The CNOR certification in nursing is given to operating room nurses who display evidence of achieving the practice standards for quality measure by passing the CNOR exam. The CNOR is recognition of the expertise, knowledge, and quality of care that operating room nurses must display in the care of patients undergoing surgical procedures. This indicates to the public and colleagues that the nurse reflects a high standard of practice and achievement within the profession, going above and beyond their basic certification in nursing.
How to Earn Your CNOR Certification
To be qualified to take the CNOR exam, the nurse must have graduated from nursing school and have and valid license to practice nursing in the United States. In addition, the nurse and must currently be working as an operating room nurse. In the last two years before application, he/she must have accumulated 2,400 practice hours as an operating room nurse. The nurse does not have to have a BSN to be eligible to sit for the exam.
The CNOR examination is given as a computer-based exam on a Monday through Friday basis at testing sites located all across the country. The candidate is allotted a four-hour period in which to complete the exam. The test consists of 200 test questions, of which 185 question are used to calculate your exam score. The other 15 questions are test questions that are being validated for possible use on future versions on the CNOR exam. A scaled score of 620 is required for passage of the exam. The test is scored twice for accuracy, so hand scoring of the exam is not offered.
The CNOR credentials are good for a period of five years, at which time they must be renewed either by retaking of the CNOR exam, or by a process of professional enrichment activities and points.
The CNOR policy manual is available for download from the credentialing website and details the initial credentialing process, the recertification process, and offers a test content breakdown. The test content breakdown is quite lengthy and the candidate should consult it to study concepts for which more weight is given first, and then more obscure concepts as study time permits. The CNOR website has a suggested study plan that will allow study for the exam to be completed within twenty weeks. Some candidates may need longer, while others may finish study quicker due to individual retention rates and learning styles.
By earning their CNOR credentials, nurses can take pride in the fact that they have validated their individual knowledge, skills, and professional expertise within the professional context of a highly developed and specialized body of scientific knowledge. CNOR is an outward testimony to colleagues, and the public as well, that the nurse has demonstrated a dedication to quality care within the profession.