Holistic Nurse Certification (HNC) Test

The Holistic Nurse Certification credential indicates the nurse has achieved specialization in the field of caring for the patient in a holistic manner. This means to address all issues a patient may be struggling with, from physiologic to social, and addresses these issues in order to treat the whole patient.

In order to take the Holistic Nurse Certification exam, the applicant must be a licensed RN. At least 2,000 hours of employment in holistic nursing should have been completed over the past year either full-time or part-time.

The exam to become a certified Holistic Nurse is offered twice a year, in March and October, during a two-week time period. In addition to taking the exam, the RN must complete a Qualitative Assessment which is an essay that exhibits the nurse’s ability to incorporate the principles of holistic medicine into practice. The fee to receive the handbook is $5 and there is a $25 application fee due along with the application. The fee for the Qualitative Assessment is $125 for members of the American Holistic Nurses’ Association (AHNA) and $175 for non-members. The fee for the exam is $275 for AHNA members and $300 for non-members.

The exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. The content of the exam covers major theories associated with holistic medicine, such as health promotion and maintenance, holism, ethics, and philosophy.

Holistic Nurse Certification is valid for 5 years. At the end of that time period, the RN must have completed at least 100 hours of continuing education credit with at least 20% of those hours in holistic nursing. Another option is to complete the entire application process again with the Qualitative Assessment and exam. The fee for recertification is $250 for AHNA members and $300 for non-members.

Nursing Certification Central