To qualify for the hospice and palliative care administrator certification examination, a candidate must have at least two years of hospice administrator experience within three years prior to application.
The hospice and palliative administrator certification examination is administered by the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses. The board seeks to establish a national standard for hospice and palliative nurses and administrators.
A hospice administrator is tested on the areas of practice related to providing administrative support to health care professionals in a hospice setting. The four-hour examination tests the candidate in eight subject areas through 150 multiple-choice questions.
As of July 2010, the fees for certification examination are $345 for Hospice and Palliative Nurse Association members and $445 for nonmembers. There are four opportunities to take the examination throughout the year. March, June, September and December are the testing months.
The hospice and palliative administrator must renew her credentials every four years by sending an application for renewal to the National Board for Certification of Hospice and Palliative Nurses.