Urgent Announcement
The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) will retire the Clinical Nurse Specialist Core certification examination on July 1, 2010, due to the low candidate volume during the exam pilot window (September 1 – December 31, 2009.)
Applications for the final cycle of the exam will be accepted from January 1, 2010, through February 19, 2010. Candidates who apply during this period and are determined eligible to sit for the exam will be assigned a testing window between April 1, 2010, and June 30, 2010.
Candidates who pass the exam before its retirement will receive the credentials CNS-BC. All CNS-BC credential holders will be able to renew their certification using professional development and practice hours on the regular five-year renewal cycle.
Please call our customer service center at 1.800.284.2378 with any questions.
Credential Awarded: CNS-BC
Frequently Asked Questions to the CNS Core Exam
Read the frequent asked questions (FAQ) about the CNS Core Exam.
Eligibility Criteria
Do you qualify to sit for this exam?
Initial Certification Application
This application is a typeable PDF. Applicants have the option of saving the application to their own computer, typing in all of the required information, then printing the application, signing where appropriate, and mailing it. Alternately, all applications may be printed out and then filled in by hand in blue or black ink before mailing.
This exam is a computer-based test. The first administration of this exam will be September 1 – December 31, 2009. Score results from this testing window will be distributed in February 2010. The second administration of this exam will be April 1 – June 30, 2010. Score results from this testing window will be available instantly at the test site.
Renewal Application
Certifications must be renewed every 5 years. Renewal applications are due at least 3 months before your certification expiration date.
Pricing valid for 2008-2010 only—additional fees for special services may apply. See application for details.
Accreditation
This new ANCC certification is not yet accredited.
Review Resources
Test Content Outline
Use this free study aid to see the subject areas that are covered by the exam.
Test Reference List
Use this free study aid to see the list of references used to build the exam.
Sample Test Questions & Answers
To help candidates prepare for the certification exams, ANCC provides FREE short, interactive online sample tests. The sample questions are similar to those on the exams, but do not represent the full range of content or levels of difficulty.
Test Taking Strategies
Has it been a while since you took a test? This refresher course addresses test-taking tricks and tips.