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Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) Examination
The Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) examination is the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing's generalist certification exam for stroke nursing; it is a 170-item (150 scored), 3-hour computer-based multiple-choice exam delivered by PSI during three testing windows each year, covering the anatomy and pathophysiology of stroke and hyperacute, acute, post-acute, and preventative stroke care across the lifespan.
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Questions170 multiple-choice items, of which 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items being tested for future use
Testing time3 hours
ScoringCriterion-referenced: the passing raw score is established by a panel of stroke nursing experts with PSI psychometricians (number of correct answers a minimally competent candidate would provide) and finalized by the ABNN Board of Trustees; no numeric cut score is published
Exam feeUSD 300 AANN member / USD 400 nonmember when paying by credit card; USD 325 member / USD 425 nonmember by check (applications completed online; refunds only before scheduling, minus a USD 100 administrative fee)
Prep options
Study resources for SCRN
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- ABNN
- Category
- Specialty Nursing Certification
- Current version
- SCRN examination per the 2021–2022 job analysis study; the updated content outline first appeared in the September 2023 exam window and is published in the 2026 SCRN Candidate Handbook
- Where it applies
- United States — national
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- Scaled scores with 200 as the passing scaled score (the raw score required to pass is set equal to 200, and other raw scores convert linearly above and below it)
- Testing provider
- PSI Services (approximately 300 test centers plus online remote proctoring; also scores and reports results)
- Format
- Computer-based multiple-choice exam delivered at a PSI test center or by PSI online remote proctoring; on-screen pass/fail with scaled score at the testing site; no level-of-care or developmental-level emphasis
- Availability
- Three exam windows each year (February 1–28, May 1–31, September 1–30), by appointment at PSI test centers or via remote proctor; application deadlines fall 3–4 weeks before each window (e.g., January 8, April 2, August 6 for 2026)
- Results
- Pass/fail status with scaled score and the passing scaled score provided at the testing site (or via email for remote-proctored exams); digital badge issued within 4–6 weeks of the exam date
- Credential validity
- A passing result confers SCRN certification for five years (expiring December 31 of the 5th year), renewable by retaking the exam or by continuing education and work hours
- Remote testing
- Available
Exam structure
One 170-item multiple-choice exam (150 scored) across five stroke-care categories with published scored-item counts: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology of Stroke (28); Hyperacute Care (42); Acute Care (42); Post-acute Care (19); Primary and Secondary Preventative Care (19); a generalist exam not emphasizing any particular level of care or developmental level
Where rules vary
A uniform U.S. national specialty nursing board certification exam; candidates must hold current unrestricted RN licensure in the United States, Canada, or a U.S. territory (nurses from other countries are considered with verified comparable licensure), and the exam is delivered at approximately 300 PSI test centers located throughout the United States and internationally
Eligibility
Current unrestricted RN licensure (United States, Canada, or U.S. territories; other countries considered with verified comparable licensure and English reading ability) plus 1 year of full-time (2,080 hours) direct or indirect stroke nursing practice as an RN within the 3 years preceding application
Retake policy
One attempt per exam window; no more than three attempts in any 12 months; repeat candidates must submit a new application and pay the full examination fee