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Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN®) — Requirements & Free Practice

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Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN®)

Voluntary breast care nursing certification for registered nurses.

Licensing authority: Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation · Application information

Initial by examination
Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN®) Test
Applicability
Current ONCC initial-certification page adopts the linked outline, which agrees with the 2026 manual pp.27–28. The page's 2020 study-origin sentence differs from the manual's 2024 study-origin statement; neither is treated as an examination effective date. The actual published outline and examination association agree. Unpublished credential, route and exam-version start/end dates remain null.
Applicant Scope
Initial candidates not currently CBCN-certified, including lapsed certificants; renewal routes are outside this task.
Continuing Education
CNE/NCPD must be provided or formally approved by an acceptable accredited provider or approver. At most five of the ten breast care hours may be accredited CME in breast care or CPE. Joint Accreditation/IPCE must specify ANCC, ACCME or ACPE awarded hours.
Eligibility
All criteria must be met at application and examination: current active unencumbered RN license in the US, its territories or Canada; at least 24 months RN experience within the preceding 48 months; at least 2,000 hours breast care nursing practice within the preceding 48 months; at least 10 contact hours breast care nursing continuing education or an academic elective within the preceding 36 months. Nurses educated and/or licensed outside the United States, its territories, or Canada must have both their education and licensure evaluated for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service. Only those whose evaluation indicates U.S. equivalency are eligible to apply for certification. This condition also applies to foreign-educated applicants who hold a domestic license. The certification application will not be reviewed or approved until the credential evaluation is received.
Nursing Practice
Direct or indirect care in clinical practice, administration, education, research or consultation; the position must require an RN/APRN, including roles that also allow other licensed care providers.
Testing
Pass the CBCN Test after eligibility approval; schedule and take it within the 90-day ATT. US testing is year-round.

Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN®) Test

Provider
PSI
Format
Computer-based multiple-choice examination; four answer options, one correct answer.
Exam questions
Total questions: 165; Scored questions: 125; Unscored questions: 40; The total includes the scored and unscored questions.
Time limit
Three-hour session, including 15 minutes for the tutorial and post-test survey.
Passing score
Scaled score 55 on a 25–75 scale.
Examination outline
  • Care Continuum (19%)
    • Breast health and screening
    • Cancer risk assessment
    • Patient navigation process
    • Surveillance and survivorship
  • Diagnosis and Staging (21%)
    • Carcinogenesis
    • Diagnostic evaluation
    • Pathology
    • Staging
  • Treatment Modalities and Considerations (24%)
    • Surgery
    • Surgical reconstruction
    • Radiation therapy (e.g., external beam, brachytherapy)
    • Systemic (e.g., endocrine therapy, chemotherapy, bispecific antibodies)
    • Considerations for specific conditions
    • Treatment consideration for special populations (e.g., gender and sexual minorities, male, young adult)
  • Nursing Practice (24%)
    • Symptom management and supportive care
    • Oncologic emergencies
    • Professional practice
    • Clinical trials
    • Self-care
  • Psychosocial Dimensions of Care (12%)
    • Influence of culture, spirituality, sexual and gender identity, age, and healthcare disparities
    • Family and caregiver dynamics
    • Altered body image
    • Reproductive and sexual health
    • Psychosocial distress and management (e.g., coping, grief, survivorship guilt)
    • Social determinants of health related to screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up
Examination sources