Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN)
A certified post anesthesia nurse (CPAN) specializes in the care of patients who have recently undergone surgery or any other procedure that requires the use of anesthesia. Certified post anesthesia nurses must meet the physiological, behavioral/cognitive, safety and advocacy needs of these patients, who may still be under the influences of anesthesia or who may be coping with its after effects.
Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse Career
The duties of a certified post anesthesia nurse include working with patients immediately following surgery and treating the side effects of anesthesia. Nurses in this position need to know how to work with ventilators, multi-drug drips and other instruments that stay with patients coming out of the operating room. Patients recovering from anesthesia can be unstable and may fall ill easily.
A certified post anesthesia nurse needs excellent assessment skills to react to a patient’s changing status quickly and efficiently. He or she also works with a variety of physicians, from anesthesiologists to surgeons. Nurses with a CPAN credential may work in hospitals and same-day surgery centers and often work in a special area or unit of a hospital or clinic designated for patients who have had surgery or conscious sedation—such as a colonoscopy.
Post Anesthesia Nurse Education
Post-anesthesia nurse education programs will begin the same way for every student. Completion of an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing to become a registered nurse.
In addition to fulfilling general education requirements, associate and bachelor’s nursing programs approved by a state’s nursing regulatory body provide the core content required for graduates to be eligible to sit for the Registered Nurse (RN) licensure exam in their state of practice.
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Earn an MSN online from Simmons University. The programs combine live classes, engaging coursework, and hands-on clinical experiences to help you advance your career as an NP. Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP — and prepare to raise the standard of patient care. Explore Nursing@Simmons programs for RNs who hold a BSN or bachelor’s degree.
- Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP
- Complete in as few as 24 months
- Full-time and part-time tracks available
Master of Science in Nursing
Nursing@Georgetown enables RNs to earn their MS in Nursing online from Georgetown University. Through a research-based curriculum and hands-on clinical experiences, the program prepares students to pursue certification in an APRN specialty area and provide specialized care for patients in their communities. BSN required.
- Earn your MS in Nursing in as few as 23 months
- Choose from one of four APRN specialty areas: AG-ACNP, FNP, NM/WHNP, or WHNP
- Gain hands-on clinical experience in evidence-based practice
Master of Science in Nursing
Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing. Bachelor’s in nursing and RN license-required. The online pathway combines live classes, 600 hours of clinical rotations, and on-campus immersions to prepare you to pursue NP licensure in one of four specialties: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, or AGPCNP.
- Part-time and accelerated tracks available
- Four program options: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP
Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse Certification
To become a Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN®), a candidate must first obtain a current unrestricted RN license in the United States and have at least 1,200 hours of direct clinical experience obtained within the two years before applying to take the certification exam. Once the application, documentation and fees are submitted and approved, the candidate may sit for the exam. The American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification, Inc. (ABPANC, Inc) also offers another certification program, Certified Ambulatory PeriAnesthesia Nurse (CAPA®). Depending upon the patient setting and the level of involvement with the patient throughout the anesthesia process, the post-anesthesia nurse may opt to get both certifications.
ABPANC, Inc – CPAN Certification
Eligibility Requirements: a current unrestricted RN license and at least 1,200 hours of direct clinical experience obtained within the two years before applying
Fees: $350 for American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) members or $424 for non-members
Renewal Process: Recertify your CPAN certification by retaking the exam (available only until November 15, 2026) or by earning 70 contact hours in direct and indirect perianesthesia care. Recertification applicants must have a current, unrestricted RN license in the US or its territories, a minimum of 900 hours of perianesthesia nursing practice during the three years of certification.
Information for the CPAN certification from ABPANC, Inc was last verified on September 21, 2026. For the most up-to-date information, refer to ABPANC, Inc’s website.
State Nursing Certification Information
Select your state
- Alabama (AL)
- Alaska (AK)
- Arizona (AZ)
- Arkansas (AR)
- California (CA)
- Colorado (CO)
- Connecticut (CT)
- Delaware (DE)
- Florida (FL)
- Georgia (GA)
- Hawaii (HI)
- Idaho (ID)
- Illinois (IL)
- Indiana (IN)
- Iowa (IA)
- Kansas (KS)
- Kentucky (KY)
- Louisiana (LA)
- Maine (ME)
- Maryland (MD)
- Massachusetts (MA)
- Michigan (MI)
- Minnesota (MN)
- Mississippi (MS)
- Missouri (MO)
- Montana (MT)
- Nebraska (NE)
- Nevada (NV)
- New Hampshire (NH)
- New Jersey (NJ)
- New Mexico (NM)
- New York (NY)
- North Carolina (NC)
- North Dakota (ND)
- Ohio (OH)
- Oklahoma (OK)
- Oregon (OR)
- Pennsylvania (PA)
- Rhode Island (RI)
- South Carolina (SC)
- South Dakota (SD)
- Tennessee (TN)
- Texas (TX)
- Utah (UT)
- Vermont (VT)
- Virginia (VA)
- Washington (WA)
- Washington, DC (DC)
- West Virginia (WV)
- Wisconsin (WI)
- Wyoming (WY)
Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
Earn an MSN online from Simmons University. The programs combine live classes, engaging coursework, and hands-on clinical experiences to help you advance your career as an NP. Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP — and prepare to raise the standard of patient care. Explore Nursing@Simmons programs for RNs who hold a BSN or bachelor’s degree.
- Choose from two program options — FNP or PMHNP
- Complete in as few as 24 months
- Full-time and part-time tracks available
Master of Science in Nursing
Nursing@Georgetown enables RNs to earn their MS in Nursing online from Georgetown University. Through a research-based curriculum and hands-on clinical experiences, the program prepares students to pursue certification in an APRN specialty area and provide specialized care for patients in their communities. BSN required.
- Earn your MS in Nursing in as few as 23 months
- Choose from one of four APRN specialty areas: AG-ACNP, FNP, NM/WHNP, or WHNP
- Gain hands-on clinical experience in evidence-based practice
Master of Science in Nursing
Earn an M.S. in Nursing online at the Wegmans School of Nursing. Bachelor’s in nursing and RN license-required. The online pathway combines live classes, 600 hours of clinical rotations, and on-campus immersions to prepare you to pursue NP licensure in one of four specialties: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, or AGPCNP.
- Part-time and accelerated tracks available
- Four program options: PCFNP, PMHNP, AGACNP, AGPCNP
Information last updated: September 2026