NEA-BC - Nurse Executive, Advanced Certification

Nurse Executive Advanced Board Certification (NEA-BC) validates the knowledge and skills of registered nurses with experience in leadership, management or administration at a facility-wide level or higher. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers the NEA-BC exam, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certifications (ABSNC).

Completion Time: Candidates have 3 hours to complete the NEA-BC exam

Cost

• American Nursing Association Members: $295

• Non-members: $395

Exam Format

The NEA-BC certification exam consists of 150 questions, including 125 scored and 25 unscored pretest questions. Candidates have 3 hours to complete the exam and receive their results immediately upon completion. NEA-BC exam topics include: 

• Human Resource Management

• Health Care Delivery

• Quality and Safety

• Human Capital Management

Candidates may take the NEA-BC exam in person at Prometric testing centers.

Eligibility Requirements

• Graduate degree in nursing or other field with a bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing

• Current RN license

• Two years or equivalent of full time practice as a registered nurse

• 2,000 hours of experience in a leadership, management or administrative role with primary responsibility for organization-wide or system-wide operations and outcomes within the last 3 years

• 30 continuing education hours in leadership, management or administration within the last 3 years         

Documents not available during the application process may be submitted later by:

• Email: [email protected]

• Mail: ANCC Certification
  8403 Colesville Road, Suite 500
  Silver Spring, MD 20910

NEA-BC credentials are valid for 5 years. Board certified NEAs can submit an online renewal application up to one year before expiration. To be eligible for renewal, applicants must:

• Hold a current, active RN license in a U.S. state or territory or the legally recognized professional equivalent in another country

• Have current NEA-BC board certification

• Complete 75 contact hours of continuing education

• Complete one professional development component

The professional development component includes completion of at least one of the following 8 categories:

1. 75 contact hours of CE in addition to the mandatory 75 CE hours

2. 5 semester credits or 6 quarter credits in leadership, management or administration

3. One or more presentations totaling 5 clock hours in leadership, management or administration

4. Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement Project (QI), Publication or Research 

5. At least 120 hours as a preceptor for students in an academic program related to leadership, management or administration

6. Two or more consecutive years of volunteer service with international, national, state or local healthcare-related organizations

7. At least 1,000 practice hours in leadership, management or administration

8. Pass the current NEA-BC test

Cost

• American Nursing Association Members: $250

• Non-members: $350

Part of the renewal process requires 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). All CEUs must be directly related to the NE-BC’s certification role and specialty. At least 60 CEUs must be formally approved CE hours, meaning they must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Continuing nursing education (CNE) approved for nursing contact hours by an accredited provider or approver of CNE

• Continuing medical education (CME) approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits

• Continuing education hours approved through the Joint Accreditation for Interprofessional Continuing Education

• Sponsored by organizations, agencies or educational institutions accredited or approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or Commission on Dietetic Registration

• Provided by one of these accepted agencies:

  • American Nurses Association

  • American Academy of Family Physicians

  • American Academy of Nurse Practitioners

  • American Academy of Physician Assistants

  • American College of Nurse Midwives

  • American Psychiatric Association

  • American Psychological Association

  • American Psychiatric Nurses Association

  • Emergency Nurses Association

  • National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women's Health

  • National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates and Practitioners

For a full list of ANCC accredited organizations go to the Accredited Organizations page.

NEA-BC holders should Track Professional Development on the ANCC website as they complete each activity. Renewal applicants must use their account and complete the CE section of the Professional Development Record to document their CEUs. ANCC doesn’t accept certificates of completion in place of completing Professional Development entries.

The ANCC offers several resources to help candidates prepare for the NEA-BC exam.

• Certification Handbook

• Test Content Outline (effective until October 28, 2025)

• Test Content Outline (effective on November 15, 2025)

• Reference List (effective until October 28, 2025)

• Reference List (effective on November 15, 2025)

• Sample Questions

• Readiness Test (Cost: $85)

• Certification Tips

Other certifications offered by the ANCC include:

• Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (MEDSURG-BC)

• Cardiac Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC)

• Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification (AMB-BC)

• Gerontological Nursing Certification (GERO-BC)

• Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC)