The Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN®) exam, administered by the Hospice and Palliative Credentialing Center (HPCC), uses a scaled scoring system rather than a percentage-based one. To pass the CHPN exam, candidates must achieve a minimum scaled score of 75 out of 99. This score reflects performance across the exam’s competency domains including pain management, symptom control, care planning, and psychosocial/spiritual support and is not a raw percentage of correct answers.
Because the CHPN exam is criterion-referenced, your score is based on how well you meet predetermined standards of knowledge, not how you perform relative to other test-takers. The exam consists of 150 multiple-choice questions, with 125 scored items and 25 unscored pretest questions that do not affect your final result. You’ll have three hours to complete the test, and results are typically available within four weeks of your testing date.
It’s important to note that the HPCC does not disclose the exact number of questions you need to answer correctly to pass. Instead, the scaled score accounts for question difficulty and ensures fairness across different exam versions. A strong grasp of end-of-life care principles, familiarity with HPCC’s test content outline, and targeted practice with CHPN-style questions are essential to reaching the passing threshold.
For nurses preparing for the CHPN, using official HPCC resources including the Exam Content Outline and practice exams—can help align study efforts with the exam’s structure and expectations. Achieving that passing score of 75 demonstrates clinical competency in hospice and palliative nursing and qualifies you for national certification, which can enhance career advancement, credibility, and patient outcomes.
If you’re aiming to pass the CHPN exam on your first attempt, focus your preparation on high-weight domains like pain and symptom management, which make up a significant portion of the test blueprint. Consistent, strategic study combined with realistic practice tests significantly boosts your chances of hitting or exceeding the required 75 scaled score.