CVN & ECG Board Certification
Exams from the

American Board of
Cardiovascular Medicine

...Providing multilevel professional certification in electrocardiography
and cardiovascular nursing practice. 

The first organization to offer CVN Board Certification Exams (1999)
and ECG Board Certification Exams (1991).
The ABCM has 17 years experience in developing professional board certification examinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Since we have two types of certification exam available, this section begins with the frequently asked questions about the Cardiovascular Nursing certification exams and if you continue down the page you will find the green section for frequently asked questions about the ECG certification exams.


About the CVRN Board Examinations for Cardiac Nurses

Reading this section should assist with many questions.

1  What special requirement must be met in order to apply for to take the CVN Board Certification Examinations?

CVRN Level I Boards require one year of full time employment in one of the non-acute practice areas, or must show proof of having satisfactorily passed a Cardiovascular Nursing Fellowship Program; minimal degree requirements: RN with at least an associate degree in nursing or higher.
  
 CVRN Level II Boards require one year of full time employment in one of the acute/interventional practice areas; minimal degree requirements: RN with at least an associate degree in nursing or higher.

 CVIN Level III Boards require one year full time employment in a cardiac cath or interventional lab The candidate must already hold a valid RCIS certification in order to be eligible for this level; minimal degree requirements: RN with at least an associate degree in nursing or higher.

 CVRN Level IV Boards requires the candidate hold a masters degree or higher, and one year of practice in one of the following three specialties:  1)  Cardiovascular Nurse Practitioner,  2) Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Specialist, and 3)  Cardiovascular Clinical Nurse Educator prior to applying for a Level IV Board Certification Exam.  These nurses must be working fulltime in any area of cardiology, non-acute, acute, or interventional, or private practice. 
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2  Who develops and administers the CVN Board Certification Examination?

The ABCM assembles advisory panels of experts, all of whom are Board Certified Nurses or Cardiologists, to write questions and develop each examination process. Depending on the specialty, the committee consists of non-acute, acute, interventional, nursing and medical academicians, and practitioners. Each question is reviewed twice by the exam committee, then revised or rejected as appropriate.  As a final step, questions are rated for relevance to clinical practice by active nursing clinicians in that field. Cardiovascular Nursing Board Certified Nurses, and physicians are invited to submit questions for committee review, revision, and selection. __________________________________________________________________

3  What is the content of the CVN Board Certification Examinations?

Examination content conforms to established specifications called a template. The template is developed by the ABCM and reviewed and revised annually to ensure that they are up to date and reflects all levels of cardiovascular practice. The template is based on published studies that describe the kinds of tasks nurses perform in daily practice. An exam matrix is available for each level of the Cardiovascular Nursing Board Certification Exams upon request. ___________________________________________________________________

4  What is the format of the CVN Board Certification Examinations?

Level I and II of the CVN Board Certification Examinations are now available online (or by pen and paper upon request.  Level III and IV will be online by April 15, 2008.
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5  What is the format of the CVN Board Certification Examination questions?

Multiple-choice, true/false, single best answer. __________________________________________________________________

6  What does a sample question look like?

The CVN Board Certification Exams consists of multiple-choice, true/false, single best answer questions. The multiple-choice type of question consists of a brief statement, case history, graph, or picture followed by a question and list of possible options.
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7  How much time is allowed and how many questions are in each?

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 8  Does the ABCM provide practice questions for CVN Board Certification Exams candidates? 

We do not provide sample questions.  The MHF/ACCN Membership is working on a practice exam for cardiac nurses but these questions will not be available until well into 2008.    __________________________________________________________________

9  Does the ABCM provide preparatory courses for CVN Board Certification Exam candidates?

No, but we have aligned ourselves with the MHF/ACCN hosts CVN Review Courses upon request and they are working on a series of online courses to assist nurses in their preparation.  The MHF/ACCN already has all levels of ECG courses completed and online.  The MHF/ACCN is not involved with the certification exams in any way but they do filter Standards of Practice to the ABCM for use in developing exams, and they host Exam Sites for the ABCM.  For more information, contact the MHF/ACCN at www.marriottheart.org or www.accn.net or phone (813)532-2512.  The MHF/ACCN collaborates with the ABCM in the development of course content for the ECG and Cardiovascular Nursing Board Certification and Review Courses. 
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10  When and where can the CVN Board Certification Exams be taken?

