ANALYSIS | DEVELOPMENT | IMPLEMENTATION

What is a Certification in Addiction Nursing?

Addictions nursing is the specialty for nurses dedicated to the prevention, intervention, treatment, and management of addictive disorders. The Certification in Addiction Nursing is based on nurses’ ability to practice within the context of the addictions nursing scope and standards of practice, and the American Nursing Association’s Code of Ethics. Addictions nurses can practice in many different care settings and across all nursing specialties.

 

Why do nurses become certified?

Nurses obtain certification for personal and professional reasons. For example, some nurses work for organizations that require certification, and many agencies offer higher salaries to certified nurses. Other nurses believe that having the certification and its credentials help to legitimize their practice and demonstrate their expertise in the field of addictions nursing. Some nurses become certified because they want to be part of a unique association of nurses who boldly celebrate their specialization in addictions nursing.

 

How do I know which certification is best for me?

The Certified Addiction Registered Nurse (CARN) is for RNs who have a minimum of 2,000 hours (1 year) of nursing experience related to addictions as an RN. The Certified Addiction Registered Nurse-Advance Practice (CARN‐AP) is for RNs who hold a Master’s degree in Nursing. For both certifications, nurses may work in a variety of positions including clinical, administrative, teaching, private practice, consulting, counseling, or research roles that are addiction related. Full eligibility criteria for the CARN and CARN-AP certifications are below:

 

Requirements for the CARN:

1. . RN License: Candidates must provide evidence of a current, active license as a registered nurse (RN) by passing the NCLEX or by verifying license equivalency through the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), World Education Services (WES), or Educational Records Evaluation Services (ERES). If the candidate holds licenses in multiple jurisdictions, each must be full and unrestricted* in the state(s) where they practice.

2.  Clinical Experience: Candidates must attest to at least 2,000 hours (approximately one year) of nursing experience related to addictions, accrued within the three years prior to submitting the application. This experience may include work in staff, administrative, teaching, private practice, consultation, counseling, or research roles. Supervisor contact information must be provided for verification.

3. Continuing Education Contact Hours: Candidates must have completed 30 hours of continuing education in addictions nursing within the three years prior to application. At least 51% of these hours must be directly related to addictions nursing, with the remaining hours relevant to addictions care (e.g., HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, pain management). These hours must be detailed in the online application. Certificates should not be included with the initial application but must be available upon request by the certification board or testing agency.

 

Requirements for the CARN-AP:

1. RN License. Candidates must provide evidence that they hold a current license as a registered nurse (RN) by passing the NCLEX or must demonstrate the license has been verified for equivalency by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS), World Education Services (WES), or Educational Records Evaluation Services (ERES). If licensed in more than one jurisdiction, the candidate must hold full and unrestricted licenses in all jurisdictions where they practice. 

2. Scholastic Documentation: Candidates must provide evidence that you hold a Master’s degree (or higher) in nursing.

3. Verification of Clinical Hours: Candidates must attest to a minimum of 500 hours in advanced clinical practice. These hours must involve direct client contact and be supervised, working with individuals and families affected by addictions and/or dual diagnoses. All hours must have been earned within the last four years, either during the Master’s program or afterward.

4. During Master’s: If any or all of the 500 required hours were completed during a Master’s program, candidates must upload a transcript and highlight the itemized experience hours they are submitting. These hours must be specific to addictions or dual diagnosis and must have been earned within the last four years.

5. Verification of 1,500 Additional Hours: In addition to the 500 supervised clinical hours, candidates must verify at least 1,500 hours of nursing experience in addictions as an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) within the three years prior to application. These hours may include administrative, teaching, private practice, consultation, counseling, or research work.

6. Continuing Education Contact Hours: Candidates must have completed 45 contact hours of approved continuing education in addiction within the three years preceding their application. At least 51% of these hours must be specific to addictions nursing, and the remaining hours must relate to addictions nursing (e.g., HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, pain management). Uploading certificates with the online application is not required, but documentation must be available upon request from the testing agency or certification board.

 

*ALTERNATIVE TO DISCIPLINE POLICY: ANCB recognizes the positive impact nurses in recovery bring to the specialty of addiction nursing. If a nurse is engaged with an Alternative to Discipline program, the following stipulations must be met to sit for the CARN or CARN-AP exam:

 

1.  If a candidate’s nursing license is surrendered or if the nurse has violated the agreement within their state for an Alternative to Discipline program for a substance use disorder-related issue, the applicant will be found ineligible to sit for the exam.

