CNN Exam

Who Is Allowed to Take the CNN Exam?

Registration for the CNN exam is open to registered nurses with at least 3,000 hours of experience related to nephrology. Additional criteria that you will need to meet in order to be eligible for the exam include:

• Your 3,000 hours of nephrology-related experience must have been completed within the last three years.
• You possess a baccalaureate or a master’s degree in nursing.
• You have completed at least 30 contact hours of approved continuing education specifically in nephrology nursing within the last three years.

Once the NNCC has confirmed that you are eligible, you can immediately register for an exam date that is most convenient to your schedule. The test is offered on a continuous basis year round and is available at a variety of testing centers across the United States. When you schedule your appointment, you will need to pay an exam fee of $350.

How Long Does the CNN Take?

The CNN exam is a fairly lengthy and difficult exam so make sure you are well-rested, have eaten a full, nourishing breakfast, and are as relaxed as possible on test day. You should be prepared to spend about three and a half hours at the testing center (more if you opt to take the paper and pencil version of the exam).

This includes about 15 minutes to check in before your appointment, three hours for the test itself (or four hours for the paper and pencil version), and about 15 minutes after the exam to go over any questions or concerns you have after the test.

What Skills Are Measured on the CNN Exam?

The 175 multiple choice questions (200 for the paper and pencil version) on the CNN exam will be divided into five distinct content areas including concepts of kidney disease, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, transplant, and acute therapies. Within those five content areas, you’ll need to respond to questions that measure the following skills and knowledge:

1. Recognize the pathological processes and complications associated with kidney disease as well as its treatments – 31-32 Questions
2. Principles of infection control and the application of those principles – 28 Questions
3. Select the appropriate interventions based on the pathological process or complication –26-27 Questions
4. Select the appropriate action for administering medication to a patient being treated for kidney disease – 21 Questions
5. Physiological and technical principles of renal replacement therapies as well as the application of those principles – 17-18 Questions
6. Teaching and learning strategies for education clients, families, other health professionals and the public – 17-18 Questions
7. Understanding the importance of using an interdisciplinary approach to promote optimum functioning across the continuum of care – 11-12 Questions
8. Understanding the importance of professional nursing practice in promoting patient outcomes (e.g. – quality improvement, research, staff development, and consultation) – 10-11 Questions
9. Determine the most appropriate interventions based on psychological and sociocultural effects of kidney disease – 10-11 Questions

All estimates for number of questions are based on the computer version of the exam. There will be a couple more questions added to each of the above points for the pencil and paper version.

What Is the Minimum Score Needed to Pass the Exam?

You need to answer a minimum of 123 out of the 175 questions correctly in order to pass the CNN. If you are taking the paper and pencil version, you will need to answer at least 140 out of the 200 questions correctly in order to pass.

What Is the Best Way to Prepare for the CNN Exam?

This is a content-driven exam carefully designed to measure precisely the kind of knowledge and skills you will actually need on the job. So you need to make sure you can demonstrate not only an understanding of the procedures but how to apply those procedures to actual medical situations.

Beyond pulling from your own work experience and training, you’ll want to make sure you get a comprehensive overview of all the material you will be tested on. For that, you should get the Mometrix Study Guide along with its companion set of Mometrix Flashcards.

Together, these tools will not only allow you to review everything on the test, but they will do so in a way that actually improves important test-taking skills like memory, recall, and educated guessing. With these study aids, you’ll be able to ensure that you do your very best on this important exam!