There are two certification exams offered in the specialty of medical-surgical nursing. The Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) provides this table of comparisons between the two certification programs to help you make an informed choice of which one is right for you.
Download this Table as a PDF file for Easy Reference and Printing
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
Credential |
Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) |
Registered Nurse-Board Certified (RN-BC) |
|
|
|
Certifying Body |
Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) |
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) |
|
|
|
Endorsement from Specialty Nursing Organization |
Yes, by AMSN (Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses) |
No |
|
|
|
Accreditation by ABSNC (Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification) |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Accepted by ANCC for Magnet Recognition Status |
Yes |
Yes |
Certification Eligibility Criteria
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
RN License |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Practice as an RN |
2 Years |
2 Years |
|
Type of Practice |
Clinical, management, or education |
Clinical |
|
Practice Hours in Past 3 Years |
2,000 Hours |
2,000 Hours |
|
Contact Hours |
None |
30 CH/3 Years |
Certification Duration
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
|
5 Years |
5 years |
Certification Exam
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
# of Questions |
150 (+25 trial questions - PP) |
175 |
|
Testing Options |
PP (Paper & Pencil) or CBT (computer-based testing) |
CBT only |
|
Average Pass Rate/Last 3 Years |
80.3% |
80.0% |
|
Based on Practice Analysis |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Special Test Site at Your Facility |
Yes, $300 per site |
No |
|
Online Application |
Yes |
Yes |
Pricing and Discounts
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
Certification |
$375 |
$395 |
|
Certification Discount |
$255 AMSN Member* |
$270 ANA Member** |
|
Military/VA Discount |
$260 |
$100 discount off $395 |
Recertification Options
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
By Contact Hours |
Yes |
Yes |
|
By Exam |
Yes |
Yes |
|
By Exam Exemption |
Yes |
No (Ended 12/31/10) |
Recertification Eligibility Criteria
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
Current Certification in Medical-Surgical Nursing |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Practice Hours in 5 Years |
1,000 |
1,000 |
|
Contact Hours in 5 Years |
90 CH |
150 CH or 75 CH + academic course work, presentations, publications, preceptorship, or research |
Recertification Pricing and Discounts
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
Recertification |
$275 |
$350 |
|
Recertification Discount |
$175 AMSN Member* |
$200 ANA Member** |
Examination Prep Resources
|
|
CMSRN |
RN-BC |
|
Publications/Online |
Yes, many through AMSN |
Yes |
|
2 Day Certification Review Course at your Facility |
Yes, through AMSN $5,000 + faculty hotel expenses Unlimited Participants |
Yes
Minimum of 28 participants at $310 = $8,680 |
|
FREE Contact Hours |
Yes, with AMSN membership At least 18 free CH per year specific to medical-surgical nursing |
No |
* AMSN Dues = $84/year ** ANA Dues = $290/year Average
