CMSRN Exam - Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse
About the CMSRN Exam
The CMSRN (Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse) credential, offered by the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB), is a nationally recognized certification that demonstrates a nurse’s advanced knowledge, clinical judgment, and professional competence in medical-surgical nursing. Earning the CMSRN highlights a nurse’s commitment to excellence in patient care across diverse medical-surgical settings. This certification not only strengthens professional credibility but also enhances career advancement opportunities, reflecting dedication to evidence-based practice and high standards of nursing care.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
Exam Description | Focuses on clinical excellence in direct patient care for medical-surgical nursing. |
Credential Earned | Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN). |
Eligibility Requirements | Active RN license, a minimum of two years of practice, and at least 2,000 hours of medical-surgical nursing experience within the last three years. |
Completion Time | 3 hours. |
Subjects Covered | Patient/Care Management, Holistic Patient Care, Elements of Interprofessional Care, Professional Concepts, and Nursing Teamwork and Collaboration |
Number of Questions | 150 total questions, including 125 scored items and 25 unscored pretest questions. |
Exam Format | Multiple-choice questions with scenario-based items. |
Exam Proctoring | Available online or in-person, proctored by Prometric. |
Recertification Details | Recertification is required every five years through continuing education contact hours or by retaking the exam. |
Pass/Fail Rates | Pass rate is approximately 69%, subject to periodic updates. |
Difficulty Level | Hard, with a strong emphasis on bedside nursing skills and clinical decision-making. |
Study Material | BoardCerts CMSRN Exam Preparation, which follows the exam blueprint. |
BoardCerts CMSRN Certification Question Bank
BoardCerts offers a comprehensive question bank tailored to help you excel in the CMSRN certifications. With high-yield practice questions and four predictor exams, our content is fully aligned with the exam blueprints for both certifications. Each question is meticulously reviewed by experienced nurses and educators, ensuring accuracy and relevance. Designed to match the rigor of the actual exams, our question bank includes detailed rationales and explanations to deepen your understanding and maximize your success.
CMSRN Exam Content Outline
The CMSRN exam content is structured around five main domain categories:
- Patient/Care Management (32%), which focuses on assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care to manage acute and chronic conditions.
- Holistic Patient Care (15%), emphasizing the recognition and management of physical, emotional, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs of patients.
- Elements of Interprofessional Care (17%), covering collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, care coordination, and effective communication for quality and continuity of care.
- Professional Concepts (15%), addressing ethical and legal responsibilities, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and professional development.
- Nursing Teamwork and Collaboration (21%), which evaluates effective teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, and fostering a positive work environment to enhance patient outcomes.
For more detailed blueprint outline, please review the CMSRN exam blueprint, which can be found here.
Exam Categories: Percentage Distribution
CMSRN Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the CMSRN exam, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Licensure: Hold a current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in a U.S. state or territory, or the legally recognized equivalent in another country.
- Experience: Have equivalent of at least two years of full-time RN practice.
- Clinical Practice: Complete a minimum of 2,000 hours in medical-surgical nursing within the last three years.
- Continuing Education: Obtain 30 hours of continuing education in medical-surgical nursing over the past three years.
These requirements ensure that candidates possess the necessary experience and knowledge to provide high-quality care in the medical-surgical specialty.
CMSRN Application Process
Online Application: Available through the MSNCB website.
- Application: Submission Requires proof of RN license, 2 years of practice, and 2,000 hours of med-surg experience within the last 3 years. Supporting documents are submitted online.
- Scheduling the Exam: Exam dates and locations are scheduled through Prometric after receiving an eligibility confirmation email. There is a window period of 90 days to make an appointment.
- Preparation Resources: BoardCerts offers CMSRN question bank, aligned with the official exam blueprint that simulates the format and complexity of the actual exam. You can find more information here.
CMSRN Exam Date and Costs
Exam Availability: The CMSRN exam is available year-round and candidates will have a 90-day window to choose their preferred date and testing center.
Exam Costs: For the most current information on exam fees and any available discounts, please refer to the official MSNCB.
CMSRN Exam Format
- Number of Questions: The CMSRN exams comprises 150 questions, including 125 scored questions and 25 unscored pretest questions.
- Exam Format: All questions are multiple-choice, designed to assess the candidate's knowledge and skills in medical-surgical nursing.
- Testing Options: The exam can be taken at Prometric testing centers, with the additional option of a live remote-proctored exam, allowing for greater convenience and flexibility.
- Time Allotted: Examinees are given 3 hours to complete the exam, providing ample time to thoughtfully consider each question.
CMSRN Pass/Fail Rates
The CMSRN exam is a challenging certification that assesses a wide range of complex medical-surgical nursing topics. The exam requires advanced clinical knowledge and critical thinking skills. To aid in preparation, BoardCerts CMSRN Question Bank is aligned with the exam blueprints. These resources feature expertly reviewed questions by certified nurses and medical professionals, to help succeed in these tests.
- Passing Score: For CMSRN, the candidate requires a standard score of 95, equivalent to approximately 71% correct answers to pass.
- Exam Statistics: The pass rate for the CMSRN exam varies annually but averages at around 69% .
- Score Reporting: For both exams, candidates receive immediate results online via the Prometric Report Validation Portal upon completing the exam. CMSRN candidates will find out their pass or fail status immediately after completing the exam and will receive a score report within 24 hours and exam score within five days.
CMSRN Exam Proctoring
The CMSRN exam is made available by the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB). The exam is conducted in partnership with Prometric™ with the live remote proctoring option available.
Preparation and Resources for CMSRN Exams
At BoardCerts, we meticulously follow the exam blueprints for CMSRN certification to ensure our practice questions are relevant and aligned with the content you'll encounter on these tests. We develop our question banks based on the detailed content outlines and the references used to validate the official exam questions. This approach ensures that our resources are grounded in the same authoritative materials that underpin these exams, providing you with a comprehensive and effective preparation experience.
- Topics on the Exam: Our practice materials are aligned with the CMSRN exam blueprint here.
- Question Bank: Use the BoardCerts CMSRN Question Bank, which features hundreds of questions aligned with the exam blueprint. Our banks are reviewed by certified nurses and clinical experts, providing essential practice and insight into exam patterns.
Renewal
The CMSRN certification is valid for five years. The renewal process includes:
- Practice Hours: Accumulate 1,000 hours of medical-surgical nursing practice during the five-year certification period. Practice hours can include direct patient care, case management, nursing administration, education, or research.
- Continuing Education (CE): Earn at least 90 contact hours of continuing education in medical-surgical nursing. Alternatively, candidates may complete a combination of CE hours and academic coursework related to the field.
- Exam Option: If preferred, candidates may choose to renew their certification by retaking and passing the CMSRN exam.
For the most up-to-date renewal information, visit the official MSNCB renewal page.
CMSRN Exam Practice Questions
Practicing sample questions is a crucial part of CMSRN exam preparation, helping you become familiar with the exam format, question style, and key content areas. The BoardCerts CMSRN Question Bank offers high-quality, exam-focused sample questions that align with the exams’ 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 actual exam.
Nursing Certifications from MSNCB
The Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) offers certifications to validate the expertise of nursing professionals across multiple specialties. Below is a list of these certifications with brief descriptions:
- Certified Acute-Care Virtual Registered Nurse (CAVRN): Validates virtual nurses who work in an augmented care environment where a virtual team provides support to the bedside team.
Frequently Asked Questions
