The Association of Nurses in AIDS Care (ANAC) and the HIV/AIDS Nursing Certification Board (HANCB) advocate the idea of self-directed periodic nursing certification, verified by the process of knowledge examination for any nurse involved in the care of HIV/AIDS patients.
Certification is one part of a process called credentialing, which will generally occur after nursing school. The ACRN credential defines a specialized body of knowledge particular to HIV/Aids nursing and is an outward manifestation of the applicant’s present expertise in the area of HIV/AIDS nursing. ACRN credentialing in HIV/AIDS nursing is highly regarded among professionals and provides validated verification of HIV/AIDS nursing knowledge.
Qualifying for ACRN Certification
In order for the candidate to be eligible to take the ACRN exam, they must be a Registered Nurse in good standing at the time of the application – their license cannot be suspended, under review, or revoked, in any state. The applicant must also have two years of experience in HIV/AIDS care, including supervision, instruction, or research. These requirements must have been met before the application deadline.
The ACRN exam in HIV/AIDS is given by computer at selected testing centers across the country. The exam consists of 250 test questions, which are in objective, multiple-choice format. The candidate is allowed four hours in which to complete the exam.
Applicants who complete and pass the ACRN certification exam for HIV/AIDS nursing are then entitled to use the ACRN designation after their name as long as their certification remains in good standing. The candidate will receive a certificate from the ACRN board after passing the exam. The ACRN credentials are good for a period of four years, after which time the candidate must renew by retaking the exam, or by the accumulation of 70 continuing education units in HIV/AIDS nursing.
The board website has a candidate handbook that can be downloaded free of charge and contains the application as well as a study outline and a suggest list of reading resources. The candidate would be well advised to access this document and keep it handy throughout the certification process, as well as to use it to direct study.
ACRN credentialing promotes excellence in HIV/AIDS nursing care through the validation of professional expertise and encourages evolving personal and specialty enhancement in the practice of HIV/AIDS nursing. The ACRN also maintains a nationwide standard for HIV/AIDS certification that the public and professionals may use as a benchmark in the evaluation of health professionals in the practice of HIV/AIDS nursing care. The ACRN credential is a public recognition of those professionals who voluntarily choose to meet the standards and guidelines outlined by the ACRN certification board.