PCCN Exam Preparation
PCCN Preparation and Resources
The AACN provides a list of recommended references to support candidates in preparing for the PCCN certification exam. These references include key textbooks and resources that offer valuable insights into progressive care nursing. However, these resources are not officially endorsed by the AACN, nor do they guarantee exam success, and candidates are not required to purchase or review them. Instead, candidates are encouraged to use the PCCN Test Plan to identify their strengths and weaknesses and create a personalized study plan.
At BoardCerts, we incorporate these recommended resources and the exam blueprint into the development of our question banks, ensuring they are accurate, relevant, and aligned with the core competencies of progressive care nursing.
PCCN Blueprint and Focus Areas
| Area of Focus | Subtopics | Percent of Exam |
|---|---|---|
Clinical Judgment |
| 80% |
Professional Caring and Ethical Practice |
| 20% |
References and Resources
- AACN Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments: A Journey to Excellence, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
- 2020 Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, American Heart Association
- Manual of Critical Care Nursing: Interprofessional Collaborative Management, Elsevier
- Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing, Elsevier
- Acute and Chronic Wounds: Current Management Concepts, Elsevier
- AACN Essentials of Progressive Care Nursing, McGraw-Hill
- Nurse Anesthesia, Elsevier
- Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing, Oxford University Press
- Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2023, Elsevier
- Goldman-Cecil Medicine, Elsevier
- Advanced Critical Care Nursing, Elsevier
- Cardiac Surgery Essentials for Critical Care Nursing, Jones & Bartlett
- Synergy for Clinical Excellence: The AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care, Jones & Bartlett
- Core Curriculum for Progressive and Critical Care Nursing, Elsevier
- Ulrich & Canale's Nursing Care Planning Guides, Saunders/Elsevier
- Dossey & Keegan's Holistic Nursing: A Handbook for Practice, Jones & Bartlett
- Medical-Surgical Nursing: Concepts for Interprofessional Collaborative Care, Elsevier
- Bradley and Daroff’s Neurology in Clinical Practice, Elsevier
- Bioethics: A Nursing Perspective, Elsevier
- Saunders Nursing Drug Handbook 2023, Saunders/Elsevier
- Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine, Elsevier
- Gerontologic Nursing, Mosby/Elsevier
- Fundamentals of Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine, Saunders/Elsevier
- Critical Care Nursing: A Holistic Approach, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference, Mosby/Elsevier
- Guide to Culturally Competent Health Care, F. A. Davis
- Introduction to Critical Care Nursing, Elsevier
- Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum, Elsevier
- Critical Care Nursing: Diagnosis and Management, Elsevier
- AACN Procedure Manual for Progressive, and Critical Care, Saunders/Elsevier
BoardCerts Question Bank
The BoardCerts PCCN question bank is meticulously designed to align with the official exam blueprint, ensuring you focus on the most relevant material for success.
