CPAN® or CAPA® Eligibility Requirements

The eligibility requirements to sit for the CPAN or CAPA exam are:

  • A current unrestricted Registered Nurse license in the United States or any of its territories which use the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Examination (NCLEX) examination as a basis for determining RN licensure. An unrestricted RN license, issued by a State Board of Nursing, means that an RN license must not have provisions or conditions that would limit the RN's practice in any way.

  • Candidates applying for initial CPAN or CAPA certification must have a minimum of 1,800 hours of direct perianesthesia clinical experience as a Registered Nurse during the two (2) years prior to application. Direct experience is defined as having bedside interaction with the patient and/or family in some capacity and participating actively in the individual patient experience. The candidate does not need to be technically employed in a direct care position (staff nurse, for example). If the candidate’s role (e.g., educator, manager, Clinical Nurse Specialist) involves bedside interaction with the patient and/or family in some capacity, those hours count towards meeting the experience requirement.

  • Submission of a complete, online examination application.

  • Successful completion of the CPAN and/or CAPA certification examination.

Audit of Eligibility

Submission of an application indicates your agreement to comply with the terms of the audit process. A percentage of initial certification and recertification applications are selected for audit. However, ABPANC reserves the right to audit any or all applications and supporting documentation submitted by certification and recertification candidates.

If documentation requested during the audit process is not submitted or is unacceptable, examination candidates will be denied the opportunity to sit for an examination, have scores withheld, have recertification denied, or have the CPAN and/or CAPA credential revoked. Candidates and certificants have the right to request the Review and Appeal Process and information about this process will be provided to them.

Please note: A BSN degree is NOT required for CPAN and/or CAPA certification.

Should you take the CPAN or CAPA examination? Click here to read more about the difference between the CPAN and CAPA exams and determine which exam best meets the needs of the patients you care for.