CCRN/PPCN certification Exam AACN critical care exam
1 (part 1) ELABORATED AND DETAILED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026
two main professional organizations that support critical care? which one best supports critical
care nurses? - Correct Answers Name the two organizations
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM)
Which one do you think best supports critical care nurses?
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
dedicated to providing knowledge and resources to those caring for acutely and critically ill
patients
AACN: mission? vision? values? - Correct Answers Mission: focuses on assisting acute and
critical care nurses to attain knowledge and influence to deliver excellence care
Vision: supports creating a health care system driven by the needs of patients and families in
which critical care nurses make their optimal contributions, which is described as synergy
(mixture of nurse, system, and patient along with patient characteristics and nurse
competencies)
Values: accountability, advocacy, integrity, collaboration, leadership, stewardship, lifelong
learning, quality, innovation, and commitment
what is the synergy model and how is it used in practice? - Correct Answers The Synergy Model
focuses on the extent to which nurses' competencies match patients' characteristics. The goal of
Synergy Model nursing is to "restore the patient to an optimal level of wellness as defined by
the patient and family
, certifications: CCRN? PCCN? ACCNS? ACNPC-AG? why are certifications important? - Correct
Answers CCRN → nurses who provide care for critically ill adult, pediatric, or neonatal
populations
PCCN → nurses who provide acute care in progressive care, telemetry, and similar units
Once nurses achieve the CCRN or PCCN credential, they can be eligible to sit for additional
subspeciality certification in cardiac medicine or cardiac surgery
ACCNS→ acute and critical care clinical nurse specialist
ACNPC-AG→ acute care nurse practitioners
Why are certifications important?
validates knowledge of critical care nursing, promotes professional excellence, and helps nurse
to maintain a current knowledge base
What 4 specific projects/organizations are in place to assist nurses in providing safe care? -
Correct Answers The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)
National Patient Safety Goals→ by the Joint Commission
Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
rapid response teams/ medical emergency teams
what does QSEN do? - Correct Answers roadmap for integrating quality and safety principles
into prelicensure nursing education
six core competencies: patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based
practice, quality improvement, informatics, and safety
What do national patient safety goals do? - Correct Answers reduce medical errors and promote
an environment that facilitates safe practices
reduce infections
ex. improve accuracy of patient identification, improve communication among health care
providers, improve medication safety, use alarms safely, reduce risk of healthcare- associated
1 (part 1) ELABORATED AND DETAILED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026
two main professional organizations that support critical care? which one best supports critical
care nurses? - Correct Answers Name the two organizations
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM)
Which one do you think best supports critical care nurses?
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)
dedicated to providing knowledge and resources to those caring for acutely and critically ill
patients
AACN: mission? vision? values? - Correct Answers Mission: focuses on assisting acute and
critical care nurses to attain knowledge and influence to deliver excellence care
Vision: supports creating a health care system driven by the needs of patients and families in
which critical care nurses make their optimal contributions, which is described as synergy
(mixture of nurse, system, and patient along with patient characteristics and nurse
competencies)
Values: accountability, advocacy, integrity, collaboration, leadership, stewardship, lifelong
learning, quality, innovation, and commitment
what is the synergy model and how is it used in practice? - Correct Answers The Synergy Model
focuses on the extent to which nurses' competencies match patients' characteristics. The goal of
Synergy Model nursing is to "restore the patient to an optimal level of wellness as defined by
the patient and family
, certifications: CCRN? PCCN? ACCNS? ACNPC-AG? why are certifications important? - Correct
Answers CCRN → nurses who provide care for critically ill adult, pediatric, or neonatal
populations
PCCN → nurses who provide acute care in progressive care, telemetry, and similar units
Once nurses achieve the CCRN or PCCN credential, they can be eligible to sit for additional
subspeciality certification in cardiac medicine or cardiac surgery
ACCNS→ acute and critical care clinical nurse specialist
ACNPC-AG→ acute care nurse practitioners
Why are certifications important?
validates knowledge of critical care nursing, promotes professional excellence, and helps nurse
to maintain a current knowledge base
What 4 specific projects/organizations are in place to assist nurses in providing safe care? -
Correct Answers The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN)
National Patient Safety Goals→ by the Joint Commission
Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
rapid response teams/ medical emergency teams
what does QSEN do? - Correct Answers roadmap for integrating quality and safety principles
into prelicensure nursing education
six core competencies: patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based
practice, quality improvement, informatics, and safety
What do national patient safety goals do? - Correct Answers reduce medical errors and promote
an environment that facilitates safe practices
reduce infections
ex. improve accuracy of patient identification, improve communication among health care
providers, improve medication safety, use alarms safely, reduce risk of healthcare- associated
