can help!