AACN Certification Corporation credential for nurses caring for acutely/critically ill cardiac patients across care settings.
Who it's for
Registered nurses with direct bedside care experience with acutely or critically ill adult cardiac patients — AACN's cardiac subspecialty credential for critical care nurses who want to formalize deep expertise in cardiovascular pathophysiology specifically.
What's covered
- Acute coronary syndromes
- Heart failure and cardiomyopathy
- Dysrhythmias and electrophysiology
- Cardiac surgery and procedures
What to expect
As with AACN's other Synergy Model-based exams, expect scenario-driven clinical judgment questions covering cardiac pathophysiology and interventions, rather than isolated fact recall.
How to prepare
AACN's free CMC Exam Handbook lays out the test plan and sample questions; since CMC shares its clinical-judgment format with CCRN and PCCN, candidates who've prepared for those exams will find the study approach familiar, just narrowed to cardiac-specific content.