The CVRN Levels I and II Exams are available online now five days a week, excluding major holidays.  The CVN Exams are also available at all MHF/ACCN regional and national conferences.   The ABCM is in the  process of selecting one hospital in each major city as a designated ABCM Exam Site Host.  Because the exams are now available online, we send the exam candidate to their hospital computer lab to log onto the exam.  These Exam Site Hosts will soon be available in all major cities.  Immediate feedback will be given at that completion of the exam and a printout will be provided with the results.  
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11  Applying for the CVN Board Certification Exams.

Download and fill out the exam application, send it in completed with your payment (unless you paid online with your credit card) and the necessary documents.  Once we receive your application and payment you will be emailed a username and password that will allow you to access the exam in your city (hopefully in your own hodpital).  You will be assigned a proctor in your hospital to let you into the lab.  This username and password can be used only one time.  Bring the following items with you to the exam site:  One piece of scrap paper to make calculations, a pencil or two, no ballpoint pins, a pair of measuring calipers, and your valid photo (drivers license or passport).  When you exit the exam you will turn in the scrap paper to the exam Proctor for shredding.   __________________________________________________________________

12  What do I do if I do not pass the CVN Board Certification Exam?

Those who do not pass the exams may retake them 30 days after the first exam date.  The cost associated with retaking the exams is half of the original fee.  To retake the exam, one must go online and register as a retake and a new username and password will be issued by email.  Take this new info to your proctor in the computer lab and retake the exam.   A score of 70% is required to pass any one of the CVN Board Certification Examinations.

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13  General info on the ABCM and Other Available Certification Exams

The ABCM provides the only multi-level specialty Certification Process for Cardiovascular Nurses and Nurse Practitioners.  The overall goal of the ABCM is to meet the certification needs of a diverse audience in cardiac nursing practice.  The ACCN developed the first and only multilevel Cardiovascular Nursing Standards in 1998, and the CVN Board Certification Exams in the year 2000.  The ACCN subsequently found a home for the exams with the ABCM.  The CEO of the ACCN, Jonni Cooper, was subsequently invited by the ACC and ANA in 2006 to join a team of organizational leaders in their own development of beginning level cardiac nursing standards).  The ACCN still provides CVN standards to the ABCM for use in the development of the Cardiovascular Nursing Board Exams.  The ABCM is recognized by major organizations, institutions, and professional staff throughout the United States as a leader in the field of Cardiovascular Nursing Certification.  The ABCM works with a committee from the ACCN to establish and maintain practice standards, in order to validate the profession of Cardiovascular Nursing.   The ABCM does consider the AACN and ANA standards and guidelines for Cardiovascular Nursing Certification, but find the ACCN's CCRN and PCN exams are only about 26% cardiology, the rest is critical care (which is great if critical care is your need).   And having been directly involved in the development of the ANA's recent standards for Cardiovascular Nurses, our CEO was disappointed that the ANA/ACC did not consider the varying job delineation role models when deciding to develop a set of standards for all levels of practice.   The standards that were developed, were very general, and not specific to the needs of a multilevel practice in cardiac nursing.  We have had reports from many nurses who took the ANA's Cardiac Exam that was very basic, did not reflect clinical practice, and was very lipid and rehab oriented.  This is because the exam was originally developed by the AACVPR for Cardiac Rehab Nurses and the ANA wanted to get into the business, so they launched this exam and changed its name to a Cardiac Exam.  If Cardiac Rehab is your specialty, this may be what you are looking for.  But if 100% Cardiology is what you want, the ABCM is the only certification organization that provides you with this service.     __________________________________________________________________

14  What is the Overall Mission of the ABCM?

To improve the quality of patient care by providing a certification process that not only validates a profession, but one that insures the patient will have the best possible care by every cardiac nurse s/he meets.

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15  Why become Cardiovascular Nursing Board Certified?

