ONCC's credential for advanced practice registered nurses specializing in oncology, validating graduate-level clinical expertise in cancer care beyond the scope of the base-level Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) credential. As of this writing, ACON is a newly developed credential still in its beta testing phase — candidates preparing for it should verify current exam availability and the official Test Content Outline directly with ONCC, since specifics may evolve as the credential moves from beta to full launch.
Who it's for
Advanced practice registered nurses (nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists) with a graduate degree and substantial oncology-focused clinical experience, who provide advanced-level assessment, diagnosis, and treatment planning for cancer patients — a distinctly higher scope of practice than bedside oncology nursing validated by the OCN credential.
What's covered
- Advanced Assessment & Diagnosis Across the Cancer Care Continuum (30%) — advanced history-taking, diagnostic workup interpretation, and staging across the full continuum from prevention and screening through survivorship
- Advanced Treatment Planning & Management (30%) — advanced-practice-level treatment decision-making across surgical, systemic, and radiation therapy modalities, including managing treatment-related complications
- Symptom Management, Oncologic Emergencies & Palliative/Survivorship Care (25%) — advanced symptom management, recognizing and managing oncologic emergencies, and palliative and survivorship care planning
- Leadership, Research & Professional/Ethical Practice (15%) — advanced practice leadership, evidence-based practice and research application, and ethical/legal considerations specific to advanced oncology practice
What to expect
Based on ONCC's published information, the ACON exam is expected to consist of multiple-choice questions (a mix of scored and unscored experimental items) covering advanced oncology nursing practice at the graduate level, developed from a formal role delineation study of the advanced oncology nurse role. Because this credential is still moving through beta testing as of this writing, candidates should confirm exact question counts, time limits, and content weighting directly with ONCC before relying on any single source.
How to prepare
Because ACON is pitched at an advanced practice level, candidates benefit from building on (rather than re-learning) the foundational oncology nursing knowledge validated by OCN, focusing study time on the advanced clinical decision-making, treatment planning, and leadership content that distinguishes advanced practice from bedside oncology nursing.
Certification details
- Certifying body: Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC).
- Eligibility: Current active RN license, a master's, PhD, or DNP in nursing (preferably oncology-focused), a minimum of 3 years of RN experience within the past 5 years, at least 1,000 hours of oncology nursing practice within the past 4 years, and at least one graduate-level oncology course or equivalent continuing education within the past 5 years.
- Exam status: As of this writing, ACON is in beta testing; candidates should verify current availability and exact exam specifications directly with ONCC.