If you need help studying for the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) exam or just want some more information about what the test is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free Clinical Nurse Leader practice test!
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the Clinical Nurse Leader exam, you’ll have to graduate from or be in your last term of an accredited CNL masters or post-masters program.
If you meet this requirement, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 140 multiple-choice questions total, but a handful of questions will NOT count toward your score. Why is that?
The unscored questions on the CNL exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
The time limit for the exam is 3 hours. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the exam.
1. Nursing Leadership
31% of the exam
- Horizontal leadership
- Interprofessional communication and collaboration
- Healthcare advocacy
- Implementation of the CNL role
- Lateral integration of care services
- Patient assessment
- Ethics
2. Clinical Outcomes Management
37% of the exam
- Illness/disease management
- Health promotion, disease, and risk reduction
- Healthcare policy
3. Care Environment Management
32% of the exam
- Knowledge management
- Healthcare systems/organizations
- Team coordination
- Quality improvement and safety
- Evidence-based practice
- Healthcare finance and economics
- Healthcare informatics
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application to the Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC). The application will ask you for your contact information and any documentation to prove your eligibility (among other things).
When you submit the application, you’ll also need to submit the testing fee, which is $425.
CNL Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Exam Scores
The test is scored using a scaled scoring method. Here’s how it works:
For every question you answer correctly, you get one point added to your raw score. At the end of the test, your final raw score will be converted to a scaled score. This scaled score will range somewhere between 150 and 500.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone who takes the test is given a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, converting your raw score to a scaled score ensures a more even playing field.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test during the next available testing period.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the $325 retake fee every time you retake the test.
FAQs
How many questions are on the Clinical Nurse Leader exam?
The exam contains 140 questions.
What is the time limit for the Clinical Nurse Leader exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours.
What is the passing score for the Clinical Nurse Leader exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 350 to pass.
How much does the Clinical Nurse Leader exam cost?
The testing fee is $425.