Preparing for the ONCC Certification Examinations
Before you begin to study for the OCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^® or CPON^® examination, review the Oncology Nursing Certification Bulletin to make sure you are eligible to take the test. The Certification Bulletin contains complete information on eligibility requirements for the OCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^®, and CPON^® examinations. You should also be aware of application deadlines, test dates and locations, and related expenses.

Once you have decided to pursue certification, consider the following tips to help you prepare for taking an ONCC examination. Download Study Tips (PDF).

1. Assess your learning needs.
   Review the appropriate test blueprint in the Oncology Nursing Certification Bulletin to identify the content areas that will be on the test. Pay attention to how each area is weighted to determine the percentage of questions that pertain to each area. When reviewing the test blueprint, identify which areas are your strengths and weaknesses. Consider ranking the areas on a scale of 1 to 4 - 1 being a topic you're unfamiliar with and 4 a topic you are confident about (Miller, 1993).
2. Build a personal study plan.
   Establish learning objectives based on your assessment in step one. It is important for each individual to develop a personal study plan that reflects his or her specific goals (Palos, 1992). You may want to concentrate more on the content areas that you are least familiar with, or study each area in relation to its weight on the examination. Consider the following:
   • Create a study schedule. Most candidates allow several months to prepare for a certification examination. Develop a study schedule to meet your learning objectives and allocate time to review each of the examination content areas. Remember to include time for review courses or seminars if you plan to attend them, and to obtain review materials. Don't leave all your preparation for one long study session the night before the test.
   • Choose your study methods. There are a variety of methods to consider, such as individual study, pairing with a study partner, group study, participating in a review course, using computer assisted instruction, attending seminars or in-service programs, taking the OCN^®, or AOCNP^®, AOCNS^®, Practice Tests, etc. You may benefit by using a variety of study methods to learn different types of material. Some candidates may be hesitant to let others know they will be taking the exam and choose to study alone. However, there are advantages to utilizing a study partner or group. Reference materials (which can be expensive if purchased by one person) can be shared, colleagues can provide support, and nurses with expertise in different areas can tutor each other.
3. The Test Blueprint.
   The single most valuable piece of information that you will have in preparing for the examination is the OCN^®, AOCNP^®, AOCNS^®, or CPON^® Test Blueprint included in the Oncology Nursing Certification Bulletin. Each test blueprint describes the content areas, topics and subtopics as well as how the content will be weighted. If the blueprint states that Quality of Life will be given the weight of 27%, then you can determine how many questions will represent that content by taking the total number of questions x .27.
4. Collect your study materials.
   Review the appropriate reference list in the Oncology Nursing Certification Bulletin for potential study materials. However, the best advice is to review a basic, widely used textbook or reference in your specialty. Reviewing journal articles published in your specialty over the past few years will also be helpful. If you will be working with a study partner or participating in group study, determine who will provide various materials. However, an important point here is that any review of references cannot take the place of keeping up with reading in your current professional literature (ANCC, 1994).
5. Investigate review courses.
   If you are planning to take a review course, check possible offerings and register for a course that meets your needs. Contact your local ONS chapter, or check at your worksite for information about review courses.

   You should be aware the ONCC does not conduct certification review courses or recommend specific courses. Be cautious about courses that claim or imply direct knowledge of specific ONCC examination content. The ONCC does not release test items, except for the sample items published in the Oncology Nursing Certification Bulletin, and those included in the ONCC Practice Tests. Additionally, the individuals who develop the actual test are not permitted to conduct review courses while working on test development, and for three years after.

   When evaluating a potential review course, remember the quality of the course may be related to the ability and expertise of the individuals who conduct it. All test candidates should remember the ONCC cannot be responsible for errors in the content of any review course.

