Question about PCCN or med/surg cert

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Hello all!

I am at heart a stepdown/cardiac and tele nurse, but as a travel nurse, I've taken recently many med/surg assignments with little tele although I was did true cardiac stepdown earlier this year.

My question is the following: Can I still go ahead and take the PCCN exam even though greater than 50% recently has been with med/surg? I hope to go back to stepdown soon or even the ICU where I'm currently at. I ask because I really don't have the desire to be certified in med/surg, but rather PCCN.

It seems to me the requirements for certification seem to do with general acute care experience. I didn't see anywhere where you have to have hours in specific disciplines such as med/surg or cardiac/stepdown/tele. I'll have to recheck.

Just wondering what you all think or have experienced. Thanks!

Z

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Any ideas?

[beekee]

I'd probably check with AACN, but this may help:

https://www.aacn.org/~/media/aacn-website/certification/get-certified/handbooks/ccrnorpccnexamflyer.pdf

[chare]

Yes, you can write the PCCN. And yes, you are correct in stating that AACN no longer requires hours in a specific unit; rather they base eligibility on patient acuity.

Best of luck on the examination