NCSN® Exam Preparation

NCSN Preparation and Resources

The National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN) provides a list of recommended references to support candidates preparing for the National Certified School Nurse (NCSN) Exam. These resources include key textbooks and insights covering essential topics in school nursing practice.

BoardCerts incorporates these recommended references and aligns its question banks with the NCSN exam blueprint to ensure accuracy, relevance, and a strong focus on critical competencies in school nursing.

Key Concepts on NCSN Exam

Exam Categories: Percentage Distribution

NCSN Blueprint and Focus Areas

Area of Focus	Subtopics	Percentage of Questions
Health Appraisal	Physical Health Psychosocial Health Mental and Behavioral Health Growth and Development Review of Systems Emergency Care Acute and Chronic Conditions Communicable Diseases	30%
Health Promotion/Disease Prevention	Immunizations Risk Reduction Infection Prevention Health Education for Students, Families, Staff, and Stakeholders Community Health Needs, Resources, and Partnerships Cultural Considerations Environmental Concerns Safety Education Emergency Response Planning	23%
School Health Practice Considerations	Abuse and Neglect (e.g., identification, mandated reporting) Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Substance Use, Abuse, and Addiction Medical and Assistive Technology Homelessness/Poverty (e.g., McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, food insecurity) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Individualized Education Plan) Americans with Disabilities Act (Section 504 Plan) Individualized Healthcare Plans and Emergency Action Plans Resources/Referrals	18%
Professional Responsibility	Code of Ethics (ANA/NASN) Nurse Practice Act/Licensure/Certification/Scope and Standards of Practice Supervision, Delegation, and Evaluation of Licensed and Unlicensed Staff Leadership (e.g., mentoring, orienting, advocating/n- Student Health Record Management Medication Protocols and Procedures Treatment Protocols and Procedures/n- Confidentiality (e.g., HIPPA, FERPA) Local Policy, State, and Federal Laws Data Collection, Analysis, and Reporting Research and Evidence-Based Practice	29%

NCSN Resources

The BoardCerts NCSN question bank is expertly crafted to align with the official exam blueprint, helping each individual concentrate on the most relevant topics for success.

In addition, the exam candidate handbook lists the following resources as additional possible material to support preparation:

School Nursing: A Comprehensive Text, F.A. Davis Company.

Legal Resources for School Health Services, School Health Alert.

Scope and Standards of School Nursing Practice, American Nurses Association.

Various Position Statements, Issue Briefs & Clinical Guidelines, National Association of School Nurses.

School Nursing Certification Review, National Board for Certification of School Nurses.

Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Public Health Foundation.

Red Book: 2018 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases, American Academy of Pediatrics.

Advanced Pediatric Assessment, Springer Publishing Company.

Assessment of the School-Age Child and Adolescent, F.A. Davis Company.

Pediatric Physical Examination, Mosby.

Pediatric Nursing: The Critical Components of Nursing Care, F.A. Davis Company.

Wong’s Essentials of Pediatric Nursing, Mosby.

Managing Infectious Diseases in Child Care and Schools: A Quick Reference Guide, American Academy of Pediatrics.

Children with Disabilities, Brookes.

School Nurse Administrators Leadership and Management, National Association of School Nurses.

School Nurse Resource Manual, School Health Alert.

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