[NJNursing]

I know that there is the ANCC test (for the low, low price of $300+). Are there any other certification places? I want to kind of do my research before plunking down the money for the ANCC, but the couple bucks an hour extra would be nice. I want to try for my MSC, ONC and RNC in the next year or two.

TIA!

[RN1989]

Any certification exam you take is going to cost several hundred dollars. Then it will also cost money for you to keep that certification current with LOTS more CEUs required than what your licensure requires. If money is not something you are willing to spend on this - stop now.

By taking the ANCC exams you will receive your RN,C or RN,BC if you have a BSN. The Academy of Medical Surgical Nurses offers a med-surg exam that gives the credentials of CMSRN.

You must check each testing body to see what their requirements for certification are. There are requirements for documented number of hours in your specialty, CEUS, and the test. Most of the agencies will allow you to retest instead of getting CEUs if choose to renew by that route. ANCC rules require you to have a certain number of CEUs (med-surg is 75) in a 5 year period + be involved in publishing nursing articles or teaching nursing. If you do not do this than you double the amount of CEUS necessary for that 5 year cert. period with the majority of them specifically pertaining to m/s nursing and not the general stuff like "humor in nursing" etc. AMSN will allow you to get the CMSRN credential by endorsment if you have your RN,C from ANCC.

[NJNursing]

Thanks for the info. I'm probably going to look into it later this year as I'm up for my license renewal soon an was out of work for nearly 2 months, but I appreciate the info.

[lscandura]

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