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Open free PCCN (Adult) prep resources ↗Exam facts & prep options
PCCN (Adult) — Direct Care Eligibility Pathway
The PCCN (Adult) exam is AACN Certification Corporation's progressive care nursing specialty certification exam, taken via the Direct Care Eligibility Pathway by RNs or APRNs who provide direct care to acutely ill adult patients who are moderately stable with an elevated risk of instability (intermediate care, direct observation, stepdown, telemetry, transitional care, emergency departments). It is a 3-hour, 150-item (125 scored) multiple-choice computer-based exam delivered at PSI Testing Centers or by Live Remote Proctoring; 80% of the exam covers Clinical Judgment and 20% covers Professional Caring & Ethical Practice under the PCCN Test Plan effective February 6, 2024.
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Questions150 multiple-choice items, of which 125 are scored and 25 are used to gather statistical data on item performance for future exams
Testing time3 hours
ScoringPass/fail measured against a criterion-referenced passing point/cut score set by a modified Angoff standard-setting process; no numeric passing score is published (each candidate's performance is measured against a predetermined standard)
Exam feeUSD 260 AACN member / USD 375 nonmember for the computer-based exam (payable in U.S. funds); retest USD 185 member / USD 290 nonmember; renewal by exam USD 185 member / USD 290 nonmember; group discounts available for 10+ candidates
Prep options
Study resources for PCCN (Adult)
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- AACN Cert Corp
- Category
- Specialty Nursing Certification
- Current version
- PCCN Exam Handbook – Direct Care, July 2026 edition; PCCN Test Plan applies to exams taken on and after February 6, 2024 (revised test plan from the study of practice)
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Testing provider
- PSI (PSI Testing Centers and PSI live remote proctoring)
- Format
- Computer-based multiple-choice exam, taken at a PSI Testing Center or via Live Remote Proctoring; paper-and-pencil administration is coordinated with AACN and PSI in some cases (e.g., group applications, testing outside the U.S.)
- Availability
- Year-round; after applying, candidates receive an eligibility period in which to test — normally a 90-day window, currently a 180-day window
- Results
- Results show on-screen upon completion and a detailed score report is emailed within 24 hours; wall certificate mailed approximately 4–6 weeks after exam results are received
- Credential validity
- PCCN certification is granted for a 3-year period (renewal by Synergy CERPs or renewal exam; up to a 90-day grace period beyond expiration)
- Remote testing
- Available
Exam structure
Single 3-hour multiple-choice exam. PCCN Test Plan: 80% Clinical Judgment — Cardiovascular 20%, Respiratory 14%, Multisystem 15%, Neurology 7%, Gastrointestinal 7%, Endocrine 6%, Renal 4%, Hematology/Immunology/Oncology 3%, Behavioral/Psychosocial 3%, Musculoskeletal 2% — and 20% Professional Caring and Ethical Practice; the exam focuses on adult patient populations only
Where rules vary
U.S. nursing specialty certification: eligibility requires a current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license ("Includes District of Columbia and U.S. territories of Guam, Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Northern Mariana Islands"); eligible clinical hours must be completed in a U.S.-based or Canada-based facility or one determined comparable to the U.S. standard; candidates testing outside the U.S. are coordinated case-by-case by AACN and PSI.
Eligibility
Current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license plus direct-care clinical hours in acutely ill adult patients: 1,750 hours in the previous 2 years (875 in the most recent year), OR a minimum of 2,000 hours in the previous 5 years (144 in the most recent year); hours must be in a U.S.- or Canada-based facility (or a comparable facility), and verifiable by a clinical supervisor or professional colleague (RN or physician)
Retake policy
The same certification exam may be taken up to four times in a rolling 12-month period; after 12 months a new honor statement is required (retest fee USD 185 member / USD 290 nonmember)