Certifications › Specialty nursing board certifications
Board exam · National Certification Corporation (NCC)
RNC-NIC — Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC)
RNC-NIC is NCC's core certification for registered nurses in neonatal intensive care, requiring 24 months and 2,000 hours of specialty experience. It is kept current through a 3-year maintenance cycle that starts with a continuing competency assessment.
The facts, from the issuer
- Eligibility
-
RNC core exams need a current, unencumbered US or Canadian RN licence, 24 months and at least 2,000 hours of specialty experience, and specialty employment within the last 24 months.
NCC — Exam fees and eligibility · checked ·
Quote
“24 months specialty experience as a U.S. or Canadian RN comprised of a minimum of 2000 hours Employment in the specialty sometime in the last 24 months”
- Format
-
Testing runs in 90-day windows that start on the date your application is found eligible.
NCC — Methods of testing · checked ·
Quote
“Testing occurs in 90-day cycles that begin on the date your application is determined eligible .”
- Length
-
The Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing exam has 175 questions, 150 of them scored.
NCC — Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Candidate Guide · checked ·
Quote
“175 test questions. 150 are scored”
- Renewal
-
Core RNC certification is maintained on a 3-year cycle, with CE entered any time during the cycle.
NCC — Core certification maintenance · checked ·
Quote
“CE is entered into the Maintenance Application anytime during the 3-year maintenance cycle”
-
Core RNC maintenance starts with a Continuing Competency Assessment that generates your CE education plan.
NCC — Maintenance information · checked ·
Quote
“Those who hold a Core RNC or NP credential, a continuing competency assessment (CCA) is required generating your individualized CE education plan.”
- Cost
-
Core RNC exams cost $325, which includes a non-refundable $50 application cost.
NCC — Exam fees and eligibility · checked ·
Quote
“The examination fee is $325 for Core exams and $210 for Subspecialty exams, which includes a nonrefundable $50.00 application submission cost.”
- Find a class or test site
-
NCC exams are taken at PSI test centers (about 250 in the US) or by live remote proctoring.
NCC — Methods of testing · checked ·
Quote
“the test is taken at one of 250 test centers across the country at NCC's testing vendor AMP/PSI test sites.”
Where to take it
Start with the issuer’s own test-site search:
- Book the exam at a test site: PSI — NCC test centers (test-takers.psiexams.com)
RNC-NIC is an exam taken at test sites, so there are no classes to list here; use the test-site search above.
Distances are straight-line from the ZIP or city centre (U.S. Census 2024 gazetteer), not drive times. Listings come from state approved-program lists, issuer directories and providers' own pages. A listing is not a partnership; confirm dates, price and seats with the provider.
Related
- CEN — Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
- CPEN — Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN)
- TCRN — Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN)
- CNOR — Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR)
- RNC-OB — Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB)
- C-EFM — Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM)
- OCN — Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN)
- CMSRN — Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN)
- CHPN — Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN)
Every fact above was read on the issuer’s own page on the date shown, with the exact words quoted. Anything the issuer does not publish is left out, so a missing fee means the issuer leaves pricing to the class provider or did not publish one. Employers decide which cards they accept; check the posting.