 Validate your knowledge with a national Certification Examination and wear the mark of the professional cardiac nurse:  CVRN, CVIN, CVNP, and CVNS Board Certification Credentials are highly respected among nurses, and by physicians, nurses, hospitals, and organizations as representing the highest level of accomplishment for cardiac nurses.  Becoming Board Certified demonstrates that a nurse has been awarded certification status after a period of study, peer evaluation, and successful completion of the Board Certification Examination.  Most important, certification identifies those nurses who have demonstrated the high level of knowledge and skill needed to care for cardiac patients in a variety of settings and those committed to lifelong learning.  
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16  How do I notify the ABCM of a name or address change?

Name changes need to be submitted by sending a copy of official documentation such as a new driver's license reflecting the name change.  To submit a new address, please either e-mail or send your new information by mail as soon as possible, to ensure that your re-certification notice reaches you.  It is the responsibility of the certified nurses to keep us informed of these changes. 

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17  How long does it take to receive a certificate?

Expect two weeks to actually receive the printed certificate in the mail after the test date. Recertification certificates will be mailed within two weeks of receipt of your application and payment. __________________________________________________________________

18  What if I lose my certificate?

For a replacement certificate, contact us (813)234-1033 or at info@cvncertify.org

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19  Does the ABCM grant Continuing Education (CE/CME) Credits?

Unlike other nursing organizations (AACN/CCRN and ANA/ANCC) that provide certification opportunities, the ABCM does not provide CE/CME credits for the maintenance of certification, nor do we get in the business of approving other organizations CE programs; this practice is a serious conflict of interest and should be questioned by anyone considering certification.   Organizations that are competing with each other for certification should not be allowed to approve each others exams and they should not be in the educational business if they are involved in certification.  There is a large fee associated with getting your competitors approval of a CE program when you don't really need it.   The AACN has been known to not allow CE approval of educational programs if they think you are competing.  And the ANCC won't approve your recertification if you don't attend programs that they approve. 

We require CE/CME credits to maintain certification, and as long as the individual obtains their CE/CME credits from a state approved CE/CME provider such and the Florida Medical Association for Nurse Practitioners, or the Florida Board of Nursing for Nurses, etc.  

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20  How can my employer access the Data Registry for Board Certified Nurses?  

The ABCM keeps a data registry of Board Certified Nurses and can provide their status to employers who contact us by a letter on official letterhead, this cannot be done on the phone.  If an email is provided, we can send the status quickly.

Frequently Asked Questions About the ECG Board Examinations for Physicians, Nurses, and Technologists

ANSWER TO QUESTIONS ABOVE

1)  What special requirement must be met in order to apply for to take the ECG Board Certification Exams?

Basic ECG Board Certification Exams are available to anyone who feels ready to take the examination, but a prep course is highly recommended in order to understand the level of knowledge required for this level examination. We offer the exam on two levels to meet the needs of a diverse Basic audience.   

Basic ECG Board Certification Exams for Level Ia candidates should be working in a non-progressive medical surgical floor where telemetry monitoring occurs.  Pre-requisite:  should have already taken a prep course in basic arrhythmia recognition before attempting to sit for this exam. 
It does not contain 12-lead ECGs.  No specific degree requirements, open to all cardiovascular professionals including MDs, PAs, NPs, RNs, Monitor and ECG Technicians, and EMTs.
 
 Basic ECG Board Certification Exams for Level Ib candidates should be working in a more progressive cardiac telemetry floor where telemetry monitoring occurs.  Pre-requisite:  should have already taken a prep course that contained basic arrhythmia recognition, basic 12-lead understanding and recording, and acute coronary syndrome recognition.   It does contain basic
12-lead ECGs as needed for particular diagnoses.  No specific degree requirements, open to all cardiovascular professionals including MDs, PAs, NPs, RNs, Monitor and ECG Technicians, and EMTs.
 
 12-Lead ECG Board Certification Exam candidates should be working in an acute care area such as CCU/CVICU, Cardiac Procedures & Cath Labs, Cardiac Surgery, and Recovery Rooms, or private practice clinics.   No specific degree requirements, open to all cardiovascular professionals including MDs, PAs, NPs, RNs, Monitor and ECG Technicians, and EMTs.
 
