The Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN) exam is administered by AHA to assess the knowledge and skills of prospective trauma care nurses.
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Although it is not necessary, BCEN advises that you have at least two years of experience in your specialty area. You must also possess a valid, unrestricted RN license in the United States, Canada, or Australia to be eligible to take the exam.
You might not be permitted to take the exam if your license been limited, restricted, or suspended by a nursing authority.
The TCRN exam contains 175 multiple-choice questions, 25 of which are unscored, and you will be given a 3-hour time limit.
The exam is split into six content categories:
The questions in this domain assess your knowledge and skills related to the following areas:
The questions in this domain assess your knowledge and skills related to the following areas:
The questions in this domain assess your knowledge and skills related to the following areas:
The questions in this domain assess your knowledge and skills related to the following areas:
The questions in this domain assess your knowledge and skills related to the following areas:
The questions in this domain assess your knowledge and skills related to the following areas:
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To apply for the TCRN exam, you must visit the BCEN website and create an account.
Before you can schedule your exam, you need to pay the examination fee. The exam fee is $230 for Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) members, $370 for non-members, and $195 for active-duty military, reservists, and veterans.
You can register for the exam online at the BCEN website. Your registration is processed immediately, giving you the opportunity to schedule your exam on the day you apply. Payment is accepted by credit card or prepaid voucher (obtained through your employer, if applicable).
To pay the examination fee by check or money order, complete the registration process online at the BCEN website. Print your “Confirmation of Form Completion” and mail, with your payment, to BCEN. An exam eligibility email is sent when your registration fee is received. Mailed registrations can take up to four weeks to process, and you cannot schedule your exam until you receive the email.
You must check in for your appointment at least 30 minutes before your exam starts. You will be asked to provide at least one form of valid ID, review and sign the rules and regulations agreement, and store your items in the designated area. The proctor will take your photo and direct you to your testing station, where you are provided two sheets of paper during the exam. The only item you can have at your station is a writing utensil. Everything else is stored or left at home.
You must complete the check-in process within 30 minutes of your scheduled appointment time. Before your exam can begin, the proctor will ask you to download the secure browser, complete a system check of your computer, test your microphone and web camera, and scan your testing area using your computer’s camera. Finally, you will present your ID and have your photograph taken.
Your camera and microphone must remain on during the exam. Your desk must be clean, with only two pieces of blank paper and a writing utensil accessible. You can only use one monitor during the exam; extra monitors need to be unplugged. Once your check-in is complete and your testing area meets approval, your exam will begin.
If you take the exam at a testing center, you will be given a printed copy of your score report before you leave. If you take the exam via remote proctor, your pass or fail status will be displayed on your computer screen. A copy of your score report is sent immediately to your BCEN account, regardless of the testing method.
Your exam score is based on the number of questions you answered correctly, and your final score is not based on a curve. You must answer at least 104 questions correctly to pass the exam and receive certification. If you pass, your certification is valid for four years. A certificate and wallet card is mailed to the address on file with BCEN within 15 business days.
You can take the TCRN exam as often as needed to pass the exam, but you must wait 90 days between attempts. After the 90-day waiting period, you must submit a retest exam application and pay the applicable fee through your BCEN account.
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Your success on TCRN test day depends not only on how many hours you put into preparing but also on whether you prepared the right way. It’s good to check along the way to see whether your studying is paying off. One of the most effective ways to do this is by taking TCRN practice tests to evaluate your progress. Practice tests are useful because they show exactly where you need to improve. Every time you take a free TCRN exam practice test, pay special attention to these three groups of questions:
This will show you exactly what your weak areas are and where you need to devote more study time. Ask yourself why each of these questions gave you trouble. Was it because you didn’t understand the material? Was it because you didn’t remember the vocabulary? Do you need more repetitions on this type of question to build speed and confidence? Dig into those questions and figure out how you can strengthen your weak areas as you go back to review the material.
Additionally, many TCRN practice tests have a section explaining the answer choices. It can be tempting to read the explanation and think that you now have a good understanding of the concept. However, an explanation likely only covers part of the question’s broader context. Even if the explanation makes sense, go back and investigate every concept related to the question until you’re positive you have a thorough understanding.
As you go along, keep in mind that the TCRN practice test is just that: practice. Memorizing these questions and answers will not be very helpful on the actual test because it is unlikely to have any of the same exact questions. If you only know the right answers to the sample questions, you won’t be prepared for the real thing. Study the concepts until you understand them fully, and then you’ll be able to answer any question that shows up on the test.
When you’re ready to start taking practice tests, follow this strategy:
