If you are
interested in
creating a temporary
Special Test Site at your
facility to host the CMSRN exam on one
of our twice yearly cross-national exam dates, please read through the
FAQ
provided below. The last section contains a link to
download
an application to create a Medical-Surgical Special Test
Site. Please click here for information on being
added to an e-mail list that will mail you twice per year to notify you
when Special Test Site host applications are available in connection with our Fall and
Spring P & P exam dates.
- What
are
Special Test Sites?
- How do I
create a Special Test Site?
- Who
should
file the application to become a Special Test Site?
- If
I wish to take the certification exam at our temporary Special Test
Site, can I still file the Special Test Site application?
- Is
there a
fee to host the exam as a Special Test Site?
- Is there a
number of applicants required to host an exam at a Special Test Site?
- What
kind
of room should I book to hold the exam in/is there a special room
set-up required?
- I'm
booking a room for the exam date and need to know: how long is the
exam, and what time does it start?
- What is an
Exam Manager?
- Does C-NET
provide the exam manager for the Special Test Sites?
- Who can
serve as an Exam Manager?
- What is a
Proctor?
- Other
facilities in our region would like to send their nurses to our
Special Test Site, may they do so?
- We would
like to keep our Special Test Site in house, provided only for our
staff. May we do so?
- Where can our staff find an
application to register for the CMSRN exam?
- May our
facility submit a package of multiple exam applications for our
facility nurses?
- May our
facility submit a package of applications with one check/credit card to
cover that group?
- May
our
facility host a Special Test Site on a day other than those listed?
- One of the nurses on staff at my facility asked me to
contact C-NET regarding her exam application, may I do this?
- Okay, I've
read the FAQ and I'm ready to submit an application to create a Special
Test Site to host the CMSRN exam. Where do I get one?
- How do I sign up to be reminded via e-mail when Special Test Site host applications are available
on your website?
- I'd like to plan ahead for the Special Test Application process. When will the application deadlines be for the Fall & Spring dates?
Q: What are
Special
Test Sites?
A: Special Test Sites are temporary test sites created so that organizations may host the CMSRN exam on site at their facility on one of our twice-yearly cross-national certification test dates.
Q: How do I create
a
Special Test Site?
A: The first step in establishing
a Special Test Site is filing an application.
This application must be
completed and
either mailed or faxed so that it arrives at C-NET on or before the
deadline date stated on the application. There are no exceptions to the
deadline. Please be sure to contact C-NET before the deadline has
passed to confirm receipt of your application.
Q: Who should
file
the application to become a Special Test Site?
A: Special Test Site applications should be filed by an individual who will serve as the contact person for the exam site. This person will provide the contact information required in the application, and will serve as a liaison between C-NET and the exam site. The basic duties of a Special Test Site contact are:
- Filing the site application
- Booking a room in their facility where the test will be administered.
- Responding to e-mails or phone calls from staff at C-NET for matters relating to the coordination of the Special Test Site.
- Making clear to your staff that it is their own responsibility to familiarize themselves with policies, procedures and deadlines as they relate to their registration application for their CMSRN exam and related exam date. C-NET and the certification board we serve are not responsible for any miscommunications between Site Contacts and their staff.
Q: If I wish
to take the CMSRN certification exam at our temporary Special Test Site, can
I still file the Special Test Site host application?
A: Yes. In filing the application to create a temporary Special Test Site, you become the contact person for that test site. Your preparation for the exam must not interfere with your ability to fulfill your duties as a contact person, but there is no conflict in taking the certification exam at a Special Test Site that you are also coordinating.
Q: Is there a fee
to
host the exam as a Special Test Site?
A: Facilities that wish to
create a Special
Test Site for
the Medical-Surgical exam must
submit an application fee of $300.00
along with the Special Test Site application. in connection with the introduction of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the CMSRN at 300 exam sites nation-wide! This has reduced the need for special test sites.
A list of the City and State locations of testing centers where the CBT version of the CMSRN is available.
You may also visit: MSNCB's
page on CBT testing for the CMSRN
Q: Is there a number
of applicants required to host an exam at a Special Test Site?
