Register July 1 – October 31 to the take the CPAN and/or CAPA Exams September 15 – November 15

Next Recertification Window: July 1 – October 31, 2025

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Which Exam is Right for You?

Find your path to certification here. It will help you determine whether CPAN or CAPA certification is the right one for you.

Start Here

Step 1

Gather Information

Read the Certification Candidate Handbook thoroughly. Review eligibility requirements. Choose a registration window, noting dates and deadlines.

Step 2

Study

Take advantage of ABPANC’s study resources, many of which are FREE. Try the Practice Tests and Question of the Week. Review current resources. Connect with a Coach.

Step 3

Test Registration

Locate your testing site ahead of time. Create an account on Learning Builder and register for the appropriate test online. Sign up for Test Assured! Obtain a receipt and authorization. Pass with flying colors!

Step 4

Congratulations

Move forward in your career with certification proving your current knowledge and skills are up to date. Track your CEs on Learning Builder. Come back to recertify when needed.

CPAN® and CAPA® Certification

The American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc. (ABPANC) is responsible for developing, sponsoring and managing the Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN®) and the Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA®) nursing certification programs. These national professional certification programs are designed for registered nurses caring for patients who have experienced sedation, analgesia and anesthesia in a hospital or ambulatory care facility.
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Certification Recertification Resources

The Benefits of CPAN® and CAPA® Certification

Join an elite group of board-certified perianesthesia nursing colleagues

Become CPAN or CAPA certified to:

  • Improve patient care and safety
  • Enhance employer confidence
  • Validate professional experience
  • Commit to lifelong learning
  • Strengthen credibility
  • Increase earning potential

News & Events

Question of the Week

One hour after initiation of continuous epidural morphine at 6 mL/hr, the catheter dressing has become saturated with a clear fluid and the patient is very somnolent, with BP = 92/56, HR = 62, R = 6 to 8, and SpO2 = 89%. The appropriate intervention is to:

  1. decrease the infusion rate to 2 mL/hr and assess motor and sensory levels.
  2. stop the infusion and call anesthesia to assess possible catheter migration into the subarachnoid space.
  3. decrease the infusion rate to 4 mL/hr and administer naloxone.
  4. continue the infusion and call anesthesia to assess the need to change the infusion settings.
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