6. Carry out your plan.
   • Plot your study plan on a calendar and stick to it. Pace yourself according to your goals. Keep track of your progress so you know where you stand. If you fall behind your timeline, don't give-up; revise your plan to meet your study goals.
   • Allow a reasonable amount of time for each study session. Plan study sessions at a time that's best for you, and for a length that meets your learning needs. For example, several sessions of a few hours each may be more beneficial than one long session. Try to find a quiet place to study, without distractions, and include a few breaks in your schedule.
   • Use study methods that have worked well for you in the past. Depending on the material to be learned, you may find reciting, visualizing, or associating the information with its practical application helpful (Miller, 1993). Some candidates prefer to take notes, highlight a textbook, prepare quiz cards with questions on one side and answers on the other, read into a tape recorder and listen to the tapes, or have someone quiz them from sample tests. If you will be using practice tests, be sure to correct your answers. Look for patterns in the questions you answer incorrectly (Rollant, 1994). For example, if most of your incorrect answers relate to a particular content area, revise your study plan to focus on that area. If most of the missed questions are at the beginning or end of a practice test, that may indicate times of anxiety or fatigue when you need to concentrate more intensely. If you find you know the answers to the questions you miss on practice tests, you may have a tendency to misread the questions or the responses. Remember that questions on practice tests are written or selected by the authors of the review book or course, and may not represent the style of questions or content topics that actually appear on the ONCC examinations.
7. Reduce your anxiety.
   • Prepare a checklist of items you need to take to the test. Remember to take several sharpened #2 lead pencils and an eraser (for paper and pencil tests), your admission ticket or Authorization to Test, one form of identification with both your signature and a recent photo, a watch, directions to the testing facility, money for parking, etc. If the test will be held in an unfamiliar location, reduce your anxiety by taking a trip to the site before the test day. Candidates should contact the test site for directions. If you will be driving, familiarize yourself with the route, traffic patterns, and parking facilities. Review the reporting time instructions in your Admission Letter or Authorization to Test. Allow extra time to be sure you arrive on schedule. Paper and pencil test candidates will not be allowed in the testing room once the supervisor has begun to give directions.
   • Complete your study plan before the test day. Instead of last-minute studying, plan to relax and get a good night's sleep so you will be well-rested on test day. A brief review of the material may be helpful, but a long study session can be counterproductive
   • Make yourself comfortable on the test day. Remember that no food or drink will be allowed in the testing room, and it may be several hours before you can eat again. If possible, avoid substances that could make you feel anxious, drowsy, or create the need for frequent trips to the restroom. Candidates will be permitted to leave the testing room only with the supervisor's permission. Candidates will not be permitted to make up the time lost. Dress comfortably and prepare for temperature fluctuations in the testing room by bringing a jacket or sweater. Plan to arrive at the test site early in case of unexpected delays. After you arrive at the test site, avoid last minute "cramming" and try to relax before the start of the examination. Do not bring study materials, textbooks, etc. are not permitted at the test site.
8. Take the test with confidence.
   Listen carefully to the instructions from your proctor or test center administrator. Your score is determined by the number of questions you answer correctly. As there is no penalty for incorrect answers, it is to your advantage to answer every question (ONCC, 1994).

   The examinations consist entirely of multiple-choice questions. Consider the following suggestions for taking multiple choice tests (Rollant, 1994).

   • Look for words such as most, first, initially, immediately, usual. Look for absolutes such as always, never, every, none, all, all of the time. These words can help you choose the best answer.
   • Read the question systematically. Read the question first and think of the answer. Do not assume information not given or go beyond what the question asks. Then read all of the responses.
   • Try turning each multiple-choice option into a true and false statement and then mark "T" or "F" after each option. Use the process of elimination to select the optimal choice. If the question is difficult, mark it an move on to the next question. If taking a paper and pencil test, be sure to place a question mark on your answer sheet next to this question so that you can quickly return to it if time permits. Avoid thinking about prior questions while you are on a new question.
   • When weighing options, look for those that embody good nursing judgement and that enhance communication, respect, and acceptance of patients' feelings. Choose options that are correct in all respects and that relate to common needs or to the population in general (Coleman, Stanley, Chenevey, Sullivan, and Cardin, 1988).
   • Do not change an answer. Unless you have misread the question the first time or recall new information, it is unwise to change the answer you initially chose.
   • Pace yourself during the test. Don't spend too much time on any one question. When you have completed all of the questions, review your answer sheet for questions you may have skipped. Return to the questions you marked to complete them. If taking a paper and pencil test, check your answer sheet for stray marks or questions that have more than one answer and erase the extra marks completely. Questions that have more than one response darkened will be scored as incorrect.
   • Relaxation strategies can be implemented during the examination to help you stay calm and focused. It may take longer to relax if you wait until the tension is too high. Short exercises performed intermittently are the most effective. Identify what part of your body has the most muscle tightness. Take a deep breath and then select an exercise that will help to eliminate the tension (Pierce, Gibbons, Cullen, 1995).
9. Reenergize following the test.
   Briefly review your performance during the test to get a sense of accomplishment. However, avoid dwelling on questions and going over the test with colleagues. Focus on positive outcomes and reward yourself for completing the ONCC examination process (Pierce, Gibbons, Cullen, 1995).
10. Reporting scores.
    Computer-based testing candidates will receive a prelimary score before leaving the test center. A formal score report will be mailed within two weeks. Score reports for paper and pencil candidates are mailed to candidates six to seven weeks after the examination date. Next, the examinations are scored and numerous quality control checks are performed. Once these tasks have been completed, the scores are printed and mailed to the candidates.

References
American Nurses Credentialing Center. (1995). How to take an ANCC certification examination. (Publication No. AC-9 3M 8/94). Washington, DC: Author.

Coleman, B., Stanley, M., Chenevey, B., Sullivan, & Cardin, S. (1988). CCRN certification: Exclusive or expensive? Focus on Critical Care, 15(5), 23-27.

Miller, S.E. (1993). Tackling certification exams confidently. Nursing 93 Career Directory, 30-31.

Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. (1994). ONCC Test Bulletin, 16.

Palos, G. (1992). Study for the ONCC exam improves results. ONCC News 6(1), 2-3.