CNS-CP Exam Information and Outline
Certified Clinical Nurse Specialist Perioperative
Syllabus Update Checked on: November 6, 2026
CNS-CP Exam Syllabus & Study Guide
Before you start practicing with our exam simulator, it is essential to understand the
official CNS-CP exam objectives. This course outline serves as your roadmap.
The information below reflects the 2026 syllabus defined by
CCI.
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
- Exam Format
- Computer-based multiple-choice examination for perioperative clinical nurse specialists
- Patient/Direct Care Sphere
- Advanced perioperative assessment and diagnosis
- Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative management
- Pharmacology, anesthesia considerations and pain management
- Complex patients: pediatric, geriatric, obese, high-risk
- Nurses and Nursing Practice Sphere
- Evidence-based practice and clinical education
- Mentoring, competency validation and staff development
- AORN Guidelines for Perioperative Practice
- Organization/System Sphere
- Patient safety: surgical site infection, retained items, wrong-site surgery
- Quality improvement, outcomes measurement and research
- Policy development, regulatory standards and accreditation
- Leadership, consultation and interprofessional collaboration