Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse (AOCN) Test

The Advanced Oncology Certified Nurse title indicates that a Registered Nurse has met all of the necessary criteria to be labeled as a specialized nurse within the field of Oncology. This includes successfully completing the certification exam as well as maintaining specific continuing education requirements.

To become eligible to sit for this exam, the applicant must be a Registered Nurse who has worked at least 12 months out of the last 3 years as an Oncology Nurse. The nurse must also have worked at least 1,000 out of the last 2-1/2 years in the field of Oncology. Continuing education requirements mandate that at least 10 credit hours of study in Oncology be completed in order to become eligible to be an AOCN.

There are 4 windows of time during the year in which the Oncology Certified Nurse exam is offered. The application fee ranges from $260 up to $455 depending on date of application submission and current Oncology Nursing Society membership status.

The test material is derived from 8 major categories, ranging from quality of life issues to the specific physiological effects of cancer. The test is multiple-choice format with 165 questions, out of which 20 questions are test questions for possible future use on the exam.

The Oncology Nurse certification may be renewed without retaking the exam by maintaining at least 1,000 hours, or 12 months, of employment as an Oncology Nurse over the past 3 years. At least 100 continuing education credits must also be earned, with at least 65 of these in Oncology, in order to be eligible for renewal without retesting.

Nursing Certification Central