2. If the candidate has a license with restrictions and is currently in a monitoring program, a letter from the monitoring program will be required before they may sit for the exam. The monitoring program letter will need to support that the candidate’s nursing license is active, the applicant is complying with their state’s Alternative to Discipline program agreement, and that the monitoring program supports the candidate sitting for the exam.

3. All candidates will be expected to abide by their state nursing practice regulations and the laws of their state regarding alternative to discipline programs.

 

Can I hold both certifications?

No. You may only hold one certification. The CARN-AP may only be held by those with a Master’s degree in nursing (MSN). However, one may have an MSN and hold a CARN.

 

Can a CARN provide counseling services and bill for them independently or do they have to be working under another provider?

This is determined by the Nurse Practice Act of each state as well as a given clinical facility’s regulations, so this will vary depending on your practice location.

 

Where can I get a copy of the Scope and Standards of Addiction Nursing?

You may order it from www.nursingworld.org   Addictions Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice, 3rd Edition, 2022

 

How do I become certified as a CARN or CARN-AP?

To pursue certification as a Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) or a Certified Addictions Registered Nurse–Advanced Practice (CARN-AP), candidates must complete the full certification process outlined in the ANCB Candidate Handbook. This includes submitting an online application, providing proof of current RN licensure, and documenting both qualifying work hours and continuing education contact hours. For complete details and access to the handbook, visit the ANCB website at https://ancb45.wildapricot.org/Certification. You can also find additional resources and application support on the C-NET website: https://www.cnetnurse.com/addiction-nursing.

 

Where can I find the online application for certification?

The application can be found on the certification page of our website under “Nursing Certifications/Addictions Nursing” on the C-NET website: https://www.cnetnurse.com

 

How is the exam scored, and do I get a score report?

Scores are available at the testing facility immediately after completing your exam. A total correct percentage is provided to candidates who pass the exam; a passing score is defined as answering 75% of the exam questions correctly. Candidates who do not pass will receive a total correct percentage on the exam overall and sub-scores of correct percentages in the major subject areas covered in the exam.

 

Where can I find the exam application periods and deadlines for application submission?

Information about exam application periods and registration deadlines is available in the ANCB Candidate Handbook, which can be accessed through the ANCB website or the testing agency site, C-NET (www.cnetnure.com). While testing is offered year-round and there are no fixed submission deadlines, applicants should allow up to two weeks for application processing. Eligible candidates will receive an exam permit via email, which provides a 90-day testing window. You must schedule and complete your exam within 90 days of the permit’s issue date.

 

What can I use to prepare for the exam?

The most up-to-date list of references for the CARN exam is available here: https://ancb45.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/references-carn.pdf

 

The most up-to-date list of references for the CARN-AP exam is available here: https://ancb45.wildapricot.org/resources/Documents/references-carnap.pdf

 

The Scope and Standards of Addiction Nursing 3rd Edition 2022 can be purchased from the ANCB online store or from the ANA at www.nursebooks.org

 

Can I apply for certification before I complete nursing school?

No. You must document that you have met the criteria, including your nursing degree, and have 2,000 hours (1 year) of experience as an RN before you can apply.

 

What continuing education courses can I use towards the certification or my re-certification?

For the CARN, at least 51% of the required 30 continuing education (CE) hours for initial certification and the 60 CEs required for re-certification must be directly related to Addictions Nursing. This includes addictions, substances, process addictions, addictions in health care professionals, addiction psychiatry, and the treatment and/or prevention of addictions. The remaining 49% of CEs for initial certification and re-certification must be in topics related to addictions nursing, such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, medically oriented pain management, pharmacology, managing symptoms of addictions, and therapies used in addictions (motivational interviewing, etc.).

 

For the CARN-AP, at least 51% of the 45 CEs required for initial certification and the 80 CEs required for re-certification must be directly related to Addictions Nursing. This includes addictions, substances, process addictions, addictions in health care professionals, addiction psychiatry, and the treatment and/or prevention of addictions. The remaining 49% of CEs for initial certification and re-certification must be in topics related to addictions nursing, such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, medically oriented pain management, pharmacology, managing symptoms of addictions, and therapies used in addictions (motivational interviewing, etc.).

