COMPLETE CERTIFICATION REVIEW
CSC Exam
Study Guide
2026 – 2027
AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification Prep
with Practice Tests & Interventions
333 Practice Questions
Three full-length exams • rationale for every option
Full Blueprint Coverage
Pre-op • Intra-op • Post-op • Professional Practice
Clinical Decision Pathways
LCOS • bleeding • arrhythmia • mechanical support
Quick-Reference Toolkit
Formulas • drug tables • hemodynamic targets
For Registered Nurses Preparing for the AACN CSC Examination
Aligned to the current CSC test plan • 2025 ACC/AHA, STS, ELSO and AACN practice standards EXAMNURSEHUB
, COMPLETE CERTIFICATION REVIEW
CSC Exam
Study Guide
2026–2027
AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification Prep
with Practice Tests & Interventions
A comprehensive review for registered nurses preparing for the
AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification (CSC) subspecialty examination
EXAMNURSEHUB
,Copyright & Disclaimer
CSC Exam Study Guide 2026–2027: AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification Prep with Practice Tests & Interventions
First edition. Published by ExamNurseHub. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, resold, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other
noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This guide is licensed for the personal, non-transferable use of a single purchaser.
Independent Publication Notice
This study guide is an independent educational publication. It is not authorized by, endorsed by, affiliated with, or sponsored by the American Association of
Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) or the AACN Certification Corporation. CSC, CCRN, CMC, and related marks are the property of their respective owners and are
used here only to identify the examination for which this guide prepares the reader. Test plan percentages, eligibility requirements, and scoring policies are
summarized from publicly available AACN materials and are subject to change; candidates must verify all requirements directly with the AACN Certification
Corporation before applying.
Clinical Disclaimer
This book is intended for examination preparation and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and must not be used as a substitute
for institutional policy, physician or advanced practice provider orders, manufacturer instructions for use, or your own professional judgment. Cardiac surgical
practice varies substantially between institutions, surgeons, and patient populations.
Medication doses, hemodynamic targets, anticoagulation parameters, and device settings presented here reflect commonly cited adult ranges at the time of
writing and are provided as study reference points. Always verify every dose and setting against your institution's current protocol and a current drug
reference before administration. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any liability for any injury, loss, or damage arising from the use or misuse of
the information in this guide.
Clinical guidance in this edition reflects widely adopted practice standards as of publication, including guidance from the American College of Cardiology /
American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA), the American Association
of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Guidelines are revised
frequently; confirm current recommendations before applying them clinically.
Practice question notice. All practice items in this guide are original works written to mirror the style, cognitive level, and blueprint distribution of the CSC examination. They are not
actual exam items, and no actual examination content has been reproduced. Performance on these practice tests does not guarantee any particular result on the certification
examination.
Edition 1.0 • Printed and distributed as a digital publication • 8.5 × 11 in
, For the nurses who stand at the head of the bed in the first hour after bypass
— watching the chest tube column, the filling pressures, and the patient’s
color all at once, and knowing which one matters most right now.
This work is dedicated to you.
CSC Exam
Study Guide
2026 – 2027
AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification Prep
with Practice Tests & Interventions
333 Practice Questions
Three full-length exams • rationale for every option
Full Blueprint Coverage
Pre-op • Intra-op • Post-op • Professional Practice
Clinical Decision Pathways
LCOS • bleeding • arrhythmia • mechanical support
Quick-Reference Toolkit
Formulas • drug tables • hemodynamic targets
For Registered Nurses Preparing for the AACN CSC Examination
Aligned to the current CSC test plan • 2025 ACC/AHA, STS, ELSO and AACN practice standards EXAMNURSEHUB
, COMPLETE CERTIFICATION REVIEW
CSC Exam
Study Guide
2026–2027
AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification Prep
with Practice Tests & Interventions
A comprehensive review for registered nurses preparing for the
AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification (CSC) subspecialty examination
EXAMNURSEHUB
,Copyright & Disclaimer
CSC Exam Study Guide 2026–2027: AACN Cardiac Surgery Certification Prep with Practice Tests & Interventions
First edition. Published by ExamNurseHub. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, resold, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise — without the prior written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations embodied in reviews and certain other
noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. This guide is licensed for the personal, non-transferable use of a single purchaser.
Independent Publication Notice
This study guide is an independent educational publication. It is not authorized by, endorsed by, affiliated with, or sponsored by the American Association of
Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) or the AACN Certification Corporation. CSC, CCRN, CMC, and related marks are the property of their respective owners and are
used here only to identify the examination for which this guide prepares the reader. Test plan percentages, eligibility requirements, and scoring policies are
summarized from publicly available AACN materials and are subject to change; candidates must verify all requirements directly with the AACN Certification
Corporation before applying.
Clinical Disclaimer
This book is intended for examination preparation and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and must not be used as a substitute
for institutional policy, physician or advanced practice provider orders, manufacturer instructions for use, or your own professional judgment. Cardiac surgical
practice varies substantially between institutions, surgeons, and patient populations.
Medication doses, hemodynamic targets, anticoagulation parameters, and device settings presented here reflect commonly cited adult ranges at the time of
writing and are provided as study reference points. Always verify every dose and setting against your institution's current protocol and a current drug
reference before administration. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any liability for any injury, loss, or damage arising from the use or misuse of
the information in this guide.
Clinical guidance in this edition reflects widely adopted practice standards as of publication, including guidance from the American College of Cardiology /
American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA), the American Association
of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO), and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Guidelines are revised
frequently; confirm current recommendations before applying them clinically.
Practice question notice. All practice items in this guide are original works written to mirror the style, cognitive level, and blueprint distribution of the CSC examination. They are not
actual exam items, and no actual examination content has been reproduced. Performance on these practice tests does not guarantee any particular result on the certification
examination.
Edition 1.0 • Printed and distributed as a digital publication • 8.5 × 11 in
, For the nurses who stand at the head of the bed in the first hour after bypass
— watching the chest tube column, the filling pressures, and the patient’s
color all at once, and knowing which one matters most right now.
This work is dedicated to you.
