ACHPN - Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse

The Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN) certification is designed for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who specialize in hospice and palliative care. This certification, offered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC) and accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), demonstrates advanced expertise in providing compassionate and comprehensive care to patients with serious, life-limiting illnesses and their families. APRNs with this certification may work in hospice centers, nursing facilities, hospitals and patient’s homes.

Eligibility

• Must have an active, unrestricted APRN license in the U.S.

• Complete an accredited graduate, postgraduate or doctoral program to become a nurse practitioner (NP) or a clinical nurse specialist (CNS)

• Must be a working NP or CNS with 500 hours of hospice and palliative nursing practice in the past year or 1,000 hours in the past 2 years before applying to take the ACHPN exam.

Completion Time: 3.5 hours

Cost:

• Initial Certification $320 HPNA member or $465 nonmember

• Retake through reTest Assured Program: $125

Exam Format

The ACHPN examination assesses a candidate's advanced knowledge and skills in hospice and palliative nursing. The ACHPN exam consists of 150 scored questions in the following categories:

• Assessment and Data Collection: 44

• Intervention and Management: 32

• Education and Communication: 36

• Professionalism and Practice: 38

It also includes 25 unscored questions. Each question has 4 possible answers, with only 1 correct response. Candidates have 3.5 hours to complete the exam. Candidates taking the exam in person receive their score report before leaving the testing center. Candidates taking the exam online through Live Remote Proctoring receive a pass/fail notice on-screen at the end of the exam and a detailed score report via email within 24 hours. Exams receive a scaled score, with 500 as the minimum score required to pass.

Test Dates

The ACHPN exam is offered 4 times per year:

• March 1 to March 31

  • Applications Start: December 1

  • Deadline for Online Applications: February 15

• June 1 to June 30

  • Applications Start: March 1

  • Deadline for Online Applications: May 15

• September 1 - September 30

  • Applications Start: June 1

  • Deadline for Online Applications: August 15

• December 1 - December 31

  • Applications Start: September 1

  • Deadline for Online Applications: November 15

Application Process

• Complete the application and scheduling process online

• Submit an official academic transcript showing the candidate's graduate degree and date conferred

  • Must include three comprehensive graduate-level courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced health assessment and advanced pharmacology

  • Must include a clinical practicum of at least 500 hours

• Submit payment

• Schedule exam appointment after receiving eligibility confirmation

Candidates can submit their application for recertification as early as 1 year before their expiration date. Applicants who miss the deadline for recertification can apply for reactivation. The renewal process is called the Hospice and Palliative Accrual for Recertification (HPAR), consisting of practice hour requirements and completing required points through professional activities. 

To renew the ACHPN, applicants must complete HPAR and the Situational Judgment Exercise (SJE), a series of case-based scenarios to test critical reasoning and clinical application of content beyond the initial certification exam level. The SJE earns professional activities points, with the amount earned varying based on performance.

They must also:

• Complete 500 hours of hospice/palliative care in the past year or 1,000 hours in the past 2 years 

• Earn 100 points through professional activities

  • All but 10 points may be earned through the SJE and continuing education (CE)

All professional activities must be added and submitted online through your LearningPlan in HPCC’s LearningBuilder software. 

Renewal Fees

• Early Bird Renewal (2 months before expiration): $285 HPNA Members / $430 Nonmembers

• Standard Renewal: $385 HPNA Members / $530 Nonmembers

• Reactivation: $485 HPNA Members / $680 Nonmembers

All fees include the $60 cost for the SJE, purchased through PSI.

Renewal requires earning 100 points through professional activities, which can include CE. There’s no minimum or maximum number of CE hours a candidate may earn towards these 100 points. However, at least 10 points must be earned through scholarly accomplishments and/or professional contributions. The SJE earns between 5 and 25 points based on performance.

• Download Candidate Handbook

• Exam Content Outline

• Study Tips

The HPCC also offers the following certifications:

• Certified Hospice and Palliative Nursing Assistant (CHPNA)

• Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN)

• Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN)

• Certified Hospice and Palliative Licensed Nurse (CHPLN)

• Certified in Perinatal Loss Care (CPLC)

• Advanced Palliative Hospice Social Worker – Certified (APHSW-C)