The Inpatient Obstetric Nursing certification exam, which is administered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC), is designed to evaluate your knowledge and skills in the field of obstetrics.
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Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Exam Eligibility
Nurses interested in obtaining the Registered Nurse Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification (RNC-OB) must meet the following requirements:
- Valid License: Applicants must have a US or Canada nursing license. Your licensing information, such as your license number and state will be documented.
- Clinical Experience: Applicants are required to have 2 years of experience, with at least 2,000 hours of practice, as a US or Canadian RN in Inpatient Obstetric Nursing. You may include any practice time you earned during your nursing career.
- Employment History: Applicants must provide all employment history. For the purposes of the certification, employment history includes education, administration, research, and clinical experience, during your nursing career.
- Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Experience: Within the last year, applicants must have an employment history in Inpatient Obstetric Nursing.
Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Exam Outline
The Inpatient Obstetric Nursing exam contains 175 multiple-choice questions, 25 of which are unscored, and you will be given a time limit of 3 hours. The unscored “pretest” questions are used to evaluate the validity of questions that may appear on future versions of the exam.
The exam is split into five content categories:
1. Complications of Pregnancy (29%)
The questions in this category cover maternal complications affecting the fetus and newborn, maternal psychological and environmental factors, preterm labor, multiple gestation, and placental disorders.
2. Fetal Assessment (18%)
The questions in this category cover antenatal testing, electronic fetal monitoring, non-electronic fetal monitoring, and acid-base interpretation.
3. Labor and Birth (35%)
The questions in this category cover physiology of labor, assessment and management of labor, obstetric and perioperative procedures, pain management and coping, labor and obstetric complications, and induction and augmentation.
4. Recovery, Postpartum, and Newborn Care (15%)
The questions in this category cover recovery and postpartum physiology and complications, family dynamics and discharge readiness, lactation and infant nutrition, and newborn physiology and complications.
5. Professional Issues (3%)
The questions in this category cover legal issues, ethics, and safety and quality improvement.
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Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Exam Registration
To register for the exam, you will need to complete an online application on the NCC website. The application will require your personal, licensure, and employment information, and you will need to pay the $50 application fee and $275 examination fee.
Once your application is approved, you will receive instructions for setting up the test date.
Fees
There are several fees that you may be required to pay beyond the application and examination fees:
- Retest Fee: If you need to retake the test, you will have to repay the application and examination fees in full. There is a 90-day wait period before you can resubmit an application for testing.
- Withdrawal Fee: If you are registered for the computer exam and would like to cancel your test, you will receive $160 of your initial payment.
- Change Fee: If you need to take a different exam, missed your testing date, or can’t take the test on your scheduled test date, you can complete a change request for a fee of $125.
- Incomplete Application Fee: If an application is missing any required information, documentation, or payment, you can resubmit your application with a $30 reprocessing fee.
- Ineligible Application: If you are determined ineligible, you will receive a full refund of your examination fee but not your $50 application fee.
- Returned Check. If your check or e-check is returned for any reason, there will be a $30 fee.
- Credit Card Chargeback: If your credit card company issues a chargeback due to the cardholder’s dispute of charge, there will be a $30 fee.
Live Remote Proctoring
This exam is available to be taken online via PSI’s Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) system. Before registering to take the LRP version of the exam, you must ensure that you meet all of the necessary technical requirements.
- You must use a Windows or Mac desktop or laptop computer. Touchscreens and Chromebooks are not allowed.
- You must have a webcam and microphone (internal or external).
- You must have a stable broadband internet connection.
- You must have the current version of Google Chrome installed.
You should also run a system check to ensure that your setup is compatible.
Test Day
In-person Testing
You should arrive at the testing center 15-30 minutes early. Upon entering the testing center, you must provide 2 forms of identification, which include a photograph and your name and signature.
Electronic devices, notes, reference materials, and other items are not allowed in the test room, so you will be asked to leave those items in a secure locker until the exam is over.
Before the exam begins, you will be given the opportunity to take a practice test to become familiar with the test design and computer. Once the practice test is complete, you will begin the real exam.
Live Remote Proctoring
You should sign in to the testing portal at least 15 minutes early. During the check-in period, your identification will be checked, and you will be asked to scan your testing area using your webcam. The remote proctor will then go over the testing rules and expectations to ensure you are prepared.
Once the proctor has determined you are ready, the exam will begin.
How the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Exam is Scored
This exam is scored using a criterion-reference method, meaning that the passing score is based on a criterion predetermined by a set of subject-matter experts.
When you receive your official score report from the NCC, it will reveal your pass/fail status, but it will not tell you what your final score is. Instead, it will provide you with feedback on each section of the exam in the form of single- or two-word descriptors: Very Weak, Weak, Average, Strong, and Very Strong.
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Online Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Prep Course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Course includes:
- 58 Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 700+ Inpatient Obstetric Nurse Practice Questions
- More than 350 Electronic Flashcards
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
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The Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Prep Course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their Inpatient Obstetric Nursing exam. Click below to check it out!
FAQs
Q
How many questions are on the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing exam?
A
There are 175 multiple-choice questions on the exam.
Q
How long is the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing exam?
A
The time limit for this exam is 3 hours.
Q
How much does the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing exam cost?
A
The application fee is $50, and the examination fee is an additional $275.