 Emergency ECG Board Certification Exam candidates should be working in an Emergency Department or other acute care area such as CCU/CVICU, Cardiac Procedures & Cath Labs, Cardiac Surgery, and Recovery Rooms, or private practice clinics, where the cardiac professional is responsible to identify the common cardiac emergencies.   No specific degree requirements, open to all cardiovascular professionals including MDs, PAs, NPs, RNs, Monitor and ECG Technicians, and EMTs..   Highly recommended for all physicians and nurse practitioners. 

Advanced ECG Board Certification Exam candidates are typically physicians and advanced nursing educators, however, they are open to any professional who has the knowledge to pass this cardiology level examination.  No specific degree requirements, open to all cardiovascular professionals including MD, RN, NP, Monitor and ECG Technicians.  In fact, an EMT named Douglas Kidd from San Diego, CA, and an ECG Monitor Technician named Joseph Roediger, both scored between 98-100% on this exam, which goes to show that you can have it if you really want it.  No cardiologist to date has achieved a score remotely close to these two individual.  What a resource they are in their communities.  We highly recommend this level of ECG Board Certification to all Cardiologists, Cardiology Fellows, Hospital ECG Panel Physicians, and physicians who specialize in cardiology but are not necssarily Board Certified Cardiologists. 

2  Who develops and administers the various ECG Board Certification Examinations?

The ABCM assembles advisory panels of experts on four levels of practice.  All of the advisors are Board Certified Cardiologists, Nurses, and Technologists, who write and review questions.  Depending on the specialty, the committee consists of non-acute, acute, interventional, nursing and medical academicians, and practitioners.  Each question is reviewed twice by the exam committee, then revised or rejected as appropriate.  As a final step, questions are rated for relevance to clinical practice by active clinicians. ECG Board Certified Physicians, Nurses, and Technologists are invited to submit questions for committee review, revision, and selection. __________________________________________________________________

3  What is the content of the ECG Board Certification Examinations?

Visit the ECG Exam section of this web site to and see the details of the exam you are interested in.  __________________________________________________________________

4  What is the format of the ECG Board Certification Examinations?

The exam is available online (or by pen and paper in your city).  __________________________________________________________________

5  What is the format of the questions?

In some exams you will be selecting your answer from a Master Diagnostic List, and in others you will be answering Multiple-choice, true/false, single best answer questions. __________________________________________________________________

6  What does a sample question look like?

The exam consists of multiple-choice single best answer questions with four to five options to select from.  This type of question consists of a brief statement, case history, graph, or picture followed by a question and list of possible options.   If the exam you select requires a master diagnostic list, you will be emailed this list before you go for your exams.  In this type of exam, you simply select from the various categories, the number that matches the diagnosis you want.  Receiving the list ahead of your exam date will give you time to become familiar with it and not waste time during the actual exam.
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7  How much time is allowed and how many questions are in each of the ECG Board Certification Exams?

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 8  Does the ABCM provide practice questions for ECG Board Certification Exam candidates? 

The ABCM does not provide practice questions, however we have formed a liaison with the Marriott Heart Foundation (MHF) who provides ECG practice exams for each of the levels described above.   __________________________________________________________________

9  Does the ABCM provide preparatory courses for ECG Board Certification Exam candidates?

No, we are not in the continuing education business, however we have formed a liaison with the MHF who develops online courses on all levels of electrocardiography to assist candidates in preparing for the ABCM's exams.   The MHF does not get involved in the scoring or development of the actual exam template, but it does provide Standards of Practice to the ABCM for use in developing exam templates.  For more information on the courses available at the MHF visit www.marriottheart.org or www.accn.net, or call (813)532-2512.
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10  When and where can I take an ECG Board Certification Exam?

The exams are available by proctor in your city five days a week, excluding major holidays.  Exams are also available at all MHF/ACCN regional and national conferences.  Any organization or hospital that wants to host an exam site may do so by calling the ABCM.   They are in the process of developing ABCM Exam Sits at hospitals in every major US city, since the exams are online, the candidate simply goes to the designated Exam Site and check in with the Exam Proctor, who will check your ID and get you started.  Immediate feedback will be given at that completion of the exam and a printout will be provided with your exam results, no more waiting.   __________________________________________________________________

11  Applying for an ECG Board Certification Exam?

Download and fill out the exam application, send it along with your payment (unless you paid online by credit card), and the necessary supporting documents. 
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12  What do I do if I do not pass an ECG Board Certification Exam?

