Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification (MEDSURG-BC™) | ANCC (2024)

FAQs

How hard is the Med-Surg certification? ›

The perception of the difficulty of passing the certification exams varies for each individual. Here are the pass scores: MEDSURG-BC: You need a minimum score of 350 out of 500 to pass. The pass rate for this examination is 81%.

Test-taking tips for Med-Surg Nursing. As you read the question, cover up the multiple choice options. Try to answer the question on your own first. For example, if a question asks about manifestations of acute kidney injury, try and come up with a list of possible answers before uncovering the actual options.

A standard score of 95, equal to approximately 71% correct, is required to pass the CMSRN exam.

It's also thought of as more strenuous than other specialties, given med-surg nursing requires a broad range of knowledge to care for patients who may have very different conditions and needs. Putting a more positive light on the specialty's reputation requires a shift within the nursing field itself, leaders say.

Passing the NCLEX is essential to begin your nursing career, but it is also one of the most challenging exams you will ever take. The NCLEX is designed to test your critical thinking skills and your ability to make decisions in high-pressure situations.

The Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) certification is slightly better than the Registered Nurse-Board Certified (RN-BC) certification. The main contributing factor to this is that the CMSRN certification is endorsed by a specialty nursing organization, while the RN-BC is not.

Is Med-Surg Nursing Hard? Because of the breadth of skills required, as well as what is often a heavy patient load, med-surg is considered one of the most challenging nursing fields. Med-surg nursing is an acute care area, meaning that patients in med-surg are sick enough to warrant hospital-based interventions.

Above all, never be afraid to ask for help. Working the med-surg floor is a tough job, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed, even more so if you act independent and try to do everything on your own. The other nurses on your floor want you to succeed, not just for your own sake but for everyone else on the team.

The exam allows 3 hours to answer 150 questions (125 scored plus 25 pretest questions that are not scored). For exam prep resources, scroll down to view Study Aids.

Holding a current med-surg nursing certification. Holding a current registered nursing license. Accruing 1,000 practice hours in a medical-surgical setting over the last five years. Earning 90 contact hours in the last five years.

What is the pass rate for the general surgery certifying exam? ›

Overall, 306 of 308 people who registered for the virtual exam completed it. Two examinees rescheduled for a later day. The pass rates for the virtual exam were similar to those in previous years: 81.7% of candidates passed compared with 85% of the 1,025 people who took the exam in person in 2019.

In terms of work intensity, both have their challenges. ICU nursing can be intense due to the severity of patients' conditions and the need for swift responses to rapid changes. Med-Surg nursing, while less acute, can be demanding due to the high patient volume and broad range of conditions to be managed.

Nursing is not an easy course to take. Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, and Pharmacology all have a well-deserved reputation for being challenging to pass. Likewise, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Chemistry, Maternal and Child Health Nursing, or even Psychology may be particularly challenging for some students.

The board exams

The board exams to become a certified medical doctor are universally regarded as one of the most difficult parts of medical school. The first exam, the USMLE Step 1, is one of the hardest. Luckily, your knowledge of basic medical science will be about as good as it's ever going to be at this point.

The CST exam is a comprehensive and challenging assessment designed to ensure that candidates possess the necessary knowledge and skills to excel as surgical technologists. While the exam's difficulty level can be daunting, thorough preparation and a strategic approach can make a significant difference.

The exam allows 3 hours to answer 150 questions (125 scored plus 25 pretest questions that are not scored). For exam prep resources, scroll down to view Study Aids.