The ONC exam is based on an analysis of the practice of thousands of orthopaedic nurses across the United States. From that analysis, a test blueprint is constructed to determine what percentage of questions will cover each area of practice (content areas) and each nursing role (test objectives).

TEST SPECIFICATIONS

These specifications include the number of examination questions in each content area, and can be used to guide your examination preparation.

Please note that questions related to operative orthopaedics will appear in all areas of the exam as relevant to the disorder.

 Condition

Degenerative Disorders (42)

Orthopaedic Trauma (28)

Sports Injuries (26)

Metabolic Bone Disorders (12)

Inflammatory Disorders (10)

Pediatric/Congenital (6)

Musculoskeletal Tumors (5)

Neuromuscular (6)

Task

Self-Care – Teach self-care to achieve maximum functional capacity. (22-32)

Pain – Select appropriate pain management strategies for patients’ altered comfort. (35-45)

Complications – Select appropriate measures to prevent, minimize, or alleviate complications. (31-41)

Activity – Identify activity and positioning parameters, and assistive devices, for musculoskeletal conditions. (15-25)

Nutrition – Identify strategies to promote optimal hydration and nutrition. (3-9)

Psychosocial – Select appropriate emotional support strategies in relation to specific musculoskeletal problems. (3-9)

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