Certified Foundational Perioperative Nurse

The Certified Foundational Perioperative Nurse (CFPN®) credential is designed to give perioperative nurses a firm foundation for career-long professional development success. CFPN assesses the knowledge and skills of an early career perioperative nurse with under 23 months of experience from the initial hire date in the OR.  Earning this credential provides nurses with a firm foundation for career-long professional development success and provides a fast track to CNOR and CNAMB.

APPLY FOR CERTIFICATION

OVERVIEW

CFPN Exam Overview

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2hr.30min.

To complete the exam

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120

Multiple choice questions

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Computer-based EXAM

Results are pass or no pass

Subject Areas

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Check Your CFPN Eligibility

A current, unrestricted RN license in state or country of practice.
Certificate of completion from a perioperative orientation program. Program must have both didactic and clinical components. Course syllabus or content outline will be required if your application is audited.
Up to 23 months of experience from initial hire date in the OR.
Currently working full- or part-time in perioperative nursing, including nursing education, administration, research or clinical practice.
SEE IF ELIGIBLE

Congratulations! Based on your responses, you are eligible to apply for CFPN certification.

Apply now
APPLICATION PROCESS

CFPN Certification Application Process

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Confirm your eligibility.

Determine when you would like to take the knowledge-based test. Your testing window will begin the calendar month after your application is approved. Your exam will be taken via remote proctor from the location of your choice.

Apply for the CFPN credential. You may submit your application online at any time by creating a CCI account or logging into your existing account.

Schedule your knowledge-based test by clicking on the "PSI Exam Scheduling" button in your CCI account after your application is submitted. For additional testing center information, please refer to the CFPN Handbook.

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APPLY
TESTING WINDOW
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Certification Fees

CFPN Credential Fee

The CFPN application fee is $195. CFPN certification puts nurses on a fast track to CNOR and CNAMB with lessened eligibility requirements; however, earning the CFPN is not a requirement to apply for CNOR or CNAMB certifications. CFPN credential holders will also receive a discount on CNOR and CNAMB exam application fees.

 

CCI offers volume discounts for health systems seeking to certify multiple nurses. Download the CFPN Facility Order Forms  to enroll.

Price Of
Exam

$195

Materials Questions are pulled from:

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Guidelines for Perioperative Practice

AORN. (current edition). Guidelines for perioperative practice. AORN.

TEXT BOOK
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Berry and Kohn’s Operating Room Technique

Phillips, N., & Hornacky, A. (Eds.). (2021). Berry and Kohn’s operating room technique (14th ed.). Elsevier.

TEXT BOOK
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Alexander’s Care of the Patient in Surgery

Rothrock, J. C. (Ed.). (2023). Alexander’s care of the patient in surgery (17th ed.). Elsevier.

TEXT BOOK
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Drain’s Perianesthesia Nursing: A Critical Care Approach

Odom-Forren, J. (Ed.). (2024). Drain’s perianesthesia nursing: A critical care approach (8th ed.) Elsevier.

TEXT BOOK

These texts are the primary references for the CFPN exam. Download our CFPN Study Plan for reference material by subject area.

 

CCI periodically conducts test development activities to capture the current knowledge and skill set required of perioperative nurses upon completion of their orientation. A complete list of test development committees is presented in CFPN® task and knowledge statements.

GET PREPARED

CFPN Resources

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CFPN Certification Webinars

Learn more about CFPN certification and have your questions answered by CCI staff.

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CFPN Exam Study Outline

Develop a personalized study plan with CCI’s free preparation tool.

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CFPN Handbook

The complete guide on the CFPN credential.

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CFPN Practice Questions

Explore the form and structure of CFPN exam questions.

GET PREPARED

CFPN Exam Preparation

Exam Prep Product Disclaimer: As a certification organization, CCI’s role is developing and administering certification examinations. CCI does not require or endorse any specific study guides, review products, or training courses. Candidates may prepare for certification examinations with any educational materials they choose. The purchase of CCI review materials is not a requirement for testing, nor does the use of any review materials (CCI or otherwise) imply successful performance on the certification examinations. No study resources are prerequisites for the certification examinations.