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CNA Pediatric Nursing Certification Exam — Information & Free Practice

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About CNA Pediatric Nursing Certification Exam

CNA Pediatric Nursing Certification Exam · CA

Key exam facts

Provider
Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) certification program. Meazure Learning develops and maintains the exams and provides testing/statistical services; ProctorU delivers remote proctoring and Meazure Learning administers in-person test centres.
Format
Computer-based multiple-choice knowledge examination, remotely proctored at home through ProctorU or at a Meazure Learning test centre in select Canadian cities. Blueprint: 30–50% independent and 50–70% case-based questions; case sets contain approximately four questions. The four-option practice bank does not reproduce official case-set presentation.
Exam questions
Total questions: 160–165.
Time limit
Four hours (240 minutes) to answer the exam questions, according to CNA CBT exam tips. This is answering time, not a total appointment/check-in duration.
Passing score
Criterion-referenced: the specialty exam committee sets the pass mark using a modified Angoff method, with statistical validation by testing consultants. CNA explicitly states that the pass mark is not published; results are reported as pass or unsuccessful.
Exam fee
Dollar amounts as published on CNA's Canadian fee schedule ($; the page does not expressly state an ISO currency code): initial application $588 for CNA members/$780 for non-members, including a $130 non-refundable administrative fee. Additional appointment fee paid to the administrator: $85 online through ProctorU or $110 in person through Meazure Learning. Applicable provincial GST/HST is additional. Reduced rewrite application fee $378 member/$500 non-member for the next two calendar years after an unsuccessful result. Fees are set annually.

Topics covered

The authority publishes percentage ranges for each content area. The practice percentages below use the midpoint of each range, normalized to 100%; they are not exact percentages published by the authority. Practice question counts may differ slightly because of rounding.

  • Professional Practice, Leadership and Advocacy — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Practise according to Canadian Paediatric Nursing Standards, CNA code of ethics and ethical principles applying to children
    • Identify relevant legislation, social and organizational policies affecting child and family health and well-being
    • Reflect on personal values, beliefs and biases
    • Advocate for unique needs of children and families and the broader pediatric population
    • Use a strengths-based approach to build child and family self-advocacy and system navigation capacity
    • Provide culturally-safe care
    • Recognize specific populations' unique needs
    • Promote a safe, healthy and inclusive workplace
    • Interprofessional collaboration
    • Quality improvement initiatives
    • Continuing education

  • Child and Family Centered Care — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Establish a therapeutic relationship with the child and family
    • Partner respectfully, non-judgmentally and culturally safely in care decisions and plans
    • Collect child and family information while maintaining privacy and confidentiality
    • Understand family structure, developmental stage and functionality
    • Incorporate child and family strengths and resources
    • Identify need for and use trained interpreters
    • Recognize alterations in well-being affecting participation in care
    • Advocate for appropriate resources
    • Provide honest, factual, timely information and support

  • Growth and Development — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Typical development and variations in childhood
    • Safety risks associated with developmental level
    • Strategies addressing developmental responses to illness and health-care encounters
    • Anticipatory guidance and coaching related to developmental stages and levels

  • Pediatric Nursing Process — Official range: 10–15% (Practice allocation: 12.69%)

    • Comprehensive child and family health history
    • Comprehensive physical and psychosocial/mental health assessment
    • Assessment variations by developmental stage and pediatric anatomy and physiology
    • Normal and abnormal physical, laboratory and investigative findings
    • Actual or potential assessment alterations and their significance
    • Culture-specific meanings, descriptions, causes, acceptance and treatment of symptoms
    • Implement interventions and care according to assessment findings
    • Safe pediatric medication administration principles
    • Evaluate nursing intervention effectiveness

  • Promotion of Well-Being and Prevention of Illness/Injury — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Social determinants of health and their impact on child health
    • Practice environment safety and risk assessment
    • Relevant screening tools for actual and potential individual and family risks
    • Health and well-being promotion at individual, family and community levels

  • Common Pediatric Illnesses and Conditions — Official range: 20–25% (Practice allocation: 22.84%)

    • Basic pathophysiology, manifestations, interventions, management, treatment response, family education and documentation
    • Asthma and upper/lower respiratory infections
    • Autism spectrum disorder and ADHD
    • Child maltreatment and domestic violence
    • Diaper dermatitis, pressure injuries, minor burns, rashes
    • Failure to thrive, malnutrition
    • Fluid and electrolyte imbalances
    • Gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation and infectious gastroenteritis
    • Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease
    • Newborn jaundice
    • Obesity
    • Seizures
    • Sexually transmitted infection
    • Trauma (e.g., concussions, fractures)
    • Type 1 and 2 diabetes
    • Urinary tract infection

