Registered nurses in Pennsylvania, with specialized training in intravenous therapy, are certified by The Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation. INCC is the only nationally recognized accredited certification for infusion nursing.
Eligibility
In order to be certified, nurses need at least 1,600 hours of experience in infusion therapy within the past two years. Experience can be in any of several areas and doesn’t have to be bedside experience. Nurses must also provide a current, unrestricted Registered Nurse license.
Application
Applicants for certification must submit an examination application form, a clinical practice documentation and affirmation form, proof of their current license and employer appreciation information, which lets INCC know if your employer is covering part of the cost. These forms should be submitted along with the fee.
Fees
The 2011 certification fee for members of the Infusion Nurses Society is $335. Non-members pay $460. The fee for recertification is $485 for INS members and $635 for non-members.
Recertification
Nurses are recertified every three years. Recertification can be done by exam or by continuing education.
Locations
The certification test is given in the H&R Block offices located in Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Wyoming. Specific address information is provided to each candidate when exams are scheduled.
Exam
The exam takes three hours and consists of 170 multiple-choice questions. Over 25 percent of the questions deal with technology and clinical applications. Other topics include fluid and electrolyte therapy, pharmacology and antineoplastic therapy. A complete outline of the exam content can be found in the CRNI Bulletin.
