NCC Credential in Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB®) — Requirements & Free Practice

US · License preparation

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National specialty certification in inpatient obstetric nursing for licensed registered nurses; it does not confer nursing licensure.

Initial by examination

Applicant: Currently actively licensed, unencumbered RN in the U.S. or Canada.
Experience: 24 months and at least 2000 hours in the specialty as a U.S. or Canadian RN, both required; experience may be direct patient care, education, administration or research and may occur at any time in the nursing career.
Recency: Employment in the specialty sometime in the last 24 months; all eligibility criteria must be met at application.
Scope: Initial specialty certification by the current Inpatient Obstetric Nursing examination; existing RN licensure is an applicant qualification, not an instruction to re-investigate or produce NCLEX. Renewal and other NCC specialties are outside this task.

Provider: National Certification Corporation
Format: Computer-delivered multiple-choice examination at a test center or by live remote proctoring; three answer options and one correct answer per item.
Exam questions: Total questions: 175; Scored questions: 150; Unscored questions: 25; The total includes the scored and unscored questions.
Time limit: 3 hours
Passing score: Criterion-referenced ability standard; no set percentage passing level.
Exam fee: $325, comprising a $50 non-refundable application submission cost and a $275 testing fee.

Examination outline

Pregnancy Complications, Treatment, and Management (28%)
- Maternal/Birthing Person Complications Affecting the Fetus and Newborn
- Maternal/Birthing Person Psychological and Environmental Factors
- Preterm Labor
- Multiple Gestation
- Placental Disorders
Fetal Assessment (17%)
- Antenatal Testing
- Electronic Fetal Monitoring
- Non-electronic Fetal Monitoring
- Acid-base Interpretation
Labor and Birth (36%)
- Physiology of Labor
- Assessment and Management of Labor
- Obstetric and Perioperative Procedures
- Pain Management and Coping
- Labor and Obstetric Complications
- Induction and Augmentation
Recovery, Postpartum and Newborn Care (16%)
- Recovery and Postpartum Physiology and Complications
- Family Dynamics, Social Determinants of Health, and Discharge Readiness
- Lactation and Infant Nutrition
- Newborn Physiology and Complications
Professional Practice Issues (3%)
- Legal, Ethics, Evidence-based Practice, Safety, and Quality Improvement

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