The Primary Care CPNP® Exam

Two Pathways to Certification are available for individuals seeking Primary Care PNP certification through the PNCB.

Examinations are delivered by computer at over 150 AMP Assessment Centers geographically located throughout the United States. Exams are administered by appointment only Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The "Apply Now" link at left will start the fast and secure online application for this exam.

The purpose of the Primary Care CPNP® Exam is to measure the candidate's knowledge of pediatric nurse practitioner (PNP) practice content as found in the CPNP Exam Content Outline and to evaluate the candidate's ability to assess health status, establish diagnoses, plan and implement interventions, and evaluate PNP care.

Primary Care CPNP® Exam content areas are those defined as essential to pediatric nursing practice by a national task force of pediatric nursing leaders and experts through comprehensive PNP Exam Role Delineation Analysis. The exam content also corresponds to the essential areas of pediatric nurse practitioner knowledge defined by the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Programs (AFPNP) and national PNP practice guidelines.

The PEDs Exam Prep is now available at the PNCB and there's no better way to become familiar with the structure and presentation of actual CPNP® Exam questions than to take the PEDs Exam Prep, which focuses on both Health Promotion and Health Restoration.

We also offer the SAEs for Study Bundle. The SAEs (Self-Assessment Exercises) include special topics as well as core exam content that students will experience on the CPNP® Exam. The CPNP® Certification Reference List is available for use in studying for the CPNP® Exam but the PNCB does not endorse nor have any proprietary relationship with any of the mentioned newsletters, handbooks, or journals.

Verification requests to notify employers and state boards of nursing of eligibility to sit for the Primary Care PNP Exam and/or notification of earned certification as a pediatric nurse practitioner (CPNP®) are honored with receipt of the appropriate verification fee and written signed permission of the candidate/CPNP® (for each verification request).

Beginning the year after initial certification, annual recertification through the PNCB's Recertification Program is required for all CPNP® in order to maintain national certification.

For questions about the DNP and certification, see the PNCB's statement on PNP Certification and the DNP and the NP Roundtable's DNP Education, Certification and Titling: A Unified Statement