CFRN

Many students in nursing school will go on to earn a certification in nursing after they graduate. Certification is a voluntary process by which a nurse validates to the community and professional peers that they have attained certain predetermined standards in their nursing specialty as evidenced by the passage of a specialized exam, which verifies their expert knowledge and clinical skills. Certification credentials are available in almost every specialty. The CFRN (Certified Flight Registered Nurse) certification is distinctive to flight nursing and validates the attainment of a defined element of nursing assimilation relative to that particular specialty.

Qualifying for CFRN Certification

Eligibility requirements for the CFRN exam include a current unrestricted license to practice nursing in the United States or its equivalent. There are no practice requirements to be eligible to take the exam, but it is recommended that the applicant have at least two years experience in flight nursing.

The CFRN exam is administered by computer at testing sites all across the country. Upon passage of the exam, the CFRN credentials are good for a period of four years. Re-certification is achieved by retaking the exam or by continuing education.

There are 180 questions on the test, of which 150 are scored. The other 30 questions are test questions which are being validated for possible use on future versions of the CFRN exam. The candidate is allowed a total of three hours for completion of the exam; he/she will be notified of the score before leaving the testing site. Candidates who successfully pass the exam will receive their ID card and certificate approximately four to six weeks after completing the examination. Candidates who are not successful may reapply to take the exam three months after the date of testing.

CFRN

Renewing the CFRN certification is done either by retaking the exam or by continuing education units. The continuing education units must clearly and directly apply to the specialty of emergency nursing. The minimum requirement is 100 hours; 75 of which must be in clinical practice and the other 25 can be in other categories. The CE activity must be completed in the four-year period immediately before renewal.

To renew by exam, the candidate must take and pass a 175-item exam. One hundred fifty of these items are scored and the other 25 are non-scored test questions. A passing score is 112 out of the 150 items. Unsuccessful candidates are eligible to reapply for the exam three months after the prior test.

The candidate handbook can be downloaded from the certification board website free. It contains applications, and all eligibility criteria. Also included is a test content outline that the candidate would be well advised to use to direct study.

Certifications Available to Nurses – Back