Frequently Asked Questions

For questions about the registration process or payment receipts,

please contact our test administrator at 1-888-519-9901.

Who is eligible to take the exam?

Currently licensed or credentialed health care professionals are eligible.   For a complete list, check out the exam information and registration page on the website. 

If an individual is not a licensed or credential health care professional,  they are eligible to take the exam by providing asthma education, counseling, or coordination services with a minimum of 1,000 hours experience in these activities.   This is verified through a letter from a supervisor.

How do I prove that I have 1,000 hours of experience?

The NAECB reserves the right to verify eligibility of candidates. Everyone applying under the 1,000 hour provision should be prepared to document their experience with notarized letters from their supervisors. The Board will also verify licenses and credentials of health care professionals.

I am interested in taking the exam, however, I cannot afford to pay the fee. Is there any financial help?

The scholarship was created to provide assistance for individuals pursuing their national asthma educator certification.  The award is named after Linda B. Ford, MD, the first chair and a founding member of the NAECB, the first and only U.S. organization to provide a national certification examination for asthma educators.   The application is available in early spring of each year.

Is the exam offered outside of the United States?

At this time, the National Asthma Educator Certification Board has not determined if the Certified Educator Examination will be offered outside of the U.S. Residents of other nations may come to the U.S. and take the exam here.

Where can I get a list of current asthma educators state to state?

You may contact your local Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA or the Association of Asthma Educators at 1-888-988-7747.   To find certified asthma educators in your state or by last name, click here for our searchable database.

Does the Board offer study materials or suggest reading materials?

At present, accreditation regulations do not allow for certifying bodies to also provide training to take certification tests. However, the NAECB has published the candidate handbook which includes a test matrix and list of review references to assist individuals in preparing for the test. Click here to download the candidate handbook or call our test administrator at 888-519-9901 and request one to be sent via mail.  

Where can I find preparatory course for the exam?

Many groups have expressed an interest in developing preparatory courses for the certification test.  Interested individuals should contact lung related health organizations and their professional organizations to inquire about possible preparatory courses.  Visit our sponsors and stakeholders pages to see a list of possible organizations. 

Organizations that have provided courses in the past include the Association of Asthma Educators, American Lung Association, American Association for Respiratory Care, American College of Asthma, Allergy, & Immunology among others.   You will need to contact these groups individually understanding that the NAECB has no involvement in these courses.

The Board provides an official candidate handbook that can be downloaded from our website that will prepare you for the kind of information the examination covers.  

Once certification is completed and the asthma educator is now running a clinic, will there be specific reimbursable CPT codes?

This is a goal of the Board. An application for CPT codes was submitted in October 2001. It is a lengthy process. Interested parties should visit the NAECB website regularly to keep up to date on developments and for announcements.  An interactive map of the United States is now available outlining state by state methods of reimbursement.   You can access it by clicking on the reimbursement page.

If I wanted to volunteer my services to the National Asthma Educator Certification Board whom should I contact?

Volunteers can either serve on board committees or can submit an application for a position as a Director.   Nominations are requested each year for these positions with a deadline in mid-summer.   The final nominees are chosen through a vote by the certificants in November with the term of office beginning the following January.   To access the recent nomination form, visit the announcements page.

Check out these other volunteer opportunities.

I am unable to open the information regarding the test. I would like information on the handbook and testing categories.

Perhaps a friend or associate can download the information for you. Many libraries have public computers/website access available.   To register online, click here. You can also request a handbook to be sent to you in the mail by contacting Applied Measurement Professionals, our test administrator, at 913-541-0400.

I need a copy of my receipt in order to receive reimbursement from my employer.

For information regarding your registration, payment information, or testing date, please contact Applied Measurement Professionals by phone at 913-541-0400 or by email at info@goamp.com.

I took an asthma educator exam sponsored by our local Lung Association, completed and passed the test. What importance is that exam now that a national exam is created?

Other programs awarded certificates which are not the same as being certified. These programs should be good preparation for sitting for the national certification test, however passing a certificate course will not grant certification. Individuals wishing to become nationally certified must take and pass the NAECB examination.

I've never taken a computer based exam before.  How can I prepare for this?

You may take a practice computerized exam. Click here and then choose Respiratory Therapist.   This is NOT a sample asthma educator examination, it is simply a way for you to practice a computer based exam.

How was the exam developed?

The exam was developed over 18 months and is based on a national job analysis.  The matrix is a result of the national job analysis and is based on sound scientific evidence for development.  The difficulty of the test is accounted for in the final cut score determination.  To find out how the test is scored, click here .

Are the sample items in the candidate handbook supposed to be a practice test?

The sample items in the candidate handbook are only examples to demonstrate the cognitive levels (i.e. recall, application, and analysis/evaluation) of questions on the AE-C® examination.   Candidates are encouraged to review the examination matrix in the candidate handbook for a comprehensive list of the test's content and to assess their study needs prior to taking the examination