Informatics Nurse Exam

Who is Eligible?

Those eligible to take the informatics nursing exam must have:

• A current and unrestricted RN license
• At least a bachelor’s degree in nursing or in a relevant field
• At least two years of experience as a full-time registered nurse
• At least 30 hours of continuing education in informatics nursing within the last three years
• Have met at least one of the following experience requirements
  • At least 2000 hours in informatics nursing in the last three years, or
  • At least 1000 hours in informatics nursing within the last three years and a minimum of 12 semester hours in informatics courses as part of a graduate level program, or
  • Completed a graduate program in informatics nursing within the last three years with a minimum of 200 hours of faculty-supervised practice in informatics nursing

There is a fee of $270 for ANA members and $395 for non-members to take this exam.

When and Where is it Taken?

Once your application has been approved, you will receive an invitation to take the exam through Prometric Testing Centers, a professional testing firm.  This will include instructions on how to schedule your exam and the dates of your 90-day testing window. You must schedule and take your exam within this window to receive certification.

Prometric sites are typically available Monday through Saturday except on certain holidays, year-round. This is a computer-administered exam.

Testing sites are located throughout the U. S. and her territories. Choose a testing center, date, and time that is convenient for you. However, it is recommended that you register early as seating and space may be limited in some locations.

Special accommodations are available for those that may not be able to test under normal conditions or may need to bring specific medical supplies with them such as insulin or walking aids. You can make this request during your registration of the exam.

Should you need to reschedule or cancel your testing appointment, you can do so for any reason up until the last 48 hours before your original exam. Otherwise, you will be counted as a no-show, requiring you to reregister and submit another payment.

What Should I Bring?

It is imperative that you arrive early for your testing session. There will be a check-in process to be completed before you will be allowed to start your exam. If you arrive late, you will not be able to test that day and will have to reschedule and pay another testing fee.

You will need to bring a current and valid, government-issued photo ID with you to the testing site. This must contain your signature and your full legal name as it appears on your application. If there is incorrect or missing information, you may be asked to submit another ID or will not be admitted into the testing area.

You will not need to bring any personal items with you into the testing area. This includes:

• Cell phones
• Calculators
• Watches and jewelry
• Paper and pencils
• Outwear such as hats and jackets

These items are strictly prohibited and must be kept in a designated locker for the duration of the exam.

What is Covered?

This exam is made up of 175 multiple choice questions. 150 of those are scored, while the other 25 are unidentified pretest questions and will not be counted towards your score.

Below is a brief outline of the exam and its main sections, as well as how many question and weight are given to each.

Foundations of Practice (77 questions/51%)

Professional practice, methodologies and theories, rules and regulations, and interprofessional collaboration

System Design Life Cycle (42 questions/28%)

Planning and analysis, designing and building, implementing and testing, monitoring and maintaining, and supporting and evaluating

Data Management and Health Care Technology (31 questions/21%)

Data standards, data management, data analysis and application, hardware and software, and data transformation and peripherals

You will be given three and a half hours to finish the exam completely.

How is it Scored?

Your test results will be indicated as a pass or fail status and will be given to you at the testing site. If you fail, you will be a breakdown of your performance in each area of the test to help you understand where to focus your studies should you wish to retake it.

You can schedule to retake this exam after a 60-day waiting period, and you may not take the exam more than three times in a 12-month time frame. You will be required to reregister and submit a retake payment of $270 for this exam.

If you pass, you will be rewarded with your RN-BC certificate. These are valid for five years. You may apply for renewal of your certification up to one year before your expiration date. Renewal is available by completing professional development activities.

How Can I Prepare for the Informatics Nurse Test?

That’s a great question.  We’ve broken down the answer into three parts.

1. Do yourself a favor and study.  Do not walk in unprepared. We have recommended prep materials below, but that only helps if you actually try.  Plus, studying is actually proven to be the best antidote to test anxiety.
2. Take care of yourself.  Make sure you’re eating well, exercising, and sleeping.  All of these things are scientifically linked to brain performance.  If you take care of your body, you’ll be helping your grades.
3. Get a study guide or set of flashcards.  Some people study better a certain way. Find your study strengths and make the most of them.  We’ve tried to make it easy for you by tracking down the best study guide and flashcard set for your exam.  Below you’ll see links to both!