The NBCRNA recently conducted both an extensive Beta Research Study on the CPC Assessment (CPCA) involving the participation of more than 1,500 CRNAs, as well as a national benchmarking study. After careful consideration of the results and data from those studies, the NBCRNA Board of Directors made the decision at their January 2019 meeting to remove the pass/fail assessment component from the CPC Program. The CPC Assessment will still be required every eight years, but will remain a performance standard assessment only—no pass/fail.
CRNAs will not lose certification regardless of CPCA performance, provided they successfully complete focused continuing education in the area(s) where they do not meet the established performance standard. CRNAs who meet the standard will not need to do anything outside of the current CPC requirements.
“We want to emphasize that the CPC Program was designed to both support lifelong learning and evolve as new information, data and technologies become available. Through the removal of the pass/fail assessment component, CRNAs can focus on remaining current in their practice and use the CPC Assessment as a self-evaluation tool to target future continuing education,” said NBCRNA President Mary Wojnakowski, PhD, CRNA. “The continuing evolution of the CPC Program will, however, require the cooperation and support from the AANA.”
More information on the CPC Assessment, including testing condition options, will be available soon. The NBCRNA is committed to supporting lifelong learning, the profession in every practice setting, and protecting the value, validity and recognition of the CRNA credential.
