What is a CCRN?
The field of nursing has many specialties with in it. Much like doctors can specialize in different areas of medicine so can nurses. One of those specialties is called critical care nursing also known as CCRN. The CCRN actually stands for Certification in Critical Care Nursing. This level of nursing is one of the highest levels that a nurse can attain.
Education and Training
Critical care nurses are registered nurses and therefore must complete the basic RN education requirements and education in order to pursue the CCRN field. In order to test for the CCRN license, an RN must show that they have experience in the critical care field. This experience could be in any of the areas listed below:
- Intensive care units
- Cardiac care units
- Pediatric intensive care units
- Emergency rooms
- Trauma centers
You do not need a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree to qualify for the examination. Eligibility solely rests on having a current registered nursing license that is unrestricted and having at least 1750 hours of critical care within a two-year period. At least half of those hours must have occurred within the year prior to sitting for the examination.
Taking the Examination
Becoming a certified critical care nurse involves an intensive examination that is administered by the American Associations of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). The CCRN is one of the most difficult exams for certification that a nurse can take. The cost for taking the examination is typically taken on by the nurse wishing to become certified. However, there are some employers that may offer to pay in part or the whole cost of the testing. This is true especially if the certification will benefit the employer in some way.