CPNRE preparation
The fixed-form entry-to-practice exam for Licensed Practical Nurses in provinces that have not adopted the REx-PN.
- Format
- Fixed form
- Length
- 165 items
- Time limit
- 4 hours
- Fee
- About $450 CAD
Attempt limits vary by regulator — most allow three writes before remediation is required.
Test plan
What the exam weights, and how much
Practice sets are generated against these ranges rather than served at random, so a full set mirrors the distribution you will actually meet.
| Category | Group | Weight | Practise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Practice Accountability, ethics, legislation and self-regulation as they apply to the practical nurse in Canada. | CPNRE Competencies | 20–26% | Practise → |
| Nurse-Client Partnership Building therapeutic relationships and supporting client-centred, culturally safe care. | CPNRE Competencies | 16–22% | Practise → |
| Collaborative Practice Working within the interprofessional team, including delegation, assignment and conflict resolution. | CPNRE Competencies | 14–20% | Practise → |
| Foundations of Practice The clinical core: assessment, planning, intervention, evaluation, pharmacology and safety across the lifespan. | CPNRE Competencies | 36–44% | Practise → |
Formats on this exam
Classic item formats
The CPNRE stays with established formats. Depth comes from the breadth of competencies rather than from the item mechanics.
Multiple choice
One best answer from four or more options. Still the backbone of every exam.
Name the clinical task before reading options: assessment, priority, action, teaching or evaluation.
Select all that apply
Choose every correct option. Extended multiple response versions may cap the number you can select.
Treat each option as its own true/false question against the scenario. Do not hunt for a pattern in the count.
Ordered response
Place steps of a procedure or priority sequence in the correct order.
Anchor the first and last steps, then fill the middle. Safety and assessment steps almost always lead.
Calculation
Type a numeric answer: dosage, IV rate, intake and output, or titration.
Write the units at every step. Most lost marks are conversion errors, not arithmetic errors.
Where it applies
Jurisdictions using the CPNRE
Every province and territory except Ontario and British Columbia, which moved practical nurse registration to the REx-PN.