NI-BC (ANCC) - Informatics Nursing Certification

Informatics Nursing Board Certification (NI-BC) validates the knowledge and skills of registered nurses working in an informatics setting. The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers the NI-BC exam, accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC). 

Eligibility

To be eligible to take the NI-BC exam, applicants must have:

• An active, current RN license

• A bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing or another relevant field 

• Practiced at least 2 years full-time as a registered nurse

• Completed 30 informatics-related Continuing Education Units (CEUs) within the last 3 years

• Completed one of the following:

  • 2,000 hours in an informatics nursing setting within the last 3 years

  • 1,000 hours in an informatics nursing setting within the last few years and at least 12 semester hours of informatics courses as part of a graduate-level informatics nursing program

  • A graduate-level informatics nursing program with at least 200 hours of supervised practicum in informatics nursing

Effective May 3, 2024: Eligibility requirements regarding education requirements will be updated to include a bachelor’s degree or higher in nursing only and remove the “or another relevant field” option.

Completion Time: 3.5 hours

Cost: 

• $295 American Nurses Association (ANA) member

• $340 American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) member

• $395 Nonmember

• $270 Retest Fee

Exam Format

Candidates have 3.5 hours to complete the NI-BC exam, with a total appointment time of 4 hours to cover time for check-in, instructions and a practice session. The NI-BC exam includes 150 scored questions, with 125 scored and 25 unscored questions. Exam topics include:

• Foundations of Practice: 45 questions

• System Design Life Cycle: 44 questions

• Data Management and Healthcare Technology: 36 questions

It’s scored on a pass/fail basis. Candidates who don’t pass receive a details score report with diagnostic information for each content area to use for study purposes before retaking the exam. Candidates can retest 60 days following the failed attempt and up to 3 times in any 12-month period. As of March 2024, the current fee for retesting is $270.

Application Process

• Go to the certification website 

• Click “Apply Online”

• Create an account or log in

• Complete education information

• List state RN licenses held in all states  

• Add any membership information to collaborating organizations

• Answer the eligibility questions

• Add CEU information

• If available, upload unofficial transcripts

• Insert optional employer information

• Agree to the Statement of Understanding

• Input debit or credit card information

Official transcripts must be submitted by email to [email protected] or mailed to: 

ANCC, Attention: Certification Registration
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 400
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Applicants receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) upon approval. They must schedule and take the exam within 90 days of receiving their ATT.

NI-BC is valid for 5 years. NI-BCs can submit an online renewal application up to one year before expiration. To be eligible for renewal, applicants must:

• Have an active RN license

• Have a current, active NI-BC certification from the ANCC

• Complete 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

• Complete one of the 8 professional development categories 

• Pay renewal fee

The professional development component includes mandatory 75 CE hours PLUS completion of at least one activity within the following 8 categories:

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

2. Academic credits: 5 semester credits or 6 quarter credits

3. One or more presentations totaling 5 hours

4. One Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), Quality Improvement Project (QI) or one qualifying publication or one Institutional Review Board research project, completed dissertation or thesis, or doctoral project

5. At least 120 hours as a preceptor for students in an academic program

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

7. 1,000 practice hours (not required to renew certification but an option to fulfill professional development)

8. Pass the current NI-BC exam

NI-BCs must complete the professional development section before completing the online renewal application.

Renewal Fees

• American Nurses Association (ANA) member: $250

• American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) member: $295

• Nonmember: $350

Part of the renewal process requires 75 Continuing Education Units (CEUs). All CEUs must be directly related to the NI-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 by an accredited provider 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

The ANCC also accepts other healthcare disciplines’ CEUs applicable to the NI-BC’s certification specialty. Repeat courses aren’t accepted for renewal. Renewal applicants may also convert academic coursework applicable to their certification specialty to CEUs. Besides the mandatory 75 CE hours, renewal applicants can complete 75 additional CE hours to fulfill the professional development requirement.

NI-BCs can 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 provides several resources to help prepare for the NI-BC exam, including:

• Test Content Outline

• Comprehensive List of References

• 25 Sample Questions

• Study Tips

• Role Delineation Study

• General Testing and Renewal Handbook

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)