Those who do not pass their ECG Board Certification Exam may retake it 30 days. The cost associated with retaking the exams is half the cost of the exam you took.  A score of 75% is required in order to pass any one of the ECG Board Certification Exams.  After the examinee registers online to retake the exam, a new username and password will be sent by email.  The original username and password will not work after being used once.    __________________________________________________________________

13  General info on the Level of Competency available through ABCM.

The ABCM provides the only multi-level specialty examination in electrocardiography to meet the needs of a diverse audience in cardiology.  The ABCM developed the standards for electrocardiography for a wide variety of practitioners to include cardiologist, all physicians, nurse practitioners, cardiac and emergency nurses, and all technicians working with cardiac patients.  The ABCM is recognized by organizations, institutions, and professional staff throughout the United States as a leader in the field of Board Certification business since its founders developed the first exam in 1969.  The ABCM establishes and maintains practice standards, certification examinations, and revises them annually.  We do consider the ACC/AHA guidelines for electrocardiography but find them too vague and inadequate to meet the needs of a diverse audience.  Am example of one of our problems with the AHA's ACLS testing is that when you have to identify the arrhythmias presented to you, they are all presented in an unidentified lead, making a logical diagnosis impossible.  You simply have to be programmed to call any wide QRS pattern ventricular in origin.   The educated person knows this is impossible and to continue to allow this practice in testing professionals is simply not acceptable.  How long does change take.  This have been a known fact for 30 years at least and well documented in the literature.  The ABCM considers ACLS to be very basic and inadequate in it's approach to arrhythmia monitoring and reading.   

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14  What is the mission of the ABCM?

To improve the quality of patient care by providing a certification process that insures the patient will have his or her ECG recorded and read properly, thereby validating the skills of the MDs, PAs, NPs, RNs, ECG and Monitor Technicians, and EMTs who are responsible for accurate recording, reading, and responding to ECGs on a daily basis. 
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15  Why become ECG Board Certified?

The foremost reason is to ensure that a level of competency in ECG recording and reading is available in all institutions, at all levels of practice.  The ECG is the most abused diagnostic test in all of cardiology and the only way to correct the problem is to insist on Board Certification for all practitioners who record and read an electrocardiogram. If we are to improve outcomes and quality of care, we simply must insist on certification of all practitioners including: physicians, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, cardiac and emergency nurses, and ECG and Monitor Technicians.

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16  How do I notify the ABCM of a name or address change?

Name changes need to be submitted by sending a copy of official documentation such as a new driver's license reflecting the name change.  To submit a new address, please either e-mail or send your new information by mail as soon as possible, to ensure that your re-certification notice reaches you.  It is the responsibility of the individual to keep us informed of these changes. 

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17  How long does it take to receive a certificate?

Expect two weeks to actually receive the printed certificate in the mail after the test date. 
 Recertification certificates will be mailed within two weeks of receipt. __________________________________________________________________

18  What if I lose my certificate?

For a replacement certificate, contact us (813)234-1033 or at info@ecgcertify.org

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19  Does the ABCM grant or approve Continuing Education Credits

Unlike other organizations that provide certification opportunities, the ABCM does not provide CE/CME credits for the maintenance of certification, nor do we get in the business of approving other organizations CE programs; this practice is a serious conflict of interest and should be questioned. 

We require CE/CME credits to maintain certification, and as long as the individual obtains their CE/CME credits from state approved CE/CME providers such and the Florida Medical Association for Physicians, or the Florida Board of Nursing for Nurses, and professional organizations that have provider status.  

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20  How can my employer access the Data Registry for ECG Board Certified Staff? 

The ABCM keeps a data registry of Board Certified MDs, PA's NPs, RNs, ECG and Monitor Technicians, and EMTs.   An employer can request status of an employee by contacting the ABCM on official letterhead by mail or by email.  This cannot be done on the phone.  If an email is provided, we can send the status quickly.