The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) provides the standard for accreditation of nurses and healthcare organizations in specialty health practice. The purpose of ANCC certification is to recognize and validate nurses and healthcare organizations who promote excellence in the nursing field for positive and safe work environments. The certification is awarded to nurses and healthcare organizations that approve and offer continuing nursing education (CNE) as well as recognizes excellence in nursing work environments through programs such as Pathway to Excellence, and Magnet Recognition Program. To obtain certification, applicants complete the ANCC registration process and pass an exam testing their knowledge and skills in a specific nursing field. ANCC offers 18 types of certifications for varying levels of specialties and practice. Some of the ANCC certifications include:
This article will discuss the ANCC registration certification process for the ANCC certification registration and exam details. The exam details to be considered are the validity of the registration, relevant policies, associated fees, and test preparation.
ANCC registration is an important endeavor to receive ANCC certification demonstrating that an individual has the required knowledge and expertise in a nursing field. Some of the benefits of ANCC certification are:
Persons seeking ANCC certification need to ensure proper ANCC test registration. When a person fails to correctly register for the exam or satisfy the registration requirements, their certification may be delayed or voided.
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Create AccountThe ANCC registration process for the certification exam is done online or via phone by making a call to the Prometric Registration Center at 1.800.350.7076. The online registration should be scheduled at the Prometric Registration Website at www.prometric.com/ANCC. Prior to starting the ANCC exam registration process, candidates should check their eligibility using the NCPD checklist.
Candidates can access information about test dates and locations from the Prometric Testing Center. The information is important to adequately prepare and schedule it at a convenient test center as a candidate is able to pace out time effectively. Candidates must receive an Authorization to Test Notice before commencing ANCC test registration and schedule an appointment time to take the exam. Candidates can schedule their appointments online via the Prometric website or by calling the Prometric Registration Center.
Selecting an appointment time is important during the ANCC exam registration as it determines whether a candidate will take the test or not. If a candidate can't take the certification exam, they can reschedule the test for a later deadline.
However, they must do so after the expiry of the 120 days of the initial appointment time. The cost of rescheduling the test date is $100 for a 120-day extension of the test date. Rescheduling should be done within 6 months from the previous test date. Rescheduling the test date is a one-time offer and candidates go through the ANCC test registration again.
Candidates can cancel or reschedule the appointment time for the ANCC exam registration. For cancellation, candidates should do so at least 2 days before the appointment time to get a refund of the test fee. In the case of rescheduling ANCC certification tests, candidates should do so before the expiry of at least 120 days from the appointment time.
Candidates should ensure they use their current personal information to smoothen the verification process. Days after ANCC test registration, a candidate may wish to update their personal information to match their current ones. Updating personal information can be done through the ANCC login, by mail by writing to the customerservice@ana.org of the American Nurses Association (ANA), or via phone (1.800.284.2378).
It is required that nurse practitioners renew their ANCC certifications every 5 years, otherwise forfeit approval to use ANCC credentials. There is no grace period from the expiry date. Some of the requirements to renew ANCC certification are 75 contact hours in the certification held, payment of the renewal fee, and completing one of the categories for certification renewal.
The certification renewal fee depends on whether an applicant is a member of an American healthcare organization. For example, the renewal fee for an American Nurse Association member is $275 while the fee for a non-member is $375. Comprehensive information about the requirements for certification renewal is available on the ANCC Certification Renewal Requirements document.
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Create AccountThe fees for ANCC test registration depend on whether an applicant is a member or non-member of any American professional healthcare organization. The same applies when an applicant wishes to renew their registration. Applicants pay an additional $140 to cover administrative costs.
The following table outlines the fees for ANCC NP registration.
| Entity | Fees |
|---|---|
| ANCC registration | $375 for non-members, $295 for ANA members, $340 for AANP, $340 for GAPNA, and $290 for student members of the AANP |
| Cancellation | No fee after 2 days expiry |
| Rescheduling | $100 |
| Renewal | $375 for non-members, $275 for ANA, $295 for AANP, and $320 for GAPNA |
The payment methods are credit card and electronic (wire and ACH) payments. Candidates have at least a 2-day window from the test time to cancel their registration, otherwise lose their registration fee.
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Preparing for the certification exam is important for success in the ANCC registration. As each exam has a different format, question types, and time allotted, it is a good idea to familiarize oneself with these details for adequate preparation.
To ensure success in the ANCC certification exam, study materials such as study guides, test preparation courses, and practice tests are valuable resources. These help to deepen one's knowledge of content areas. Some of these study materials are available for free online and contain sample questions that mimic questions of the actual ANCC NP registration exam.
Study plan: Candidates should develop a well-structured plan to ensure effective preparation for the ANCC exam registration test. A study plan offers candidates a roadmap to organize their study efforts to cover all content areas. The plan also enables candidates to effectively pace out time enabling them to incorporate various learning strategies to improve knowledge retention and elevate their chances for success.
Practice tests: Practice tests have sample questions that mimic those of the actual exam. However, time limitation isn't applied when responding to questions on practice exams. It is wise that candidates time themselves to improve their time management skills.
Test prep courses: They provide valuable guidance and resources to help candidates adequately prepare for the ANCC certification exam. They provide candidates with tips for effective test-taking, a comprehensive review of sample questions, and exam content for success.
ANCC registration is done online through the Prometric website. Candidates can also schedule a test date via phone by calling Prometric Testing Center at 1.800.284.2378 or emailing customerservice@ana.org.
Candidates who fail to pass the ANCC certification exam may apply for a retake of the exam 60 days after the initial take. However, candidates can only take the exam up to 3 times within 12 months and apply for the ANCC exam registration for each take. Retest application is done online 5 days after taking an exam.