Did you know? Over 1,300 critical care nurses across Canada have their national Canadian Nurses Association specialty designation! Care to Be the Best! CACCN supports and encourages Canadian Nurses Association Certification – the nationally recognized credential for registered nurses. Becoming certified in your specialty demonstrates your commitment to nursing excellence and continuing competence. Successful completion of the examination enables critical care nurses to hold the credential of Certified Nurse in Critical Care – Canada (CNCC-C) or Certified Nurse in Critical Care – Pediatrics (CNCCP-C) for a period of 5 years.
Initial Certification: Information regarding eligibility, blueprints, and more – visit CNA’s website
Renewal Certification: Information regarding renewing by continuing learning hours, and more – visit CNA’s website
Canadian Nurses Association – Important Dates
This information is provided from the CNA’s website for information purposes only
| Examination or Renewal | Application Period | Examination Window | Criteria | Fees |
| 2023 Spring Initial Exam | January 11 to March 31, 2023 | May 1 to 15, 2023 | Eligibility | CNA Fees |
| 2023 Fall Initial Exam | June 5 to September 30, 2023 | November 1 to 15, 2023 | Eligibility | CNA Fees |
| Renewal CL Hours or Exam | January 11 to November 16, 2023 | Eligibility | CNA Fees Renew by CL Hours Renew by Exam |
Funding Opportunities
- Currently on hold! CACCN Certification Bursary! The CACCN provides a total of $2,000 annually for certification bursaries. NO application is necessary. Bursaries are completed by blind draw of members who meet the overall award criteria and who are listed on the Canadian Nurses Association Certification New/Renew listing. Ensure you provide permission to CNA to share your contact information. Read more…
- CACCN, MIP, CACCN Bursary: This bursary is to be used to register for the specialty nursing – critical care – examination or specialty nursing – critical care – renewal. To qualify for the voucher code draw, one must be a current/active member of the CACCN for a minimum of one year at the time of application and must be a current/active member at the time of receiving the award. The voucher code is valid until the application window closes in Fall 2023. Deadline for submission is September 1, 2023: Awards, Grants and Bursaries.
- Other Financial Resources
CACCN Certification Resources – Members Only
- Webinars
- Study Guide
- Certification Study Guide – The guide is prepared using case study style questions. The guide includes questions and answers to enhance your studies for the examination.
- Access the Certification Resources – To access the certification resources, you must be an active/current CACCN Member. Sign into the website, select Members Only in the navigation bar / side, select Certification Study Resources and Certification Webinars or click the above noted links. Not a current member? JOINUS now
Review Courses
Critical Care Nursing Review: Critical Care Concepts: This course offered by Brenda L Morgan, provides an overview of the core critical care theory and competencies that are the basis for the certification examination in adult critical care nursing in Canada (CNCC-C). Read more…
Earn Continuing Learning Hours (CL) through CACCN
| Maintain your CACCN Membership: 4 CL hours per year |
| Join a CACCN Committee: 25 CL hours maximum: Committee activity related to your certification nursing specialty/area of nursing practice (i.e. includes serving on the planning committee for a specialty conference or on the executive of the association for your area of nursing practice). |
| Presentations, lectures and posters: – credits for presentations you make to other health professionals on topics related to your area of certification. Prep time is included: Calculate preparation time by doubling the presentation time (e.g., 1 hour presentation plus 2 hours preparation = 3 CL hours) |
| Oral or poster presentation to a provincial or national conference: 10 CL hours maximum for presentation and preparation |
| Volunteering: 15 CL hours maximum – related to your nursing specialty (e.g., with a not-for-profit organization or charity, serving as a board member or delivering presentations to clients and/or consumers.). |
| Over the five-year certification term for completing learning activities related to meeting your jurisdictional regulatory standards.† (see more at specialty certification CNA): 15 CL hours maximum |