The Breast Patient Navigator Certi cation has been developed to set standards of achievement and the professional’s role; enhance patient safety; improve the quality of care and delivery of services; and recognize professionals who advance beyond basic knowledge in a eld of specialty. The Breast Patient Navigator Certi cation validates the medical professional’s knowledge and performance standards through testing.
The optional navigation presentation o ered on Saturday at the National Conference does not teach the knowledge needed to pass the certi cation exam. Program content is designed to provide refresher to the knowledge already possessed by the medical professional. The certi cation program provides individuals with a valuable reference and information binder/thumb drive, membership in a network of peers, the ability to exchange experiences with other navigators, and the opportunity to participate in case study analysis with other medical professionals. Those seeking certi cation should self-study. Skills and knowledge acquired through college education, continuing education and professiona l performance should be enhanced through self-study using the reading references suggested. Answers to the tests are based on national standards as noted in the reference section of the binder/thumb drive.
To be eligible to sit for the certi cation examination:
The individual must be:
1) a licensed medical professional and hold a valid medical license as a physician, nurse, radiologic technologist or social worker OR
2) a certi ed medical professional and hold a valid certi cation as a physician assistant, radiologic technologist, radiology practitioner assistant, social worker or advanced practice nurse OR
3) master level prepared in a health related eld; and
The individual must navigate breast patients a minimum of 50% of his/her work time OR have navigated breast patients for a minimum of 1000 hours of his/her work time.
It is highly recommended that individuals have a minimum of at least two years navigating breast patients.
Each registrant will be provided reference information that includes the Breast Patient Navigation Matrix, description of skills and knowledge for each navigation stage, sample job descriptions and supplemental reading material references. Two hours are allowed for each 100 question multiplechoice examination with a ½ hour break between examinations. Certi cations are awarded within two weeks of the examination.
Certi cations are achieved by attaining a minimum score of
80% on the imaging examination to be certi ed as a Breast Patient Navigator in Imaging (CBPN-I) or
80% on the cancer examination to be certi ed as a Breast Patient Navigator in Cancer (CBPN-C) or
80% on both the imaging and cancer examinations to be certi ed as a Breast Patient Navigator in Imaging and Cancer (CBPN-IC).
Certi cations are lifetime certi cations with annual renewal requirements. At this time, more than 775 individuals have attained one of the three Breast Patient Navigator Certi cations.
