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
| Application Period | Examination Window | Fees | |
| 2022 Spring Initial Exam | January 13 to March 7, 2022 | May 1 to 15, 2022 | CNA Fees |
| 2022 Fall Initial Exam | June 1 to September 1, 2022 | November 1 to 15, 2022 | CNA Fees |
| Renewal CL Hours or Exam | January 13 to November 1, 2022 | Not Applicable | CNA Fees Renew by CL Hours Renew by Exam |
Funding Opportunities
- CACCN Certification Bursary! The Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses provides $2,000 annually for certification bursaries. Read more…
- Other Financial Resources
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…
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
| Earn Continuing Learning Hours (CL) through CACCN |
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| CACCN Membership: 4 CL hours per year |
| 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): 25 CL hours maximum |
| 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 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.): 15 CL hours maximum |
| 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 |