CHPN - Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse
About CHPN Certification
The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) exam is offered through the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC). It is a specialized certification for registered nurses dedicated to providing care for patients facing terminal illnesses. Earning this credential validates a nurse’s expertise in end-of-life care and serious illness, encompassing complex symptom management, emotional support, and the nuances of holistic patient and family care during advanced stages of illness. This certification reflects a high standard of competency in hospice and palliative nursing and also recognizes a commitment to upholding quality of life and dignity for patients at the end of life.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
Exam Description | A comprehensive certification exam for professionals in hospice and palliative care. |
Credentials Earned | Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) |
Eligibility Requirements | Active RN license and a minimum of 500 hours in hospice/palliative nursing within the last year or 1,000 hours in the last two years. |
Completion Time | 3 hours to complete exam |
Subjects Covered in the Exam | 5 main categories, including assessment and planning, pain management, symptom management, support/education/advocacy, and practice issues. |
Number of Questions | 150 multiple-choice questions |
Exam Format | Multiple-choice, computer-based test |
Exam Proctoring | Exam can be taken via Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) or at exam center |
Recertification Details | Required every 4 years; includes proof of continuing education and clinical hours. |
Pass/Fail Rates | Pass rates vary annually but average between 69% and 75%. |
Difficulty Level | Hard |
Study Material | BoardCerts CHPN Exam Prep |
BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank
BoardCerts provides a comprehensive question bank designed to help you excel on the Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) exam. With BoardCerts practice questions and four predictor exams, the content is fully aligned with the CHPN exam blueprint. Each question is carefully reviewed by CHPN certified nurses, ensuring accuracy and relevance. The question bank mirrors the rigor of the exam and includes detailed rationales and explanations to enhance understanding and preparation.
CHPN Exam Content Outline
The exam content is structured around five main domain categories:
- Assessment and Planning (25 questions), which focuses on evaluating patient needs
- Pain Management (26 questions), addressing strategies for managing pain effectively
- Symptom Management (28 questions), covering the care of physical and emotional symptoms
- Support, Education, and Advocacy (28 questions), emphasizing patient and family support
- Practice Issues (28 questions), which includes professional and ethical considerations in hospice and palliative care
For more detailed blueprint outline, please review the CHPN exam blueprint, which can be found here: Preparation and Resources
Exam Categories: Percentage Distribution
CHPN Exam Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the CHPN exam, a registered nurse must hold an unrestricted nursing license and have at least 500 hours of hospice and palliative nursing practice within the last 12 months or 1,000 hours within the last 24 months.
CHPN Application Process
Online Application: Visit the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) website to access the online application portal.
Application Submission: Complete the application by providing the necessary personal and professional information. After submission, your eligibility will be reviewed by HPCC.
Scheduling the Exam: Upon approval, you'll receive instructions to schedule your exam at a PSI testing center or opt for live remote proctoring.
Preparation: The BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank is developed in coordination with the Hospice and Palliative Review organization and is designed to streamline your preparation for the CHPN exam by aligning closely with the exam blueprint and reflecting the same level of difficulty found on the actual test. While additional resources and references are available in the candidate handbook, we have consolidated essential materials into a comprehensive question bank that covers the topics on the exam. Furthermore, the question bank is reviewed with each exam update to ensure it stays up-to-date with the latest exam blueprint and standards in hospice and palliative care.
CHPN Exam Dates and Costs
Application Window: The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) exam is administered quarterly, with testing windows in March, June, September, and December. Application periods open three months prior to each testing window.
The latest information on CHPN exam dates, application deadlines, and exam costs can be found on the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) website. For comprehensive details and resources, visit advancingexpertcare.org.
CHPN Exam Format
Number of Questions: CHPN exam includes 150 multiple-choice questions, of which 135 are scored, and 15 are unscored "trial" questions. These unscored questions are scattered throughout the exam and do not count toward the final score, as they are used to gather data for future test development.
Exam Response Options: Multiple-choice with four response options (A, B, C, D).
Testing Options: Available at PSI testing centers or via live remote proctoring.
