A patient with rheumatoid arthritis and acute leukemia is admitted with a cough following a first cycle of chemotherapy. Assessment reveals hypotension, temperature of 38.4 degrees Celsius, and absolute neutrophil count of

The Progressive Care Certified Nurse (PCCN) exam is administered by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), which is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. The PCCN examination tests applicants' knowledge of caring for acutely ill adult patients.

PCCN is a specialty certification for nurses who provide direct care to acutely ill adult patients regardless of their physical location. Nurses interested in this certification may work in areas such as intermediate care, direct observation, stepdown, telemetry, transitional care or emergency departments.