The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission sponsors and oversees the Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN) certification in nursing, which you may have discussed during nursing school. The commission recognizes that the knowledge and skills necessary for the care of renal patients is both extensive and highly specialized and therefore conveys the CNN credentials upon nurses who demonstrate exceeding expertise and attention to quality patient care in their commitment to nephrology nursing.
Qualifying for CNN Certification
Nurses who wish to apply to take the CNN exam must hold a current valid and unrestricted license to practice nursing in the United States. The nurse’s employment must have been in the practice of Nephrology Nursing for two of the last three years before application; fifty percent of employment hours must be in Nephrology practice. In addition, the candidate is required to have a BSN degree and have completed thirty hours of continuing education units in nephrology within the most recent three years.
The CNN examinations are held at intervals in locations across the country and are hosted by Nephrology centers and organizations. The exam contains 200 test questions, comprised largely of renal failure concepts, which make up roughly 35% of the exam. Hemodialysis covers another 30% of the exam. The balance of the exam can contain questions about peritoneal dialysis, transplantation, and anatomy and physiology of the renal system. The Nurse should be familiar with normal functioning of the renal system as well as abnormal variants.
A candidate handbook is available for download free of charge from the Nephrology Commission website. It contains details of the application and testing process as well as a test content outline and suggested reading references. Because there is such a vast amount of knowledge covered by the exam, the nurse should first study the concepts that cover the bulk of the exam before studying concepts that are more obscure. Understanding the concepts of renal function and how the body systems react when renal function fails (rather than memorization) is key to this exam.
Nephrology nurses hold a unique and advanced body of educational knowledge. The CNN is an excellent way to validate their expertise and testifies to their commitment to quality care in this highly specialized field. The CNN is also an outward way of giving credibility before the public and peers of the nurse’s abilities and skills.