To renew your certification, you may visit: www.aacn.org/certification > Renew Certification. You must meet certain criteria in order to retake the exam: You must hold a current, unencumbered U.S. RN or APRN license. This license will have had to remain clean, and not have been subjected to formal discipline by any state board of nursing In order to renew your certification, you will have completed 432 hours of direct care of adult patients with acute illnesses as an RN or APRN within the 3 year certification period. 144 of those hours will have needed to be completed in the 12-month period preceding your scheduled date of certification renewal. Retake/pass the PCCN exam or complete the required CERPS.