Canadian Nurse Practitioner Exam Program
ANCC Nurse Practitioner Exams: Adult and Pediatric
As part of CNA’s Nurse Practitioner Exam program, CNA makes the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Adult Nurse Practitioner Exam and Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Exam available in Canada for the purpose of licensing nurse practitioners in one of these two streams of NP practice in Canadian jurisdictions.
Applicants who write the ANCC exam do so for the sole purpose of registration with a Canadian jurisdiction that licenses NPs. Those who successfully pass the exam will not be certified or credentialed with ANCC.
These exams are designed to determine whether an NP has demonstrated the competencies necessary to practise safely and effectively in the NP role for a designated stream of practice.
Where can I get information about the ANCC exams and related learning resources?
CNA has available for purchase at the bookstore the Adult Nurse Practitioner Review and Resource Manual, 3rd edition (2008) and the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Review and Resource Manual 3rd edition (2010).
Other ANCC exam review materials are available at www.nursecredentialing.org/Certification/ExamResources.aspx
Information about the Adult Nurse Practitioner Exam is available at www.nursecredentialing.org/NurseSpecialties/AdultNP.aspx
Information about the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Exam is available at www.nursecredentialing.org/NurseSpecialties/PediatricNP.aspx
In addition, check the website of your provincial or territorial regulatory body for information. Contact information for the regulatory bodies can be found at www.cna-aiic.ca/CNA/about/members/default_e.aspx
How do I apply to write the ANCC exams?
Please contact your regulatory body for application information. Please note that deadlines for applying to take the exam are usually well in advance of the exam date.
Where do I go for information about eligibility criteria, the application process and other exam administrative processes?
To obtain this type of information (which includes withdrawal and refund policies and testing accommodations) please contact your regulatory body.
How do I arrange to write the exam, and where do I write it?
Details about how to schedule your exam during the exam-writing “windows” will be provided to you after your regulatory body has reviewed your application and determined that you meet the eligibility criteria.
Exams are held at Prometric Test Center sites across Canada. Locations of Prometric test sites can be found at www.prometric.com/ancc. You may book your exam time online or by telephone through Prometric. Candidates are encouraged to schedule their exam time as soon as possible after receiving confirmation that they are eligible to write the exam in order to maximize the choice of times and dates available to them.
Each test site offers timeslots for exams that include a mix of hours and days, including weekends.
- ANCC Exam Security Measures:
Biometric identification: Fingerprint ScanningANCC exam writers take their exams at Prometric Test Center sites. The locations have recently implemented biometric identification to increase the security of the exam administration. ANCC has chosen fingerprint scanning as the form of biometric identification to be used with ANCC exam.
- Why is fingerprinting information collected?
Fingerprinting information is collected for the purpose of security on test day. It is designed to improve the security and integrity of the testing process by ensuring that it is the same candidate writing the exam throughout the test administration. It also allows candidates to leave and re-enter the room without having to carry or show identification. This process is now standard for all ANCC exam administrations.
- What happens to the fingerprinting information?
The fingerprint is permanently erased from the Prometric database within 48 hours of candidates completing the exam. The information is not transmitted outside the writing centre. Data are not sent to ANCC nor to other parties. Information is not kept for future exam rewrites.
All ANCC exam candidates, including Canadian writers, will be asked to have their fingerprint scanned the first time they enter the exam area and then each time they re-enter. This security measure was put in place to ensure that candidates who leave the exam area during the exam administration can be identified on their return; it also means that writers will not need to carry identification when exiting and re-entering the exam area.
Two forms of identification, including photo ID, are required when exam candidates register at the Prometric site. Thereafter, during the exam, only the fingerprint ID is used for ID purposes.
Additional responses to frequently asked questions about the exam process can be found on the Prometric website at www.prometric.com/ancc.
When are the exams offered in 2012?
There are two “windows” or periods when you can write your exam. Please note that the exam may not be offered in your province or territory for both of these windows nor for all of the days of each window.
In 2012, the exams are offered:
May 24 to June 28
October 2 to October 30
For application deadlines and for withdrawal from scheduled exams, please consult the website of your provincial or territorial regulatory body. Your regulatory body will provide you with information on how to schedule your exam-writing session.
What is the exam length and format?
The exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions. There are no pre-test or experimental questions for Canadian candidates.
The exam is computer based. The total testing time is 3.5 hours, not including time set aside for registration and instructions. Plan to arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled exam time to allow for check-in procedures. If you are late in arriving, you will not be allowed to take the test and you will forfeit your exam fee.
What do I do if I need special accommodations to write the exam?
Contact your regulatory body for approval of any requirement for special accommodation to write the exam. Assessment for eligibility for special accommodations requires additional time, and any requests should be forwarded to your regulatory body (with relevant documentation) well in advance of the scheduled exam times.
How is the exam scored?
The ANCC exams are developed for candidates in the U.S. and as such may contain content that is specific to the provision of health care in the U.S.
The NP exam committee oversees the scoring of the ANCC exams and removes any U.S.-specific content that may not be appropriate for Canadian writers. This process must be undertaken each time the exam is to be written. Final decisions on which exam items are to be removed are made by the CNA-ANCC exam committee in accordance with a measurement consultant and content expert. Following the removal of these items, a new passing score for the remaining items on the exam is determined; this passing score replicates the required standard established by ANCC.
When will I receive my results?
Your pass or fail result on the exam will be sent to your regulatory body within 8 - 12 weeks of the end of the exam window. The regulatory body will then mail your result to you. How long it takes for you to receive the information from your regulatory body varies, depending on the jurisdiction.
How will I receive my exam results?
Results will be provided to you by your provincial or territorial regulatory body. Candidates who are successful will receive notification of a pass result. Candidates who fail the exam will receive a performance profile by content area that will help identify areas of strength and weakness to assist them in preparing to retake the exam.
Candidates receive their results in the mail. Exam results are not released over the telephone.
How many times can I take the exam?
Please check with your regulatory body regarding how many times you can take the exam.
Whom do I contact if I have other questions about the exam process?
Please contact your provincial or territorial regulatory body or Christine Rieck Buckley, manager, regulatory affairs , Canadian Nurses Association, at cbuckley@cna-aiic.ca with any additional questions about the exam process.
Updated: January 16, 2012
