If you need help studying for the Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) 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 OCN practice test!
Eligibility
Before you can register to take the OCN exam, there are some eligibility requirements you’ll have to meet.
- First and foremost, you need to have a current and active RN license in the US or Canada.
- Secondly, you need to have successfully obtained at least 2,000 hours of adult oncology nursing practice within the last four years.
- You’ll also need at least two years of RN experience within the last four years.
- Lastly, you need to have completed at least 10 contact hours of nursing education in oncology within the last three years.
If you meet these requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the OCN Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are 165 multiple-choice questions total, but only 145 of the questions will count toward your score. Why is that?
The 20 unscored questions on the OCN 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 test session lasts 3 hours, which includes a 10-minute testing tutorial and 5-minute exit survey. There aren’t any scheduled breaks, but you’re free to take restroom breaks as needed.
The exam is split into 6 sections:
1. CARE CONTINUUM
19% of the exam
- Health promotion
- Disease prevention
- Screening and early detection
- Epidemiology
- Treatment-related considerations
- Navigation and coordination of care
- Advance care planning
- Survivorship
- End-of-life care
2. ONCOLOGY NURSING PRACTICE
17% of the exam
- Scientific basis
- Site-specific cancer considerations
- Scope and standards of practice
3. TREATMENT MODALITIES
19% of the exam
- Chemotherapy
- Biotherapy
- Targeting therapies
- Surgical and procedural interventions
- Immunotherapy
- Blood and marrow transplant
- VADs for treatment administration
4. SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT AND PALLIATIVE CARE
21% of the exam
- Etiology and patterns of symptoms
- Anatomical and surgical alterations
- Pharmacologic interventions
- Complementary and integrative modalities
- Alterations in functioning
- Pain management
- Palliative care instructions
5. ONCOLOGIC EMERGENCIES
12% of the exam
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation
- Increased intracranial pressure
- Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion
- Tumor lysis syndrome
- Hypersensitivity
- Anaphylaxis
- Pneumonitis
- Extravasations
- Immune-related adverse events
- Venous thromboembolism
- Hypercalcemia
- Cardiac tamponade
- Spinal cord compression
- Superior vena cava syndrome
- Bowel and urinary obstructions
- Sepsis
6. PSYCHOSOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CARE
12% of the exam
- Cultural, spiritual, and religious diversity
- Psychosocial distress
- Learning preferences and barriers to learning
- Coping mechanisms
- Financial concerns
- Support
- Sexuality
- Social relationships
- Family dynamics
- Altered body image
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 create an ONCC account on their website. You’ll then be able to submit an application through this account. The application will include any necessary eligibility documentation as well as the $420 testing fee (ONS/APHON members pay $300).
Once your application is approved, you’ll be given an Authorization to Test (ATT), which you can use to schedule a testing appointment with PSI.
OCN Exam Scores
The OCN 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 will range somewhere between 25 and 75. Your final scaled score must be at least 55 to pass.
The reason your raw score is converted to a scaled score is because everyone that takes the exam 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.
OCN Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Online OCN Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online OCN prep course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The OCN course includes:
- Review Lessons Covering Every Topic
- 800+ OCN Practice Questions
- More than 550 Digital Flashcards
- Over 20 Instructional Videos
- Money-back Guarantee
- Free Mobile Access
- and More!
The OCN prep course is designed to help any learner get everything they need to prepare for their OCN exam. Click below to check it out!
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can apply to retake the test (and pay the full testing fee) after a mandatory 90-day waiting period. After your third attempt, that waiting period becomes a full year.
If you live in the US, there are a couple of retake options available that can help save your wallet:
ONCC FreeTake
If your organization enrolls in the ONCC FreeTake program, you will be able to take the exam up to two times and only pay the testing fee if you pass. If you fail both times, you don’t have to pay a single penny!
If you take the test using the FreeTake option, you will not be eligible to purchase the DoubleTake option.
ONCC DoubleTake
If you purchase the ONCC DoubleTake option during your initial application, you’ll be able to take the test again without paying the full testing fee. This means that you’ll pay only $100 to retake the test instead of the full $420.
Here’s the catch – once you purchase this option, you can’t get a refund, even if you pass the exam on your first try and don’t need to retake it.
FAQs
How hard is the OCN exam?
The OCN exam is a complicated exam to pass, but if you study well beforehand, passing on your first attempt is more than possible.
How many questions are on the OCN exam?
The exam contains 165 questions.
What is the time limit for the OCN exam?
The testing session is 3 hours total.
What is the passing score for the OCN exam?
You’ll need a final scaled score of at least 55 to pass.
ONCC® is a registered trademark, and OCN® is a registered certification mark, of Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation does not endorse, authorize, sponsor, or approve any of the materials offered on this webpage, and has no affiliation with Mometrix.
