If you need help studying for the NCC Low Risk Neonatal 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 Low Risk Neonatal Nursing practice test!
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the Low Risk Neonatal Nursing exam, you’ll need to meet BOTH of the requirements below:
- You need a valid RN license in the US or Canada
- You need to complete an accredited graduate nurse practitioner program (master’s DNP or post-master’s)
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 175 multiple-choice questions total, but only about 150 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 different sections of the exam:
1. General Assessment
15% of the exam
- Maternal risk factors and birth history
- Physical and gestational age assessment
- Lab and diagnostic data
2. Assessment and Management of Pathophysiologic Conditions
37% of the exam
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- Gastrointestinal and genitourinary
- Musculoskeletal and integumentary
- Neurological
- Hematology and hyperbilirubinemia
- Genetic, metabolic, and endocrine
3. General Management
45% of the exam
- Resuscitation and stabilization
- Nutrition and feeding
- Pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
- Fluid, electrolytes and glucose homeostasis
- Oxygenation, non-invasive ventilation and acid-base balance
- Thermoregulation
- Neurodevelopmental care
- Infection and immunology
- Psychosocial support, grieving, family education, and discharge planning
4. Professional Issues
3% of the exam
- Legal
- Ethics
- Safety
- Quality improvement
How to Register
Once you’ve ensured that you meet all of the eligibility requirements, you can register for the exam.
To get started, you’ll need to submit an application on NCC’s website. 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 application fee, which is $50.
Once your application is approved, you’ll be given information on how to register for a testing appointment. During registration, you’ll need to pay the $275 exam fee.
Low Risk Neonatal Nurse Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
How is the Exam Scored?
The Low Risk Neonatal Nursing exam is scored using two methods: criterion-referenced scoring and scaled scoring.
The NCC board of directors have determined the specific knowledge and skills required to be a competent neonatal nurse and created the questions based on the criteria they came up with. They then came up with a cut-off score that reflects the minimum level of knowledge and skills you need.
Scaled Scoring
For security and validity reasons, each administration of the exam contains a slightly different set of questions. Since everyone has a different arrangement of questions, and because some questions are harder than others, the cut-off score and your final score are converted to a scaled score to ensure a more even playing field.
When you get your score report, it gives you a short descriptor of how you did on each section of the exam instead of giving you exact scoring information. There are five levels of feedback you can receive:
- VERY WEAK
- WEAK
- AVERAGE
- STRONG
- VERY STRONG
Here’s an example of what this looks like:
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can retake the test after a 90-day waiting period.
Keep in mind that you will have to pay the full testing fee every time you retake the test.
FAQs
How many questions are on the Low Risk Neonatal Nursing exam?
The exam contains 175 questions.
What is the time limit for the Low Risk Neonatal Nursing exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours.
How much does the Low Risk Neonatal Nursing exam cost?
The testing fee is $275, which doesn’t include the $50 application fee.