The following information applies to all ANCC exams.
Any changes to the information submitted on your application form must be made within the time frames stipulated in the General Testing and Renewal Handbook and may entail additional fees.
Eligibility
All eligibility requirements must be met and all fees paid at the time you submit your application. Applications received with insufficient funds, missing eligibility documentation, or missing required signatures incur delays which can impact your ability to take a certification exam. See website for most recent eligibility requirements and fees. (Fees are subject to change without notice.)
Special Testing Accommodations
Please see the Special Testing Accomodations section for more details.
Test Sites
You can locate exam test sites, addresses, and phone numbers at www.prometric.com/ancc.
Preparing for the Certification Examination
Study Plan: Approximately six months before you plan to take your exam, develop a study plan. This could include self study, finding a study buddy or group, taking a review course, taking an on-line narrated review course, reviewing current textbooks and articles, or other methods. The key is to have a study plan and follow through with it.
ANCC Offers the Following Review Materials
Test Content Outlines
You can find a complete test content outline on the ANCC website. This outline includes the number of questions for each domain of practice and identifies the areas that are included on the examination. www.nursecredentialing.org/TCOs
Sample Questions
To practice actually taking the test, you can go over some sample questions. The questions are similar to those on the actual examination, but do not represent the full range of content or levels of difficulty. There is no time limit associated with reviewing these questions, and you can take it as many times as you wish, for free. www.nursecredentialing.org/SampleQuestions
References
If you would like to do some additional reading, you might want to look over the list of authoritative texts. While the list is not all-inclusive, it may act as a guide to help you prepare. www.nursecredentialing.org/TestReferences
Review Seminars
Review Seminars for certification exams are available for many different nursing specialties at various hospitals and schools of nursing across the country. Participants receive contact hours. Seminar schedule and registration at: www.nursecredentialing.org/ReviewSeminars.
Study Groups
Using the content from the seminars, the faculty lecture on the material during several telephone conference calls scheduled during a specific time period. Look for the "Study Group" courses in the seminar schedule. Participants receive contact hours. Study Group schedule and registration at: www.nursecredentialing.org/ReviewSeminars.
Online Narrated Review Courses
ANCC's On-Line Narrated Review Courses contain the same content as our popular Review Seminars, with the voice over of an instructor talking the student through the material. After you register for the course, you will have three months in which to complete the materials. Participants receive contact hours.
To help develop your test-taking skills, ANCC offers a web-based Test-Taking Techniques course for a nominal fee. This generic course offers no contact hours.
For more information and to register: www.nursecredentialing.org/cert/webcourses.html
Review and Resource Manuals
Written by nursing experts in each specialty, these manuals help candidates prepare for a variety of certification exams by enhancing your critical thinking skills and identifying strengths and weaknesses. Contact hours available on-line for an additional fee. Order manuals at: www.nursecredentialing.org/ReviewManuals
Practice Questions
In addition to the 25 free test questions and answers available above, ANCC offers a Web-based practice quiz, including up to 150 questions and answers, for purchase. Purchase at: http://blue.isoph.com/ancc/default.aspx