What is a CRNI®?

A certified registered nurse infusion (CRNI®) is an exceptional nurse who has passed a rigorous exam covering the core areas of infusion nursing. CRNI®s stay ahead by being exposed to the newest advances in technology and practice within the infusion nursing specialty.

Becoming a CRNI® exemplifies a commitment to excellence. This prestigious credential warrants the recognition and respect of patients, peers, and employers because it’s proof of dedication to the pursuit of lifelong learning and the delivery of quality health care. CRNI®s are part of a global community of elite nurses across multiple disciplines—including home care, pediatrics, oncology, and many more—who’ve demonstrated through certification that they are the most informed, most highly qualified infusion nursing specialists. A CRNI® is, first and foremost, an advocate for improving patient care.

Exam Overview

The CRNI® examination assesses the knowledge, skills and abilities in the Principles of Practice, Access Devices, and Infusion Therapies.

INCC periodically conducts a Role Delineation Survey to identify the necessary knowledge and tasks involved in infusion nursing practice as a first step in the continuing development of a job-related certification examination.

Eligibility Criteria

Domestic CRNI® Exam applicants must have the following:

  • A current, active, unrestricted registered nurse (RN) license in the United States.
  • A minimum of 1,600 hours of experience in infusion therapy as an RN within the past two years. 1,600 hours of direct bedside care are not required. Nursing experience may be in the areas of nursing education, administration, research, or clinical practice within the infusion specialty.

Exam Content and Complexity

Candidates are scored on 120 out of 140 items administered over 2.5 hours. The exam’s content is based on the following three core content areas of infusion nursing and is derived from the results of the Role Delineation Study to ensure that the exam accurately reflects the practice of the average infusion nurse.

FocusQuestionsPercentage
Principles of Practice36 questions30%
Access Devices36 questions30%
Infusion Therapies48 questions40%
 120 questions100%

The exam consists of four-option, multiple-choice questions. Items are written at different cognitive levels even for the same knowledge content:

  1. Recall items: primarily test the recognition or recall of information. Such items require predominantly an effort of memory. They include the recall of specific facts, concepts, principles, processes, procedures, or theories. To simplify, such an item will ordinarily be asking: “What is X?”
  2. Application items: primarily test the interpretation or evaluation of the given data. It is an application of known or presented information to solve or address situations, problems, and scenarios. Items could require examinees to make judgments concerning the effectiveness, appropriateness, or best course of action for a particular situation. Items at this level will ordinarily be asking: “Given the following information about X, what is Y?”

5 Steps to CRNI® Certification

See the 5 step process to becoming certified.

CRNI® Exam Checklist

There’s a lot to remember when it comes to preparing for the CRNI® exam! The CRNI® Exam Checklist can help you make sure that you’ve got everything you need and know what to expect.

Please note: INCC does not endorse these references and is not involved in their development. They are not required for certification.

CRNI® Accreditations

The CRNI®s dual accreditations and a proven track record of more than 30 years assure patients, employers, and peers that the CRNI® credential is a credible and reliable method of validating a nurse’s experience in the specialty of infusion therapy.

About INS

The Infusion Nurses Society (INS) is an international nonprofit organization representing infusion nurses and other clinicians  who are engaged in the specialty practice of infusion therapy.

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Contact Us

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Norwood, MA 02062

Phone: (781) 440-9408
Fax: (781) 440-9409
Email: ins@ins1.org

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