A: Facilities that wish to
create a Special
Test Site for
the CMSRN certification exam now
has NO REGISTRATION REQUIREMENT! The higher fee now required to create a
Medical-Surgical Special Test Site means there is no required number of nurses
the need to be registered, as long as your test site has even one CMSRN candidate registered, the test can take place.
Q: What kind of room
should I book to hold the exam in, and is there a special room set-up
required?
A: To view a separate document which details the guidelines for the type of room required to host the exam, as well as the room set-up, please click here.
Q: I'm booking a room for the
exam date and need to know: how long is the exam,
and what time does it begin?
A: Candidates are given 4 hours to complete the CMSRN exam. If they complete the exam before that time has elapsed, they may be dismissed. The normal* exam timing is as follows:
- Report for registration at 7:30 AM
- Exam start time is 8:00 AM
- Exam end is 12:00PM (Times correspond to the time zone of your test site location)
Unless you specifically request otherwise, these are the exam times that will be listed on the exam permits mailed by C-NET to the CMSRN candidates registered for your Special Test Site. If you cannot obtain a room to hold your exams in during this time frame, you should indicate this on your application. If you discover these times are not available at your facility after you have filed your Special Test Site host application, you must contact Edie Nugent of C-NET as soon as possible (no later than a month before the exam date, please) by phone at: 800-463-0786, or by emailing: 'edien@cnetnurse.com' so she can update your site information in our computer database.
*Please be aware that exam report and start times may vary by site.
A: Exam Managers are responsible for receiving the shipment of the exam materials, and confirming their arrival and completeness. They keep the shipment locked away until the day of the exam when they will bring the materials to the Special Test Site. The shipment includes an Exam Managers? manual which explicitly describes their duties in administering the exam, from arriving at the test site and checking in the applicants through the end of the test.
C-NET will remunerate the Exam Manager (and their Proctor if applicable) of Medical-Surgical Special Test Sites for their work.
Q: Does C-NET provide
the Exam Manager for the Special Test Sites?
A: C-NET will make every effort to find a candidate for the position of Exam Manager for new Special Test Sites. However, due to the fact that many our of the Exam Managers that C-NET employs are proctoring our Permanent Exam Sites on our twice yearly test dates, this is not usually possible. Also, because Special Test Sites are not in close proximity to the major cities in which C-NET has permanent exam sites, often C-NET will call upon the Special Test Site contact to aid in finding a candidate to serve as an Exam Manager. Should this occur, the site contact will be notified by e-mail.
Q: Who can serve
as
an Exam Manager?
A: A candidate for the position of Exam Manager should be reliable, responsible, and not present a conflict to the integrity of the exam. By this we mean that the Exam Manager should not have any reason to sit for the exam, such as being an uncertified Medical-Surgical nurse. They should also not have helped the nurses of a special test site review for the exam itself.
A: A Proctor is an individual who assists the Exam Manager at the Special Test Site on the day of the exam. They help the Exam Manager check in applicants, pass out exam materials, and monitor the examinees should the Exam Manager have to briefly leave the room in which the exam is being given. Special Test Sites with more than 10 applicants should have someone on site at the facility on exam day to assist the Exam Manager should they need to briefly leave the exam room to make a phone call or use the rest room. If the test site has more than 20 applicants, the Exam Manager must have a Proctor to assist them. Proctors must not be uncertified Medical-Surgical nurses. Usually the Exam Manager will be asked to select their own proctor to assist them.
Q: Other facilities
in our region would like to send their nurses
to our Special Test
Site, may
they do so?
A: Yes. On the Special Test Site applications, there is a box to mark which indicates your desire to have what we call an 'open' Special Test Site. This will indicate your desire to have any CMSRN exam registration applications that list your Special Test Site as their exam site accepted & processed.
Q: We would like to
keep our Special Test Site in house, provided only
for our staff. May
we do so?
