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About ABCC and CACC

The DNP degree is an academic program of study that provides formal education for nurses who aspire to a complex advanced practice, with broader scope and responsibility than master's degree education provides. Nurses with the clinical doctorate are distinguished by their ability to provide sophisticated comprehensive care that is central to improving an individual's health care.

Founded in 2000, the Council for the Advancement of Comprehensive Care (CACC) is the leading academic organization for the promulgation of doctoral level clinical nursing. The Council is a consortium of distinguished academic and health policy leaders who are committed to assuring high standards of doctoral nursing practice.

CACC and its programs are supported by grants from foundations and health care organizations. CACC actively promotes policy for national standards, reimbursement, access and increased authority of these individuals.

In order to distinguish DNP graduates who have achieved a high level of competence in comprehensive care, CACC and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) have agreed to offer a certification examination that will validate the advanced clinical competency of these graduates.

Certification is an earned credential that demonstrates an individual's specialized knowledge, skills and decision making. Reliable quality and clear, identifiable standards of competence are necessary for the legitimate expansion of practice and for broad acceptance by the public and by commercial insurers. After meeting defined eligibility criteria, a certification candidate achieves a nationally recognized credential through successful completion of a recognized examination.

In 2008, the Council for the Advancement of Comprehensive Care (CACC) and the National Board of Medical Examiners agreed to collaborate to develop and administer a Certification Examination for Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP).  The intent of the competency-based DNP Certification Examination is to assess the knowledge and skills necessary to support advanced clinical practice. The DNP Certification Examination is comparable in content, similar in format and measures the same set of competencies and applies similar performance standards as Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).  While the CACC exam is derived from the USMLE Step 3, the certification for graduates of DNP programs is customized by CACC content experts.  Whereas the Step 3 exam is the final step for licensure for MD candidates, the CACC exam is used only for certification for graduates of DNP programs.  These two exams are separate and distinct.  The overlap in content between these two exams provides evidence of some competencies that are common to nursing and medicine, but each profession--medicine and nursing--has additional and discipline specific requirements for licensure practice.  Successful DNP candidates will be designated as Diplomates in Comprehensive Care by the American Board of Comprehensive Care.

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abcc@dnpcert.org