  • Common Pediatric Emergencies — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Basic emergency pathophysiology, manifestations, interventions, management, treatment response, family education and documentation
    • Airway obstruction
    • Altered level of consciousness
    • Cardio-pulmonary arrest
    • Diabetic ketoacidosis
    • Meningitis
    • Mental health crisis
    • Shock
    • Toxic ingestion
    • Trauma

  • Children with Medical Complexity — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Definition of children with medical complexity
    • Basic pathophysiology of identified medically complex conditions
    • Unique and ongoing family needs
    • Potential variation from typical pediatric baseline parameters
    • Interventions based on identified and potential risks
    • Family-guided care plan development and maintenance
    • Support family competency in caring for medically complex children
    • Clinical judgment recognizing family expertise

  • Genetic and Congenital Conditions — Official range: 1–3% (Practice allocation: 2.03%)

    • Basic pathophysiology of common genetic and congenital conditions
    • Evidence-informed interventions for genetic and congenital conditions
    • Family support, collaboration, advocacy and referral

  • Palliative Care — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Palliative care alone or combined with disease-reducing or curative therapies
    • Child and family needs, hopes, beliefs, fears, expectations and strengths
    • Sensitivity to values, beliefs, practices, development and preparedness for dying
    • Goals of care and advance care planning discussions
    • Symptom management, respite, end of life and grief support resources
    • Dialogue to understand nature and meaning of a MAID request

  • Mental Health and Substance Use — Official range: 5–10% (Practice allocation: 7.61%)

    • Routine pediatric mental health assessment
    • Strategies supporting safety for self and others
    • Partner to create a safety plan
    • Trauma-informed care and harm reduction
    • Common pediatric mental health conditions and presentations
    • Routine substance-use screening and opportunities for intervention
    • Individualized referral to evidence-informed treatment and resources

  • Pain — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Interpret pain-related data
    • Child health history relevant to pain
    • Developmentally appropriate pain assessment tools
    • Physical pain assessment
    • Pain types and behavioural, cognitive and physiological responses
    • Consequences of ineffective pain management
    • Interventions preventing and alleviating pain
    • Non-pharmacological pain strategies
    • Safe appropriate pharmacological pain agents based on assessment
    • Effectiveness and sequelae of pharmacological and non-pharmacological agents
    • Child and family teaching about pain medications

  • Transitions in Care — Official range: 5–7% (Practice allocation: 6.09%)

    • Effective communication at care transitions
    • Assess child and family readiness for safe transitions
    • Partner in transition and discharge needs discussions
    • Health education and information to optimize transitions
    • Coordinate resources supporting transitions
    • Share information for care coordination
    • Safe effective transition and discharge processes

How to prepare

Work through the topics, read the explanation after each answer, and revisit the areas where you miss questions. Use the official outline and reference materials below to guide your study.

These independent practice questions are not actual exam items and do not guarantee a passing result.

Frequently asked questions

What is the exam format?

Computer-based multiple-choice knowledge examination, remotely proctored at home through ProctorU or at a Meazure Learning test centre in select Canadian cities. Blueprint: 30–50% independent and 50–70% case-based questions; case sets contain approximately four questions. The four-option practice bank does not reproduce official case-set presentation.

How many questions are on the exam?

Total questions: 160–165.

How long is the exam?

Four hours (240 minutes) to answer the exam questions, according to CNA CBT exam tips. This is answering time, not a total appointment/check-in duration.

What is the passing score?

Criterion-referenced: the specialty exam committee sets the pass mark using a modified Angoff method, with statistical validation by testing consultants. CNA explicitly states that the pass mark is not published; results are reported as pass or unsuccessful.

How much does the exam cost?

Dollar amounts as published on CNA's Canadian fee schedule ($; the page does not expressly state an ISO currency code): initial application $588 for CNA members/$780 for non-members, including a $130 non-refundable administrative fee. Additional appointment fee paid to the administrator: $85 online through ProctorU or $110 in person through Meazure Learning. Applicable provincial GST/HST is additional. Reduced rewrite application fee $378 member/$500 non-member for the next two calendar years after an unsuccessful result. Fees are set annually.

Official sources and references

Confirm current exam arrangements with the exam provider.