If you need help studying for the ANCC Gerontological Nursing exam or just want some more information about what the exam is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free Gerontological Nursing practice test!
What’s on the Exam?
How to Register
Exam Scores
Retaking the Exam
Online Gerontological Nursing Prep Course
FAQs
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the Gerontological Nursing exam, you’ll have to meet ALL of the requirements below:
- You need to have a current RN license that’s valid in the US
- You need at least 2 years of full-time RN experience
- You need at least 2,000 clinical practice hours in gerontological nursing within the last 3 years
- You need to have had least 30 hours of continuing gerontological nursing education within the last 3 years
If you meet these requirements, 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 150 multiple-choice questions total, but only about 125 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 25 unscored questions on the exam are “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 four sections of the Gerontological Nursing exam:
1. Assessment and Diagnosis
39 scored questions
- Physical examination tools and techniques
- Psychosocial examination tools and techniques
- Social determinants of health
- Pharmacotherapy
- Age- and disease-related factors that affect clinical findings
- Age-related physiological change identification
- Risk factor identification
2. Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
42 scored questions
- Evidence-based interventions and expected outcomes
- Treatment modality contraindications
- Unique medication needs of older adults
- Nursing diagnosis and problem list evaluation
- Safety interventions
- Therapeutic environment creation
- Care coordination across the continuum
3. Professional Foundation
44 scored questions
- Theoretical frameworks
- Disease prevention within the individual, family, and community
- Self-management and health promotion strategies
- Principles of adult learning and communication
- Diversity, equity and inclusion, and social justice for subpopulations of older adults
- Legal and ethical considerations
- Regulatory compliance and quality improvement
- Technology- and data-driven care
How to Register
To begin the registration process, you’ll need to create an account via the ANCC website. This account will give you the ability to register for the exam.
The examination fee is $395. ANIA members pay $340, while ANA members only pay $295.
How is the Exam Scored?
The Gerontological Nursing exam 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 can go up to a maximum of 500.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone that 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 the score you wanted on your first try, that’s okay!
You can take the exam up to three times in any 12-month period, and you’ll have to wait at least 60 days between each attempt.
Online Gerontological Nurse Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online Gerontological Nurse prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The Gerontological Nurse course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 450 Gerontological Nurse Practice Questions
- More than 550 Digital Flashcards
- Over 90 Instructional Videos
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The Gerontological Nurse prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their Gerontological Nurse exam. Click below to check it out.
FAQs
How many questions are on the Gerontological Nursing exam?
The exam contains 150 questions.
What is the time limit for the Gerontological Nursing exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours.
What is the passing score for the Gerontological Nursing exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 350 to pass.
How much does the Gerontological Nursing exam cost?
The testing fee is $395, with discounts available for ANA and ANIA members.