The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse, or CHPN, credential is offered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC). It is designed for registered nurses who provide hospice and palliative care to patients with serious, chronic, or life-limiting conditions.
The CHPN exam measures the knowledge and judgment needed to provide patient-centered hospice and palliative nursing care. Candidates should review the current HPCC candidate handbook before applying, since eligibility requirements, fees, testing windows, and exam policies can change.
CHPN Exam Overview
| Credentialing organization | Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) |
| Exam format | Computer-based multiple-choice exam |
| Number of questions | 150 total questions, including 135 scored questions and 15 unscored pretest questions |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 75 |
| Certification period | 4 years |
Online CHPN Prep Course
If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online CHPN Prep Course. The course includes review lessons, practice questions, flashcards, progress tracking, and study tools designed to help you review the major areas tested on the exam.
- 50+ CHPN lessons
- 600 CHPN practice questions
- 360 digital flashcards
- Progress tracking
- Bonus study tools and test-taking tips
Who Is Eligible for the CHPN Exam?
CHPN candidates must be registered nurses with hospice and palliative nursing experience. In general, candidates need:
- A current, unrestricted registered nurse (RN) license
- At least 500 hours of hospice and palliative nursing experience within the last 12 months
- Or at least 1,000 hours of hospice and palliative nursing experience within the last 24 months
Candidates should confirm eligibility requirements with HPCC before applying, especially if their nursing license, work setting, or experience history has special circumstances.
What Is Covered on the CHPN Exam?
The CHPN exam focuses on the knowledge and clinical judgment used in hospice and palliative nursing practice. The major content areas include patient assessment, care planning, pain management, symptom management, patient and family support, education, advocacy, and professional practice issues.
| Content Area | Main Topics |
|---|---|
| Patient Care: Assessment and Planning | Life-limiting conditions, disease progression, imminent death, assessment findings, complications, and care planning |
| Patient Care: Pain Management | Pain assessment, pharmacologic interventions, nonpharmacologic interventions, complementary approaches, and response evaluation |
| Patient Care: Symptom Management | Respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, neurological, genitourinary, skin, nutritional, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual symptoms |
| Support, Education, and Advocacy | Goals of care, patient and family education, caregiver support, grief and loss, cultural considerations, advocacy, and resource management |
| Practice Issues | Care coordination, collaboration, scope of practice, standards, guidelines, ethics, and professional development |
Question Types
CHPN questions may ask candidates to recall information, apply knowledge to patient-care situations, or analyze clinical scenarios.
- Recall questions: Test knowledge of facts, terms, principles, and procedures
- Application questions: Ask candidates to apply nursing knowledge to patient-care situations
- Analysis questions: Ask candidates to evaluate information and make decisions based on a clinical scenario
How Do I Register for the CHPN Exam?
Candidates apply through HPCC and schedule the exam according to the instructions provided after application approval. Testing availability, application deadlines, and testing windows may vary, so candidates should review the current application instructions before choosing a test date.
It is best to apply early, especially if you need a specific testing window, location, or accommodation.
Testing Accommodations
Testing accommodations may be available for candidates with documented needs. Accommodation requests usually need to be submitted during the application process and must follow the testing organization’s documentation requirements.
Candidates should review the current accommodation policy before applying so they do not miss required forms or deadlines.
What Should I Bring on Test Day?
Arrive early so you have time to complete check-in before the exam begins. Candidates who arrive late may not be allowed to test.
- Bring the required identification listed in your exam instructions.
- Make sure your name on your ID matches your application information.
- Do not bring prohibited personal items into the testing room.
- Follow all instructions from the testing center staff.
Personal items such as phones, watches, notes, study materials, and unauthorized electronics are typically not allowed in the testing area.
How Is the CHPN Exam Scored?
The CHPN exam includes scored questions and unscored pretest questions. Pretest questions are used to evaluate items for possible use on future exams and are not identified during the test.
Raw scores are converted to scaled scores. Candidates must earn a scaled score of 75 to pass. The scaled score is not the same as the number or percentage of questions answered correctly.
Score reports include pass/fail status and performance information that can help candidates understand stronger and weaker content areas.
Can I Retake the CHPN Exam?
Candidates who do not pass may retake the exam by reapplying and paying the required fee. Before retesting, review the score report carefully and focus your study on the content areas where your performance was weakest.
How Can I Prepare for the CHPN Exam?
Start by reviewing the current CHPN exam content outline. The outline shows the main areas tested and helps you prioritize your study time.
Then focus on the areas that require clinical judgment, especially pain management, symptom management, goals of care, patient and family support, and end-of-life care. These topics often require more than memorization; you need to know how to apply hospice and palliative nursing principles to patient scenarios.
Practice questions are useful because they help you get used to the way CHPN topics are asked. After each practice session, review missed questions carefully so you understand the clinical reasoning behind the correct answer.
