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Exam Overview
The Cardiac Surgery Certification (CSC®) Exam is a specialty credential offered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN). It is designed for nurses who provide direct care to acutely/critically ill adult patients during the first 48 hours following cardiac surgery.
Achieving CSC certification demonstrates your advanced clinical knowledge, judgment, and commitment to excellence in post-cardiac surgery care. It enhances your professional credibility, supports career advancement, and affirms your role in delivering evidence-based, high-quality critical care.
Administered By
- American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
- Visit: www.aacn.org for official details
Exam Pattern
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credential | CSC® (Cardiac Surgery Certification, adult): a subspecialty credential from AACN Certification Corporation, attached to a qualifying specialty certification (for example CCRN-CSC) |
| Format | Computer-based multiple choice; four options (A–D), one best answer |
| Number of questions | 90 (75 scored, 15 unscored pretest items that are not identified) |
| Time allowed | 2 hours |
| Focus | Adult patients; 100% clinical judgment |
| Passing standard | Set by a modified Angoff study; result reported as pass or fail |
| Results | Shown on screen after a computer-based exam; detailed score report emailed within 24–48 hours |
| Delivery | PSI testing center or live remote proctoring from a quiet, private location |
| Exam fee | $150 AACN member; $240 nonmember |
| Retest fee | $125 member; $170 nonmember |
| Retakes | Up to 4 attempts in a rolling 12-month period |
| Calculators and devices | Personal calculators, phones, and other electronic devices are not permitted |
Exam Content Areas
The CSC® test plan groups testable nursing actions into four domains. The order of topics in the test plan does not reflect their importance.
| Domain | Weight* | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| I. Procedures | 11% | CABG on and off pump, Cox maze, minimally invasive surgery, pericardial window, LV aneurysm and post-MI VSD repair, surgical valve repair or replacement, TAVR, endovascular and open thoracic aortic repair |
| II. Complications | 33% | Cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, hematologic, neurologic, GI, renal, multisystem, and behavioral complications after cardiac surgery |
| III. Therapeutic Interventions | 43% | Fluids, defibrillation, emergent resternotomy, cardiac surgery advanced life support, pacing, IABP, VADs, ECMO, drains, pharmacology, ventilation, glycemic control, blood products, lumbar drain, pain, RRT, standards of care |
| IV. Monitoring and Diagnostics | 13% | Hemodynamics, echocardiography, ECG, labs, ABG, mixed venous gas, pulse oximetry, capnography, radiography, BIS, cerebral oximetry, train-of-four |
Eligibility Requirements
To take the CSC exam, candidates must:
- Hold a current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license
- Hold a current, nationally accredited clinical nursing specialty certification involving direct care of adult patients, to which the CSC will be attached (for example CCRN, PCCN, CCNS, CNOR, or CPAN)
- Provide the name of a professional associate (clinical supervisor or RN or physician colleague) who can verify the practice hours
Fulfill one of the following clinical hour pathways:
| Option | Total direct-care hours | Cardiac surgery hours (first 48 hours post-op) | Recency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two-year option | 1,750 hours caring for acutely/critically ill adults in the previous 2 years | 875 of the 1,750 | 875 hours in the most recent year |
| Five-year option | 2,000 hours in the previous 5 years | 1,000 of the 2,000 | 144 hours in the most recent year |
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