 

Contact hours must belong to one of the following categories:

1. Contact hours approved by an ANCC-accredited or approved provider.

2. Continuing Medical Education (CME) hours. One CME 1.0 contact hours.

3. Academic courses related to addiction nursing.

4. Independent study approved for CEs (e.g., self-study and journals) may be used for 100% of contact hours required for certification renewal.

5. If a nurse is certified in more than one specialty, contact hours may be used for both specialties if the majority (at least 51%) of the submitted CEs are directly related to their area of certification.

6. Initial certification for ACLS and PALS cannot be used for contact hours for the CARN/CARN-AP unless new content is covered (credit can only be approved for the new content). BLS and basic courses do not meet the criteria for continuing education and therefore are not eligible.

7. Nurses enrolled in graduate-level courses must identify how their coursework is related to addictions nursing to qualify as CEs.

 

What are good sources for Continuing Education Contact Hours?

• Free CE credits can be found at: pcssnow.org, or addictiontraining.org

• For a small membership fee free CE credits: addictionnursing.org

 

Many nursing journals have addictions courses (e.g., Journal of Addictions Nursing, American Journal of Nursing, RN, and Journal of Nurse Practitioners). CEs may also be found online via, NetCE.com, WesternSchools.com, MedScape.com, Quantum Units Education Online, ContinuingEducation.com, ce.nurse.com. Many other sources of CEs can be found by searching the web. A running list of CE sources is available on C-NET’s website: https://www.cnetnurse.com   

 

How long is my certification valid?

CARN and CARN-AP certifications are valid for a period of four years. To maintain certification, certificants can access the Online Recertification Portal once their new certification period begins to log continuing education (CE) hours. CE hours may be submitted as early as six months before the certification expiration date. After the expiration date, candidates have an additional three months to submit their CE documentation through the Online Recertification Portal; however, a late fee will be applied during this time.

 

How do I obtain a receipt for my payment for the exam or recertification?

A receipt is automatically emailed to you after you submit your online application to C-NET. Be sure to check your inbox—and your spam or junk folder—in case it was filtered. It is the applicant’s responsibility to confirm that the receipt was received immediately after submission.

 

Are IntNSA and ANCB the same organization?

IntNSA is a professional, educational, and membership organization offering educational opportunities, conferences, and an academic journal. ANCB was founded in 1989 by IntNSA to support the certification of addiction nurses and has been autonomous since 2014 due to accreditation standards requiring such autonomy of certifying organizations. ANCB offers the only national-level certification for Addictions Nursing.

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How often are the certification exams offered?

Certification exams are offered year-round at hundreds of testing locations across the United States. After C-NET approves a candidate’s certification application, they’ll receive an exam permit along with detailed instructions on how to choose a convenient testing site, date, and time within their assigned testing window.

 

Who should I contact with questions about the certifications, applications, or test administration?

C-NET handles all questions regarding applications and exam administration. Please click “contact us” at https://www.cnetnurse.com or call 800-463-0786 (ext. 11) to reach them.

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If I register for the exam and then am unable to take it, what are my options?

Once you’ve been registered for the exam, refunds are not available, and credit cannot be transferred to a new application. If you’re unable to test during your original 90-day testing window, you may request a one-time 90-day extension at a reduced fee. However, this request must be submitted via email before your original testing window expires. In cases of extenuating circumstances affecting you, or an immediate family member (parent, sibling, or child), you may submit documentation to C-NET for consideration. All such requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and approval is not guaranteed.

 

If my certification lapses, do I have to retake the exam?

If your certification lapses, you’ll automatically receive a three-month grace period. During this time, you may still submit your continuing education (CE) credits along with a late fee to renew your certification. However, once the grace period ends, you will no longer be able to use the CARN or CARN-AP credential. At that point, the only way to regain certification is to reapply and retake the exam.

 

I’m getting ready to retire. Does ANCB offer a retired status for the certification credential?

Yes—ANCB offers a Retired Certification Status for individuals who are leaving active nursing practice.

To qualify, you must:

• Have held your CARN or CARN-AP certification for at least two consecutive certification periods (8 uninterrupted years)

• No longer be actively practicing as a nurse

• Submit your application before your certification expires (no later than the last day of the expiration month)

If approved, you may use the Retired designation to acknowledge your previously held credential. If you decide to return to active practice, you’ll need to meet current eligibility requirements and pass the certification exam again.

To request a Retired Status application, contact C-NET at info@cnetnurse.com.