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Exam Overview
The Certified Hemodialysis Nurse (CHN) credential is awarded by the Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT) to licensed nurses who show the knowledge needed to provide safe hemodialysis care. The exam tests clinical judgment across the whole treatment, from machine set-up and water quality to patient complications, supervision, and safety.
Key Exam Details
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credential | Certified Hemodialysis Nurse (CHN) |
| Certifying body | Board of Nephrology Examiners Nursing and Technology (BONENT) |
| Format | 150 multiple-choice questions, each with one best answer |
| Time limit | 3 hours (about 1.2 minutes per question) |
| Delivery | Computer-based testing (CBT) or paper-and-pencil exam (PPE) on scheduled dates |
| Calculators | Not permitted; any math on the exam is simple enough to do by hand |
| Scoring | Raw score (number correct) converted to a scaled score from 1 to 100; 70 or higher passes; no penalty for wrong answers |
| Results | CBT: printed result and pass/fail status at the end of the session. PPE: mailed in about 3 to 4 weeks |
| Exam fee | CBT $255; PPE $235 in the USA or $260 outside the USA |
| Retakes | Up to three attempts within 12 months; after three, 8 hours of nephrology continuing education (or a nephrology program) before testing again |
Content Outline and Weights
Who Can Apply
Experience is verified with two signed, dated reference letters (from your immediate supervisor and another nephrology professional) that state your legal name, total nephrology experience, and job duties. State licensing requirements also apply.
On Test Day
- Bring your confirmation letter and one acceptable photo ID (driver's license, government photo ID, or passport); employee and student IDs are not accepted.
- Books, papers, calculators, and writing instruments are not allowed in the testing room.
- CBT candidates must schedule within 6 months of receiving their login; an unused CBT exam is forfeited after that.
Keeping the Credential
CHN certification runs on a four-year cycle with an annual certification fee ($65 per year, or $240 for four years paid in advance). To recertify, earn at least 40 contact hours in the four years (at least 30 in nephrology-related Group A topics), retake the exam, or use BONENT's one-time waiver.
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