The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) is set to launch the new Adult Critical Care Specialty Exam. This new credential will be meant for respiratory therapists working in the adult critical care setting.
Respiratory therapists who successfully pass the examination will be designated as RRT-ACCS.
According to the NBRC website, the ACCS credential will focus on competencompetencies unique to respiratory therapists practicing in the adult intensive care setting and will not focus on basic competencies of respiratory care.
In order to sit for the exam, you must have already obtained your RRT credential and have worked in a critical care setting for a minimum of one year under the supervision of a medical director. You must complete your clinical experience before applying for the test.
The exam is comprised of 170 questions and candidates will have four hours in which to complete the test.
The exact date for the launch of the exam has not been announced, but it is expected to go live around mid 2012. A detailed content outline for the exam is available as well as a free practice exam at the NBRC’s website (http://www.nbrc.org/).