Time Allotted: 3 hours to complete the exam.
Passing Score for CHPN
Difficulty Level: The CHPN exam is considered a hard exam with an annual pass rate ranging from 69% to 75%. It covers a wide range of complex topics. The BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank is specifically designed to align with the exam blueprint and each question is reviewed by CHPN certified nurses.
Passing Score: A scaled score of 500 on a scale of 200 to 800 is required to pass the exam. A scaled score is a way of representing a candidate’s performance on an exam in a standardized format. Rather than reporting the raw number of questions answered correctly, the score is converted to a scale (in the case of the CHPN exam, 200 to 800) that accounts for variations in difficulty across different test versions. This allows fair comparison between different test administrations. For the CHPN exam, a scaled score of 500 is required to pass, meaning the test taker's performance meets the minimum standard established by the certifying organization.
Exam Statistics: Detailed statistics are available on the HPCC Exam Statistics webpage. Pass rates change from year to year but are generally in the range of 69% to 75%.
Score Reporting: Candidates receive an on-screen pass/fail result immediately after completing the exam, with a detailed score report emailed within 24 hours.
CHPN Exam Proctoring
The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) exam is administered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) in partnership with PSI Services. Exams can be taken through live remote proctoring. Alternatively, if you prefer an in-person experience, PSI operates a vast network of test centers across the United States
Live Remote Proctoring: Candidates have the option to take the CHPN exam via Live Remote Proctoring. This method allows you to complete the exam from a location of your choice, such as your home or office, while being monitored in real-time by a professional proctor through your computer's webcam and microphone.
CHPN Preparation and Resources
At BoardCerts, we follow the CHPN exam blueprint closely to ensure our practice questions are relevant and aligned with the content encountered on the test. We develop our questions in coordination with this blueprint.
- Topics on Exam: Understand topics on the CHPN exam blueprint, which can be found here: Preparation and Resources.
- Review Course: Take a review course, such as the CHPN Review Course offered by HPCC, to build a strong foundation in exam content.
- Question Bank: A comprehensive resource like the BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank is recommended, as it aligns with the exam blueprint and is reviewed by CHPN-certified nurses, providing extensive question practice essential for success. In addition, it includes four predictor exams to help gauge your exam readiness.
CHPN Certification Renewal
The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) certification is valid for four years. To renew the certification, you must complete the Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR) process, which includes:
- Practice Hours: Accumulate a minimum of 500 hours in hospice and palliative nursing practice within the prior 12 months or 1,000 hours within the prior 24 months. Practice hours for CHPN renewal can be obtained through direct patient care, virtual and teleconference care, academic and research positions, administrative duties, consulting, case management, program development and coordination, and policymaking.
- Professional Development: The HPAR component requires candidates to earn 100 points, which can be accumulated across multiple categories of professional development activities. While some categories have maximum allowable points, there is no limit on points earned through continuing education and each contact hour of continuing education equals one HPAR point.
- Situational Judgment Exercise (SJE): The Situational Judgment Exercise (SJE) is an open-book, online exercise that includes case-based scenarios designed to assess critical reasoning and clinical application skills. Completion of the SJE is a required part of the CHPN renewal process.
For the most up-to-date information on CHPN renewal and the HPAR process, visit the official HPCC page: https://www.advancingexpertcare.org/hpcc/recertification/hpar/
CHPN Practice Questions
Practicing sample questions is a crucial part of CHPN exam preparation, helping you become familiar with the exam format, question style, and key content areas. The BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank offers high-quality, exam-focused sample questions that align with the CHPN exam blueprint, ensuring you are well-prepared and confident on test day.
Access Sample Questions: Find sample questions from the BoardCerts question bank here. These questions are crafted to reflect the level of application and difficulty found on the CHPN exam.
Sample Questions
Practicing sample questions is a crucial part of CHPN exam preparation, helping you become familiar with the exam format, question style, and key content areas. The BoardCerts CHPN Question Bank offers high-quality, exam-focused sample questions that align with the CHPN exam blueprint, ensuring you are well-prepared and confident on test day.
Frequently Asked Questions
