Nursing
ANCC CV-BCCardiac-Vascular Nurse
The ANCC Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC) validates RN expertise in caring for adult cardiac and vascular patients — from cath-lab recovery and CHF management to peripheral vascular disease education. The exam is co-developed with the Society for Vascular Nursing and tests the full assessment-through-education workflow.
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Exam facts
Everything you need to know about the ANCC CV-BC exam.
- Passing score
- 350 / 500 (scaled)
- Format & length
- 150 questions (125 scored + 25 pretest) · 3 hours
- Voucher cost
- $395 USD (non-member) · $295 ANA member
- Prerequisites
- Active RN license + 2 years full-time RN experience + 2,000 hours in cardiac-vascular nursing in the last 3 years + 30 CE hours in the specialty within the last 3 years
- Validity
- 5 years (75 CE hours for renewal)
Exam facts sourced from the official ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center) certification page. Last reviewed June 2026.
What’s tested
Key topics on the ANCC CV-BC™ exam.
The Cert Climb question bank is mapped to every domain on the official ANCC CV-BC™ exam blueprint, so what you study is what the test asks.
- Assessment & Diagnosis
- Planning & Implementation
- Evaluation & Modification
- Patient & Community Education
Who it’s for
Built for the people taking this exam.
RNs in cardiac telemetry, step-down, cath lab, EP, CV-ICU, cardiac rehab, and vascular surgery units. Frequently pursued by nurses on Magnet-track units where specialty certification is expected and by those targeting clinical-ladder promotions.
Why it matters in 2026
The career signal.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading US cause of death and drives one of the highest-acuity hospital service lines, so CV-RNs with board certification command preferential hiring at heart-center hospitals. CV-BC is broader than AACN's CCRN-K cardiac sub-specialty and is the credential most often listed in Magnet certification rosters for cardiac med-surg and step-down units.
Sample question
What a ANCC CV-BC question looks like.
A 26-year-old tobacco user reports rest pain in both lower legs along with tissue necrosis affecting several toes. Pulses remain intact above the ankle. Which diagnosis best fits this clinical picture?
See the answer & explanation
Correct: C. Buerger's disease
Why: Buerger's disease (thromboangiitis obliterans) is strongly linked to tobacco use and characteristically presents in young adults with segmental thrombotic inflammation of small and medium vessels in the distal limbs. Preserved proximal pulses combined with distal rest pain and toe gangrene are hallmark features. Cold-induced tissue injury relates to environmental exposure and does not account for segmental arterial involvement with intact upstream pulses in a chronic tobacco user. Takayasu arteritis targets large vessels, typically in younger women, producing symptoms from occlusion or aneurysm formation rather than distal ischemia confined to the toes. Deep vein thrombosis affects the venous system and typically presents with swelling and erythema rather than ischemic rest pain or gangrene with preserved arterial pulses.
What you get
Everything you need to actually pass.
Full question bank
600 questions covering every objective on the official ANCC CV-BC™ exam blueprint, with detailed explanations on every option — right and wrong.
Quiz modes
Timed exam simulation, missed-only review, topic drills, and a daily question of the day. Practice the way you study best.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition flashcards generated from each topic. Pull them up on a phone in the gap between meetings.
Progress tracking
See per-topic accuracy and answered counts. Find weak areas before they cost you on test day.
Per-category premium
Unlocking ANCC CV-BC™ unlocks every other Nursing exam in the Cert Climb catalog — pay once, stack credentials.
No-fluff explanations
Every wrong answer comes with a 2-3 sentence explanation of why it’s wrong, not just “the correct answer is X.” Pattern recognition is the whole game.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about ANCC CV-BC
What is the ANCC CV-BC exam?
The ANCC Cardiac-Vascular Nursing Certification (CV-BC) validates RN expertise in caring for adult cardiac and vascular patients — from cath-lab recovery and CHF management to peripheral vascular disease education. The exam is co-developed with the Society for Vascular Nursing and tests the full assessment-through-education workflow.
How many questions are on the ANCC CV-BC exam, and how long is it?
150 questions (125 scored + 25 pretest) · 3 hours
What is the passing score for the ANCC CV-BC exam?
350 / 500 (scaled)
How much does the ANCC CV-BC exam cost?
$395 USD (non-member) · $295 ANA member
Are there prerequisites for the ANCC CV-BC exam?
Active RN license + 2 years full-time RN experience + 2,000 hours in cardiac-vascular nursing in the last 3 years + 30 CE hours in the specialty within the last 3 years
How long is the ANCC CV-BC certification valid?
5 years (75 CE hours for renewal)
How many questions does the ANCC CV-BC bank have?
600 questions, organized into 4 subject areas mapped to the official exam objectives.
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. 30 questions, no credit card, no email-trap, no “activate by Friday or pay” spam. You either upgrade because the bank’s good, or you don’t.
What does premium cost?
Premium is sold per category and unlocks every Nursing exam in the Cert Climb catalog. Plans are 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month — see the upgrade modal for current pricing.
How current is the ANCC CV-BC™ content?
We track exam version updates and refresh the bank within weeks of new objectives. Where the version of an exam matters (e.g. CompTIA SY0-701 vs. SY0-601), question explanations call it out.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Cancellation is one click from your profile. Your access continues through the end of the period you’ve already paid for.
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