A: Yes. On the
Special Test Site applications, there another box to mark which
indicates your
facility wishes have what we call a 'closed' Special Test Site. This
will
indicate that any CMSRN exam registration
applications
submitted by nurses who are not from your staff should NOT be allowed to register for your
Special
Test Site. In order to 'close' your Special Test Site completely:
please
remember to include the name(s) of the
Hospitals/Facilities whose nurses we may accept CMSRN exam registration applications from for your to your staff only site in the
space provided.
Q: Where can our staff download
and print out applications to register for the
CMSRN exam?
A: The application to register for the CMSRN exam is available for download by clicking here, or by visiting the application and other forms section of the Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Board (MSNCB) website.
Q: May our facility submit a package of multiple exam
applications for our facility nurses?
A: Yes. All applications should be filled out correctly, include all supplemental materials (relevant copies of: RN licenses, membership cards, etc.), as well as proper payment. Please make sure that the package of applications is mailed by the postmark deadline for the desired exam date. C-NET and the certification boards they serve do NOT make exceptions to application deadline dates or late fee policies for Special Test Site applicants. Please keep in mind that CMSRN exam registration applications should be submitted to the Medical-Surgical Certification Board in Pitman, NJ and all checks written should be payable to MSNCB.
Q: May our facility submit a package of applications with one check/credit card to cover that group?
A: Yes. When paying by facility check, please include a list of the applicants covered by that check, as well as their individual exam fees (member or non-member rates). When paying by company credit card, provide the credit card information for that account on EACH application in the section regarding payment. Please keep in mind that Medical-Surgical exam applications should be submitted to the Medical-Surgical Certification Board in Pitman, NJ and all checks written should be payable to MSNCB.
Q: May our facility host a Special Test Site on a day other than
those listed?
A: We do not
usually allow this. However; if your facility is closed (or under
construction)
during the stated twice yearly exam dates we may allow it. Please send
an email request to: 'edien@cnetnurse.com' and be sure to include
a brief description of the issue that prevents your nurses from being
able to test in connection with one of our the cross-national exam dates.
Q: One of the nurses
on staff at my facility asked me to contact C-NET regarding her exam
application, may I do this?
A: No. C-NET has a strict policy regarding the confidentiality of our exam applicants. We will not give any application information to a third party. If an exam applicant has questions regarding their application status, they must contact C-NET directly. We also ask that Special Test Site contacts do not e-mail C-NET on behalf of any exam applicant, even if asked to do so by the applicant themselves. It is important that any individual filing an exam application with C-NET understands this policy and takes it upon themselves to contact C-NET with any questions or issues.
Q: Okay, I've read
the FAQ and I'm ready to submit an application to
create a Special Test
Site.
Where do I get one?
A:The deadline has passed for submission of applications to host the CMSRN exam as a temporary Medical-Surgical Special Test Site in connection with our October 9th, 2010 cross-national exam date. Please see the question & answer directly below this one for information about how to add your email to a list that will email reminders twice yearly when Special Test Site applications for our Fall and Spring dates go up on this site.
--
Q: How do I sign up to be reminded via e-mail when Special Test Applications go up on your site?
A: Send an e-mail with the
subject line: "ADD ME TO THE LIST" to: 'edien@cnetnurse.com'. Upon
receipt your e-mail address will be added to a list that will mail out
e-mail reminders twice yearly when Special Test Site applications for
our Fall and Spring dates go up on this site. Please be advised: you are responsible for upholding relevant application deadlines. In addition to receiving the reminder email, you can always reference this web page to see if the applications have been posted.
Q: I'd like to plan ahead for the Special Test Application process. When will the application deadlines be for the Fall & Spring dates?
A: The application deadlines will vary slightly from year to year. If you are planning ahead for your Special Test Site, here is a guidline that will ensure you meet the host site application deadline:
To host the CMSRN exam in connection with the MAY(Spring) exam date, the application to will be posted in mid-October, with a submission (not a postmark) deadline in mid-November.
To host the CMSRN exam in connection with the OCTOBER(Fall) exam date, the application to will be posted in mid-May, with a submission (not a postmark) deadline in mid-June.
Please be advised that there are no exceptions made for these deadlines, which are provided on the first page of the host application.
Thank you for your interest in our exams! We look forward to working with you.