If you need help studying for the ANCC Nursing Professional Development certification 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 Nursing Professional Development practice test!
Exam Eligibility
Before you can register to take the Nursing Professional Development 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 a bachelors degree or higher in nursing
- 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 sections of the exam:
1. Educational Process Standards
32 scored questions
- NPD practice standards
- Professional development models
- Types of educational activities
- Education design process
- Competency management process
- Managing process for continuing education credits
- Teaching/learning theories, principles, and models
- Processes for providing continuing education
2. Leadership
34 scored questions
- Change management
- Promoting a healthy work environment
- Leadership principles
- Conflict resolution
- Organizational structure, principles, and concepts
- Communication principles
- Professional credentialing, certification, and standards
- Mentoring process
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion advocacy
- Group facilitation
- Negotiation and collaboration
- Appropriate communication methods
- Resource management
3. Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Standards
19 scored questions
- ANA Scope and Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics
- Accreditation at the organizational level
- Integration of legal and regulatory requirements
- Risk-management concepts
- Analysis of gaps in practice that indicate potential risk management issues
- Legal implications
4. Evidence-based Practice and Research
7 scored questions
- Scholarly inquiry process
- Processes, translation, and dissemination of research and quality improvement
5. Technology
19 scored questions
- Business tools
- Learning technology principles
- Clinical technologies
- Information technology systems
- Teaching strategies using technology
6. Program/Project Management and Process Improvement
14 scored questions
- Organizational performance indicators, trends, and priorities
- Performance improvement and project management methodologies
- Managing projects
- Strategies for sustaining and maximizing outcomes
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 (ANA members only pay $295).
Nursing Professional Development Exam 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 Nursing Professional Development certification 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.
FAQs
How many questions are on the Nursing Professional Development exam?
The exam contains 150 questions.
What is the time limit for the Nursing Professional Development exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours.
What is the passing score for the Nursing Professional Development exam?
You’ll need to get a final scaled score of at least 350 to pass.
How much does the Nursing Professional Development exam cost?
The testing fee is $395.