Although not required, a clinical skills test is the next step in the process of becoming certified as a CCRN-K nurse practitioner. There are many training schools that offer this type of exam, but only a few offer it exclusively to nurse practitioners. These schools help prepare students for their licensing exams. Applicants will be able to complete the course on their own time, and may choose to do so online. Online courses are typically cheaper than classroom-based training, which makes them popular for potential students who cannot afford to pay for classroom trainings.
After completing a CCRN-K course, the candidate now needs to pass the clinical skills portion of the exam. To do this, he or she must pass the theory exam and the practical exam. As long as the student has taken the CCRN-K course, he or she will have no prerequisites when applying to take the clinical portion of the exam.
After passing the CCRN-K test, the candidate now needs to take a practical exam to see how well he or she has learned the material. This test is administered by another testing company. Candidates will receive a copy of the results from the clinical portion of the exam in an envelope with the score card. On the card, the candidate will see his or her scores. If the numbers on the card don’t change, the course has been successfully completed.
After receiving the scores from the CCRN-K examination, if the student still hasn’t found a school that offers CCRN-K certification, he or she may contact the State Board of Nursing for recommendations. The State Board of Nursing is the agency that governs the application of nurse aide certification. Each state assigns a nurse aide program inspector to each training school. By contacting the state board, the prospective aide can find out if the school is accredited. He or she will also learn about CCRN-K requirements for nurse aides in his or her area.
Once a nurse aide has received his or her certification, he or she must comply with the CCRN-K certification requirement. In order to keep his or her certification current, he or she must attend a continuing education training class every two years. This is often referred to as an “assignment”. The aide must complete the entire assignment before being allowed to move forward to take the next certification test.
This two-year assignment is intended to ensure that the aide has a thorough understanding of the subject matter. By the third year of nursing aide instruction, the aide should have enough practical experience to enable him or her to pass the final exam for state certification. The test is designed to be multiple choice, requiring the candidate to answer accurately in order to pass. Candidates who fail are required to undergo another two years of education and training in order to recertify.
The CCRN-K Certification Requirements are intended to help nurses and healthcare providers fulfill their required continuing care training. Individuals who are interested in this training should research local schools and colleges. The Internet is also a great resource for finding nursing aides who are looking to receive this certification.