CNRN Exam

The CNRN exam is a computer-based test given by PSI during three one-month testing windows each year, in March, July and October. You can test at a PSI test center or at home or work through live remote proctoring. Every question is multiple choice with one best answer.

Key Facts About the CNRN Exam

To apply you need a current, unrestricted registered nurse license in the United States, Canada or an eligible US territory, and at least one year of full-time neuroscience nursing experience, equal to 2,080 hours, as a registered nurse within the past three years. The experience can be direct patient care or indirect practice such as education, clinical supervision, research, consultation or administration. Nurses licensed in other countries may qualify with a comparable license verified by an approved credential evaluation service. ABNN audits a small random sample of applications, so keep records of your hours and a supervisor who can confirm them.

The Three Sections of the CNRN Content Outline

Section I covers six disorder groups: trauma, cerebrovascular disease, neuro-oncology, infection and immune complications, neurodevelopmental conditions and neurological disorders such as seizures, headache, hydrocephalus, dementia, movement disorders and degenerative spine disease. Section II covers physiological, behavioral and safety interventions. Section III covers quality of life and health care management, including education, collaboration, quality improvement, delegation, ethics and regulations.

ABNN also lists about fifty nursing tasks that run across the outline, such as interpreting a history, correlating assessment findings with interventions, managing intracranial pressure and drains, preventing falls and aspiration, supporting safe transitions of care and organ procurement. These tasks are not scored separately; they describe what the nurse is doing in each question.

Only the 200 scored questions count. The 20 pretest questions are mixed in and cannot be identified, so give every question your best effort. The passing standard is criterion-referenced: neuroscience nursing experts and psychometricians decide how many correct answers a minimally qualified CNRN should achieve, and that number becomes a scaled score of 200 on every exam form. Scores above the passing raw score convert to scaled scores above 200, and scores below it convert to scaled scores below 200. There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question.

• Bedside scenarios that ask what the nurse should do first, which finding requires immediate action or which order to question
• Trends in neurological checks, intracranial pressure, mean arterial pressure, sodium or urine output to interpret
• Questions that ask you to localize a lesion from the signs, or to tell look-alike conditions apart
• Medication questions on thrombolytics, antiseizure drugs, anticoagulant reversal, hyperosmolar therapy and nimodipine
• Device and drain questions on external ventricular drains, lumbar drains, shunts, stimulators and pumps
• Teaching, delegation, ethics, palliative care, organ donation and quality improvement situations

• You see your pass or fail result and scaled score at the test center, or by email if you test remotely.
• Passing candidates receive a digital badge within several weeks and may use the CNRN credential after the RN designation.
• You may take the exam once per testing window and no more than three times in any twelve-month period. Each retake needs a new application and the full fee.