Eligibility
To sit for the CNRN Examination, candidates must meet the following criteria.
Current Licensure
The candidate must have current, unrestricted licensure as a registered nurse valid through the date of the examination in
- the United States
- Canada
- a U.S. territory that grants licensure utilizing the U.S. State Board Test Pool Examination or National Council for Licensure Examination.
Candidates from other countries will be considered if they meet a comparable licensure requirement and can read and understand the English language. Please note licensure must be verified for equivalency by CGFNS, WES, or Educational Records Evaluation Services (ERES) prior to submitting your application to ABNN.
Experience
The candidate must have at least 1 year of full-time experience (or 2,080 hours) in either direct or indirect neuroscience nursing practice during the past 3 years.
Direct Neuroscience Nursing Practice
Direct neuroscience nursing practice is defined as involvement in the nursing process in a clinical setting where the nursing actions and judgments are focused on a particular individual, family, or group of individuals where there is continuing professional responsibility and accountability for the outcomes of these actions.
Indirect Neuroscience Nursing Practice
Indirect neuroscience nursing practice is defined as involvement that includes time spent in clinical supervision of students or staff in research or consultation.
Neuroscience nursing experience is not limited to clinical practice. Consultants, researchers, administrators, or educators also qualify to sit for the examination, provided they meet the above requirements.
For those sitting in the March 2025 window, please review the March 2025 CNRN Candidate Handbook before completing the online application. For those sitting in the July window or later, please review the July 2025 CNRN Candidate Handbook. If you are eligible for the exam, review the upcoming exam dates, locations, and application fees.