FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Associate/Diploma (09) & Baccalaureate (40) Gerontological Nurse Certification Exams
Who offers the Gerontological Nurse certification exam?
Where do I get the certification catalog to sign up for the exam?
What kind of exam is it?
What content is included on the exam?
How do I count the 2000 clinical hours of Gerontological practice?
How many continuing education contact hours do I need?
Can nurses who primarily work in academic settings become certified in Gerontological Nursing?
Where can I find study materials?
What percentage of people pass?
Are there discounts available for the exam?
Who offers the Gerontological Nurse certification exam?
All Gerontological Nurse exams are offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). ANCC is the largest nursing credentialing organization in the United States. More than a quarter million nurses have been certified by ANCC since 1990. More than 75,000 advanced practice nurses are currently certified by ANCC.
Where do I get the certification catalog to sign up for the exam?
Call ANCC at 1-800-284-2378 or visit ANCC's Web site to download the latest application brochure.
What kind of exam is it?
All three exams contain 175 multiple choice questions of which 150 are scored and 25 are pilot questions. All Gerontological nurse exams are computer-based test. This means you can apply all year and test during a 90-day window at a time and location convenient to you. Applications for this certification will be accepted at any time. There are over 300 sites in the United States and Canada and over 130 international sites. Locate the testing center near you.
What content is included on the exam?
ANCC’s Gerontological Nurse certification examination covers various domains of practice.
For more detailed information review the test content outline.
How do I count the 2000 clinical hours of Gerontological practice?
If you happen to work on a "geriatric" unit, in a long term care facility, or in a designated area for older patients then counting your hours is relatively straightforward.
Don't be discouraged if you don't happen to work in a setting like that. Did you know that approximately 50 percent of patients in the hospital today are over 65? So this means you probably spend 20 hours a week, at minimum, working with patients over 65. Think of it in these terms:
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Your work weeks
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Half of your patients are 65 or older
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Gero clinical hours
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per year
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are 65 and older
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per year
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50
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x
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20 hours per week
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=
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1000
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Chances are your Gerontological clinical hours total even more than that a year. You're well on your way to the required 2000 hours!
How many continuing education contact hours do I need?
For your initial certification ANCC requires 30 contact hours focusing on Gerontological issues.
Can nurses who primarily work in academic settings become certified in Gerontological Nursing?
The American Nurses Credentialing Center welcomes and encourages nurses in academia to become certified in Gerontological Nursing. Although accumulating the necessary clinical hours for certification may seem unreachable at first glance, please be aware that hours you spend with students in direct care for patients 65 years of age and older, can count towards the minimum of 2000 hours required for certification.
Where can I find study materials?
We've assembled information on geronurse-online.org to help you prepare for your certification exam, including ideas for preparation courses, official examination content outlines, free review courses, and practice exams. Check out the "Preparing for my Exam" page on this Web site.
What percentage of people pass?
www.nursecredentialing.org/cert/statistics.html
Are there discounts available for the exam?
For the current fees and potential discounts for the Gerontological Nurse Certification Exam click here.