Tips to Prepare for the AONL CNML Certification Exam

One of the many avenues nurses have to advance their career and expand their job prospects is through becoming a nurse leader. For this, you'll need to be certified as a Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML). This CNML certification is designed by the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL), which is the single major voice of nurse leaders in the country. Getting your CNML certification isn't easy, but Exam Edge is here to help you pass the test with flying colors.

Build Your Stamina

The American Organization for Nursing Leadership might be an unfamiliar name to you, but that's because it went by another moniker until recently. Formerly the American Organization for Nurse Executives (AONE), the AONL's new name is designed to better reflect its purposes.

Simply put, this organization is the largest nursing leadership organization in America. It boasts more than 10,000 members who are either in current leadership roles or aspire to climb the nursing hierarchy. CNML certification from them constitutes a reliable, valid, and sought-after credential that can help you pursue more responsibilities, higher pay, and a more integral role in patient service.

What AONL CNML Certification Allows You to Do

The world of nursing is a smorgasbord of specialties, all of which can take your career in different directions. For those who desire to take on leadership responsibilities, the CNML certification is the way to go.

Becoming a nurse manager and leader means that you will be in charge of a group of nurses, managing schedules, coordinating patient care, and even setting budgetary guidelines that can greatly impact your organization. It is a tremendous responsibility that also comes with a hefty pay raise. According to Payscale, nurse managers make an average of over $87,000 per year.

While you might be able to hold down a leadership role without specific CNML credentials, having that certification certainly makes you stand out from the crowd and gives you leverage when negotiating your contract.

How to Prepare for Your CNML Certification Exam

Is becoming a CNML starting to sound like a solid career plan for you? Then it's time to get serious about your test preparation. First, make sure that you are eligible to take the exam. CNML certification requirements include:

• A record of skills in administrative areas, including human resources and finances;
• A Registered Nurse (RN) certification;
• or a non-nursing baccalaureate degree or higher, coupled with at least three years of experience in a comprehensive leadership role.

If you meet these requirements, then you're ready to start preparing. The CNML certification exam is designed to accurately gauge your ability to perform a very stressful but rewarding job. Managing nursing staff and patient care is a crucial responsibility, so you can expect the exam to be equally grueling. But don't panic — use our tips to ensure that you perform well.

First, make sure to download the official CNML handbook and preparatory resources. This can help you craft a CNML certification study guide based on the four categories of questions you can expect: finances, human resources, strategic management and technology, and performance improvement.

You might also want to form a study group with other candidates preparing for the CNML exam. Putting your notes together, you can craft CNML review questions to quiz each other with. By creating the questions yourself, effectively acting as the test administrators, you help to ingrain that information into your brain for later recall. But there's one special way to prepare that we think sets you up in the best possible way.

Using Practice Exams to Prepare for AONL CNML Certification

Far and away, the best form of preparation is to take CNML practice tests. In fact, we've made an entire blog post about why practice tests help you pass your exam with ease. Long story short, these practice exams quiz you on the same knowledge base, in the same proportions, as the actual test. They can be taken as a timed exam or as untimed aids to your study habits. Since our practice exams are designed to simulate the real CNML certification exam, you can use the score you earn as a reliable metric to gauge how you'd do on the real test.

Also, our practice exams come with detailed explanations for wrong answers. This helps you learn which areas you have trouble with while simultaneously gaining a better understanding of the correct choice. Plus, there's the added bonus of becoming familiar with the test structure and pacing. Knowing the material is one thing. Being able to focus on the questions, get rid of the test day jitters, and recall the material is another. By repeatedly practicing the CNML certification test, you will become familiar with it and reduce your test anxiety.

Get Started on Your CNML Preparation Today

You can purchase a set of CNML practice exams today, right here at Exam Edge. As part of our offering of practice AONL exams, we also offer practice tests for the organization's other certification: the Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP) credential. Get your set of practice exams today or request a few free CNML sample questions to get a feel for how our practice tests work.

Exam Edge is your one-stop-shop for test preparation throughout the nursing world. If you are a current or aspiring nurse making career plans, make sure to prepare for your certification exams with our reliable practice tests.