You pass the medical-surgical certification test by dedicating most of your study time to the Patient/Care Management domain, which makes up 32% of the test. Build a study plan using active recall and pace yourself to answer 150 questions within the 180-minute time limit.
- Where should I focus my study time?
- Start with Patient/Care Management. This domain covers 32% of the test, totaling 40 scored items. Your next priority is Nursing Teamwork and Collaboration at 21% (26 items). Mastering these two areas covers over half your score.
- How are the remaining domains weighted?
- Elements of Interprofessional Care makes up 17% (21 items). Holistic Patient Care and Professional Concepts each account for 15% (19 items each). Allocate your review time to match these exact percentages.
- What score do I need to pass?
- You need a standard scaled score of 95. This translates to answering about 71% of the scored items correctly.
- How many questions are on the test?
- You will face 150 multiple-choice questions. Only 125 of these count toward your final score. The remaining 25 are unscored pretest items used to evaluate future test material.
- How should I pace myself during the test?
- You have 180 minutes to complete the 150 items. This gives you about 72 seconds per item. Do not linger on difficult questions. Pick your single best answer, flag it if necessary, and keep moving.
- What types of questions will I see?
- The test uses multiple-choice, single-best-answer formats. You will also encounter case studies. For specific examples of case study formatting, review the official MSNCB candidate handbook.
- What is the best way to study the material?
- Use active recall instead of passive reading. Test yourself repeatedly using our 5,213 practice items. Review the rationale for every incorrect answer to understand the underlying clinical concept.
- What is a common mistake candidates make?
- Many test-takers spend too much time trying to identify the 25 unscored pretest items. You cannot tell them apart from the scored items. Treat every prompt as if it counts toward your passing score of 95.
- Where do I take the test?
- You test through Pearson VUE. You can choose to sit at a physical testing center or use the OnVUE remote proctoring system from your home. For technical requirements regarding remote testing, consult the MSNCB certification guide.
