Certified Flight Registered Nurse (CFRN) is a standardized test conducted by Board of Certified Emergency Nursing (BCEN) for credentialing of flight nursing specialty. CFRN is one of the certification exams developed and administered by BCEN.
Eligibility-
The exam can be taken by registered nurses having current and unrestricted nursing license. The nursing certificate holder equivalent to registered nurses in United States can also apply for this certification. BCEN recommends candidates to have at least two years of experience as flight nurse before taking the exam; however, it is not a necessity. There is no requirement of having done Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for taking this exam.
Test Overview-
CFRN examines advanced level skills and knowledge expected from experienced flight nurses. The test is breakdown into 7 sections- General principles of practice (22 items), Patient care principles (25 items), Trauma (38 items), Medical problems (39 items), Environmental emergencies and toxicology (8 items), Obstetrical patients (9 items), and Patient care issues and management (10). The content in “General principles of practice” section includes – transport physiology, scene operations, communications, and safety and survival. The “Patient care principle” section includes items pertaining to principles of assessment and patient preparation, mechanical ventilation, and airway management. The “Trauma” section has topics related to general principles of management, thoracic trauma, neurologic trauma, orthopedic trauma, abdominal trauma, maxillofacial and neck trauma, and burn trauma. The subjects covered under the “Medical problems” section are neurologic emergencies, pulmonary emergencies, abdominal emergencies, cardiovascular emergencies, metabolic and endocrine emergencies, electrolyte and acid base imbalances, renal emergencies, hematology and oncology emergencies, infectious and communicable diseases, and transport considerations for psychiatric patients. The items included in “Environmental emergencies and toxicology” section are related to toxicology and environmental emergencies. The “Obstetrical patients” section encompasses subjects like delivery and postpartum care, complications of pregnancy (e.g., ectopic, gestational hypertension, preterm labor), neonatal resuscitation, and trauma. The “Patient care issues and management” section is based on administrative issues.
Test Format-
There are 180 multiple choice questions in the upgraded CFRN exam (launched on April 6, 2011). These include 150 scored questions and 30 unscored pretest questions. The unscored items are placed in the test to collect statistical data for future administration of the exam. A time period of 3 hours is allotted for completing the test. It can be taken either in computer based testing (CBT) or paper based testing. The CBT is more common, popular, and convenient testing format.
Marking scheme-
The exam score is proportional to the number of questions attempted correctly. There is no negative marking. The passing score is set to be 75 percent. The certification achieved on passing the test is valid for a period of four years.
Schedule-
CFRN-CBT is administered 5 days each week from Monday through Friday and Saturdays of 50 weeks in a year. It is conducted at Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP) assessment centers twice in a day at 09:00 AM to 01:30 PM. The paper and pencil format of test is also conducted throughout the year at fixed test dates.
The registration involves creating or signing in at official website of BCEN (BCEN credential manager), completing an electronic application, doing online payment, receiving Eligibility E-mail, scheduling an appointment and selecting the exam at official website of AMP (www.goAMP.com).
The exam can be taken any number of times, though the examinee requires waiting for 90 days before each retest.
Exam Fees-
The fee structure for ENA (Emergency Nurses Association) members is:
Initial Certification: – $230
Renewal by Exam: – $210
Renewal by CEs: – $210
The fee structure for ASTNA (Air and Surface Transport Nurses Association) members is:
Initial Certification: – $230
Renewal by Exam: – $210
Renewal by CEs: – $210
The fee structure for non-members is:
Initial Certification: – $370
Renewal by Exam: – $350
Renewal by CEs: – $350