Oncology Certified Navigation Nurse (OCNN™)
The Oncology Certified Navigation Nurse (OCNN™) is for professional registered nurses with oncology-specific clinical knowledge who practice oncology nurse navigation, offering individual assistance to patients, families, and caregivers to help overcome healthcare system barriers. Using the nursing process, they provide education and resources to facilitate informed decision-making and timely access to quality health and psychosocial care through all phases of the cancer continuum, whether in adult or pediatric care.
OCNN™ Beta Testing
ONCC plans to offer the OCNN™ Beta examination in Spring 2027. Following the beta exam, the test items will be analyzed to ensure they accurately measure the intended knowledge and set the passing score. Test scores will be released to beta candidates approximately 10-12 weeks after the end of the beta examination period.
Registration for the beta examination is expected to open in Fall 2026.
Determining if you are eligible
- Active RN/APRN License
A current, active, unencumbered license as a registered nurse in the U.S., its territories or Canada at the time of application and examination. - 2 years of Experience
A minimum of two years (24 months) of experience as an RN within the four years (48 months) prior to application. - 2,000 Hours of Practice
A minimum of 2000 hours of oncology nurse navigation practice within the four years (48 months) prior to application. Nursing practice may be in clinical practice, nursing administration, education, research, or consultation.
- 30 Contact Hours
Completed a minimum of 30 contact hours of nursing continuing education in oncology nursing within the three years (36 months) prior to application. A maximum of ten (10) of the thirty (30) required contact hours in oncology may be obtained from tumor board participation. The contact hours must have been provided or formally approved by an acceptable accredited provider or approver of continuing nursing education (CNE), nursing continuing professional development (NCPD), continuing medical education (CME), or continuing pharmacy education (CPE). Continuing education accredited via Joint Accreditation/Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) must specify hours awarded by ANCC, ACCME, or ACPE, to be accepted by ONCC.
The 10-hour maximum for tumor board participation allows sufficient exposure to interdisciplinary collaboration, clinical workflows, and treatment pathways while maintaining appropriate boundaries between clinical decision-making roles and navigation functions. While tumor board participation is a valuable educational experience, they primarily focus on clinical decision-making, diagnostic review, and treatment planning from a multidisciplinary provider perspective. Although navigators benefit from exposure to these discussions, extended participation may offer diminishing educational returns relative to other essential navigation competencies.
Nursing Practice
Nursing practice may be work experience that is direct and/or indirect patient care in clinical practice, nursing administration, education, research, or consultation in the specialty represented by the credential. The position must be one that requires a Registered Nurse/Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (RN/APRN). A position that may be filled by another licensed care provider will qualify as nursing practice so long as RN/APRN is included among the licensed care providers who can fill the role.
ONCC will request a job description when the position title does not clearly indicate a nursing role. This documentation must be an official copy from the employer, on employer letterhead, bearing the company logo or otherwise verified, and must state the name of the position and that the position requires it be filled by an RN/APRN among other licensure types. Proper verification of acceptable nursing practice upholds the integrity of all certifications and credentials awarded by ONCC, including ensuring that all candidates meet established eligibility criteria.
Effective January 1, 2026
About the exam
The OCNN™ test is based on the OCNN™ Test Content Outline (Test Blueprint). The Test Content Outline is based on the results of the Oncology Nurse Navigator Modeling Study completed in 2024.
The OCNN™ Test Content Outline is composed of five major subject areas, each with a percentage assigned to it. Each major subject area is represented in every test with the appropriate percentage of questions. However, not all sub-areas are included in every form of the test.
The OCNN™ Test consists of 165 multiple-choice questions (a question or incomplete statement followed by four answers or completions). Of those, 125 questions count toward the candidate's score and 40 are “pretest” or experimental questions. Candidates do not know which questions are scored and which are pretest items. To determine the number of scored questions from each subject area, multiply the appropriate percentage by 125.
*Please note: Same day test results will not be available to candidates who participate in beta testing.
