OCN Practice Test

The Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC^®) Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) exam was designed for registered nurses seeking to demonstrate their understanding of current knowledge and practice in oncology nursing and feel the personal accomplishment of earning OCN certification. The OCN exam tests your advanced knowledge and skills related to oncology nursing beyond the minimum knowledge and skills necessary to become an RN.

What is OCN certification?

While RN licensure demonstrates the requisite entry-level knowledge to begin working in the field, it does not necessarily demonstrate to your employers or patients your dedication to continuing your education and broadening your knowledge and skills. The OCN certification process is voluntary and provides your employers and patients with the assurance that you are dedicated to obtaining and maintaining specialty knowledge in oncology nursing.

OCN certification also provides comfort to your patients and rewards to you as an RN. Certification, while voluntary, may be necessary for advancement into higher-level roles in your organization and can help open additional professional opportunities, including potential income increases.

OCN Exam Eligibility

In order to take the OCN exam, you must hold an active, current, unencumbered RN license in a state or territory of the United States or Canada. Potential test-takers must also demonstrate at least one year (12 months) of practice and experience as a licensed RN, occurring within 3 years of completing the application for the exam.

Additionally, you need to have completed at least 1,000 hours of adult oncology practice in nursing within 2.5 years prior to application. This practice needs to have been completed as a licensed RN and can be clinical, educational, administrative, or in a research capacity.

Lastly, you need to have completed at least 10 hours of continuing nursing education in an oncology-related area within the previous 3 years.

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OCN Exam Outline

There are 165 multiple-choice questions on the OCN exam, divided into six content areas, each weighted differently. Of the 165 questions, only 145 items count toward your score, because 20 are pretest questions designed to aid the test creators in determining what should be included in the exam.

The content and structure of the exam will appear as follows:

I. Care Continuum (19%)

The 31 questions in this section will cover the following topics:

• Health promotion
• Disease prevention
• Screening and early detection
• Coordination of care
• Navigation of care
• Advance care planning
• Epidemiology
• Survivorship
• Considerations related to treatment
• End-of-life care

II. Oncology Nursing Practice (17%)

The 28 questions in this section will cover the following topics:

• Scientific bases
• Considerations of site-specific cancer
• Standards and scope of practice

III. Treatment Modalities (19%)

The 31 questions in this section will cover the following topics:

• Surgical interventions
• Procedural interventions
• Blood and marrow transplants
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy and biotherapy
• Immunotherapy
• Vascular access devices for treatment administration
• Targeted therapies

IV. Symptom Management and Palliative Care (21%)

The 35 questions in this section will cover the following topics:

• Etiology of symptoms
• Anatomical alterations
• Surgical alterations
• Pharmacologic interventions
• Complementary and integrative modalities
• Palliative care considerations
• Function alterations
• Pain management

V. Oncologic Emergencies (12%)

The 20 questions in this section will cover the following topics:

• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)
• Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH)
• Sepsis
• Tumor lysis syndrome
• Hypersensitivity
• Anaphylaxis
• Hypercalcemia
• Cardiac tamponade
• Spinal cord compression
• Superior vena cava syndrome
• Increased intracranial pressure
• Obstructions
• Pneumonitis
• Extravasations
• Adverse events related to the immune system
• Venous thromboembolism

VI. Psychosocial Dimensions of Care (12%)

The 20 questions in this section will cover the following topics:

• Cultural, spiritual, and religious diversity
• Financial concerns
• Altered body image
• Learning preferences
• Learning barriers
• Social relationships
• Family dynamics
• Coping mechanisms and skills
• Support
• Psychosocial distress
• Sexuality

OCN Exam Registration

To sign up for the OCN exam, you will need to submit your application online. Within four weeks of submitting your application to test, you will receive an Authorization to Test, assuming you are determined eligible. You will then receive a test eligibility period for you to schedule and take the test.

Fees

The full cost of the OCN exam is $420. However, if you are a member of ONS/APHON, you will receive a discount, reducing the cost of the exam to $300.

OCN Online Prep Course

If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online OCN prep course designed to give you everything you need to succeed!

Here’s what you’ll find in the OCN course:

Everyone learns differently, so we’ve tailored the OCN online prep course to ensure every learner has what they need to prepare for the OCN exam.

Click below to check it out!

OCN Study Guide

Having a thorough understanding of the content and structure of the OCN exam is the first step toward earning your OCN certification. Getting enough sleep before the exam and taking care of yourself physically will aid in your success on exam day. However, the most effective means of ensuring you perform well on the OCN exam is to prepare using the best test preparation materials you can find. This is where Mometrix steps in.

Mometrix Test Preparation offers a comprehensive OCN exam study guide: OCN Secrets. In this guide, you get actual OCN exam questions that help you recall the material you already know and achieve the score necessary to earn your certification. The OCN Secrets study guide was written by Mometrix Test Preparation’s standardized test researchers, who have discovered the secrets of the OCN exam and are able to impart to you the most effective methods to reduce your stress, pass the exam, and become an OCN.

In addition to the OCN Secrets study guide, Mometrix also provides you with the OCN Exam Flashcard Study System, which includes additional comprehensive OCN Exam Practice Test questions. Earn the best score you can earn on the OCN exam by thoroughly preparing, studying, and testing yourself with real OCN exam content. Read the OCN Secrets study guide, test your knowledge with the OCN Exam Flashcard Study System and Practice Test, and get the score you need to pass the OCN exam and become an OCN. You have the knowledge and skills; now you need the certification.

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By Kate Nockunas

Kate has been Mometrix’s Nursing and Medical Editor for over four years. She has a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Vanderbilt University, a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Marymount University, and a master’s degree in Education from Johns Hopkins. Kate is a critical care registered nurse who still works occasionally in the ICU and PACU.

PONCC^® is a registered trademark, and OCN^® is a registered certification mark, of Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation. Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation does not endorse, authorize, sponsor, or approve any of the materials offered on this webpage, and has no affiliation with Mometrix.