CHPN Practice Test

The CHPN is the hospice and palliative nursing certification from the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC). It is for registered nurses who meet its practice-hour requirement. This page lists the exam facts, checked against HPCC's own pages: 150 items, 3 hours and a passing scaled score of 500. It links each official content area to a free practice set and explains sample questions answer by answer.

CHPN Exam at a Glance

What changed for CHPN in 2026

• Oct 25, 2026: Eligibility changed to Unrestricted RN license + 500 hospice/palliative hours in 12 months or 1,000 in 24 months (previously Current unrestricted RN license (US, territories or Canadian equivalent) + 500 hospice/palliative practice hours in the last 12 months or 1,000 in the last 24 months).^[2]
• Oct 25, 2026: Retake fee changed to $135 (reTEST Assured) (previously $135 (reTEST Assured, one use)).^[2]
• Oct 25, 2026: Testing window changed to Four 1-month windows a year: March, June, September, December (previously Four 1-month windows a year (March, June, September, December); next: December 1–31, 2026).^[2]
• Oct 25, 2026: Registration opens changed to Applications open Dec 1 (Mar window), Mar 1 (Jun), Jun 1 (Sep), Sep 1 (Dec) (previously Applications for the March 2027 window open December 1, 2026).^[2]
• Oct 25, 2026: Delivery changed to Computer-based at PSI test centers or live remote proctoring (previously Computer-based at PSI test centers or by live remote proctoring).^[1]
• Oct 25, 2026: Number of questions changed to 150 items (135 scored + 15 unscored pretest) (previously 150 multiple-choice items (135 scored + 15 unscored pretest)).^[1]
• Oct 25, 2026: Retake policy changed to Unlimited retakes; reapply in an open window; reTEST Assured usable once (previously Unlimited retakes; reapply in an open window (reTEST Assured usable once)).^[1]

What the CHPN is and how it works

According to Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), part of Advancing Expert Care, “consists of 150 multiple choice items, of which 135 have equal weight for scoring.”^[1]

The CHPN exam is run by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC). It tests whether a registered nurse can apply hospice and palliative care knowledge to real situations with patients and families.

Who can apply. You need a current, unrestricted RN license in the United States, its territories, or the equivalent in Canada. You also need hospice and palliative nursing practice of 500 hours in the most recent 12 months, or 1,000 hours in 24 months.

Format and delivery. The exam is taken on a computer, either at a PSI test center or with live remote proctoring. It has 150 multiple-choice items. 135 of them are scored and 15 are unscored pretest items, so answer every item as if it counts. You have 3 hours.

Scoring. Scores are reported on a scale of 200 to 800, and you need a scaled score of 500 to pass. You see pass or fail on screen, and PSI emails the score report within 24 hours.

Dates, fees and retakes. The exam is given in month-long windows in March, June, September and December. Applications open on December 1, March 1, June 1 and September 1, one for each of those windows. The fee is $445, or $305 for HPNA members. If you do not pass, you can retest as many times as you need by reapplying in an open window. The optional reTEST Assured costs $135 and can be used once. Certification is valid for 4 years. Deadlines and policies change, so check the current HPCC candidate handbook before you apply.

CHPN content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official CHPN content outline published by Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), part of Advancing Expert Care. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through CHPN questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'total pain' as introduced by Dame Cicely Saunders?

1. The numeric rating scale score that integrates resting and movement pain
2. The combined physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of suffering
3. The cumulative opioid dose required to achieve complete analgesia
4. The sum of all pain scores recorded over a 24-hour period

Answer: B. The combined physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of suffering

Explanation:

B is correct. Dame Cicely Saunders used the term 'total pain' to describe suffering as a whole. It covers physical symptoms together with psychological distress, social worries such as family or money problems, and spiritual questions about meaning. This idea is why hospice care relies on an interdisciplinary team.

A is wrong because a rating-scale score, even one that combines rest and movement pain, measures only the physical sensation. C mixes up the concept with medication dosing, and total pain is not about how much drug is given. D describes adding up scores over a 24-hour period, which is a charting task and has nothing to do with the concept.

Rule to remember: when a question mentions total pain, choose the answer that covers every part of the person, not a measurement.

Example 2

Question: When a child is part of a bereaved family, the hospice bereavement team should:

1. Provide age-appropriate grief support and encourage honest, simple explanations of death
2. Shield the child from all information about the death
3. Refer the child to psychiatric care immediately
4. Wait until the child asks questions before intervening

Answer: A. Provide age-appropriate grief support and encourage honest, simple explanations of death

Explanation:

A is correct. Children grieve too, and the way they grieve depends on their developmental stage. Hospice bereavement teams give support suited to the child's age. They encourage adults to use honest, simple, concrete words, such as 'died' rather than 'went to sleep', which reduces confusion and fear.

B is wrong because hiding the death leaves children to fill the gaps with their imagination and can leave them feeling alone. C is wrong because grief is a normal response, not a psychiatric illness. Referral is for complicated grief or a specific risk, not a routine step. D is wrong because many children never ask, so the team should offer support first instead of waiting.

Rule to remember: include children, tell the truth simply, and match support to their developmental level.

Example 3

Question: What documentation is MOST critical to maintain for safety compliance in the Hospice Certified Professional field?

1. Employee vacation schedules
2. Incident reports, training records, and inspection logs
3. Client marketing preferences
4. Annual revenue reports

Answer: B. Incident reports, training records, and inspection logs

Explanation:

B is correct. Safety compliance is shown through records proving that hazards were reported, staff were trained, and equipment and work areas were checked. Incident reports record events such as falls, needlestick injuries and medication errors. Training records show that staff were taught safe practice, including infection control. Inspection logs show that equipment and premises were checked on schedule.

A, C and D are all business records. Vacation schedules, marketing preferences and revenue reports may matter to an agency, but none of them shows that patients and staff were kept safe.

Rule to remember: when a question asks about safety or compliance documentation, pick the records an inspector would ask for. Those are the records showing that risks were found, acted on, and that staff were prepared for them.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Download the current HPCC candidate handbook and read the content outline, so you know what each area covers before you practise.

1. Find your baseline. Take the Patient Assessment & Care Planning set without studying first. Note every miss and the content area it belongs to.
2. Work area by area. Use the table above to choose sets. For patient care, add Pain & Symptom Management, Pharmacology and Care at the Time of Death. For practice issues, use Documentation & Legal Standards and Safety & Infection Control. For support, use Bereavement & Grief Support and Patient & Family-Centered Care.
3. Read every explanation, including for questions you got right. Write down the rule in your own words.
4. Practise pacing. Closer to test day, do mixed timed runs with Start Practice Test. The real exam has 150 items in 3 hours.
5. Check the logistics. Confirm your PSI appointment or remote-proctoring setup and the testing rules in the handbook.

Sources & last verified

1. Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), part of Advancing Expert Care — number of questions, time limit, passing score, retake policy (official source). “consists of 150 multiple choice items, of which 135 have equal weight for scoring.” Verified Oct 25, 2026.
2. Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), part of Advancing Expert Care — exam fee, retake fee, eligibility, registration opens (official source). “Initial Certification | non-member $445” Verified Oct 25, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
3. Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), part of Advancing Expert Care — other (official source). “patient care - assessment and planning” Verified Oct 28, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.