SCRN exam-day guide
SCRN · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID whose name matches your registration exactly. Ask ABNN/the testing vendor ahead of time which specific ID forms they accept and whether a second form is required - do not assume a student ID or expired document will work.
Appointment confirmation / authorization to test
Have your scheduling confirmation, candidate ID, and any authorization notice with you (printed or on paper, since phones are typically stored away). Verify the exact arrival time and reporting instructions on your confirmation.
Confirmed test site logistics
Re-check the address, parking, and building entrance the day before. If you are testing by live remote proctoring, confirm the platform, system check requirements, and room/privacy rules with the vendor in advance.
Comfortable layers
Testing rooms often run cold or fluctuate. A light, easily removed layer keeps you comfortable without requiring a break.
Snack and water for breaks
You will usually have to store these outside the testing room. Plan a quick, quiet snack you can eat in a short break window.
Nothing else at the workstation
Leave notes, smartwatches, phones, and study sheets at home or in the provided storage. Personal items at the desk can be treated as a testing irregularity.
A light, normal breakfast/meal
Eat what you normally eat. Exam day is the wrong day to test a new energy drink or skip a meal.
High-yield final review plan (not new material)
Limit last-minute review to familiar, high-yield frameworks - stroke types and presentation, assessment scales, acute treatment decision points, blood pressure and glucose targets, secondary prevention, and post-acute complications. Skim, don't cram new topics.
Approved accommodations arranged in advance
If you need ADA-type accommodations (extra time, separate room, breaks), these must be requested and approved well before test day. Confirm your approval status with ABNN beforehand.
Known exam format and time limit
Know in advance how many items the SCRN exam has, the time allowed, and how breaks are handled, so you can pace yourself. Confirm the current numbers in the ABNN candidate handbook - do not rely on secondhand information.
Backup travel plan
Identify an alternate route or earlier train/bus option. Arriving late may mean forfeiting your seat and fee depending on vendor policy.
Rest plan for the night before
Protect 7–8 hours of sleep. Fatigue hurts performance on long clinical judgment items more than one extra hour of studying helps.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Do short (45–60 min) review blocks of high-yield stroke topics, then stop. Re-read the candidate handbook section on ID, arrival time, prohibited items, and break rules. Reconfirm your appointment time and location. If anything in the handbook is ambiguous, contact ABNN/vendor now rather than on test day.
Do one timed set of practice questions to rehearse pacing, and review only the rationales for items you missed. Practice your pacing strategy: how long you can spend per item and how you will flag and return to hard items if the platform allows it.
Lay out ID, confirmation, layers, and snack. Charge nothing you'll need to bring (phones stay home or stored). Confirm transportation and set two alarms. Do a light skim of your own summary sheet only - no new material, no late-night cramming. Go to bed at your normal time.
Eat a normal meal, hydrate moderately, avoid excessive caffeine. Leave earlier than you think necessary. On arrival, follow check-in instructions, store all personal items, use the restroom before you are seated, and take a few slow breaths before starting.
Read the stem fully, especially the last line (which asks what the nurse should do first / anticipate / report). Answer every item - there is generally no penalty for guessing on multiple-choice certification exams, so never leave a blank. Flag long calculation or multi-step items and move on.
Watch the clock at natural checkpoints (quarter and half marks) rather than every item. If a break is offered, take it only if you need it, and remember the clock generally keeps running during unscheduled breaks. In the final minutes, ensure every item has a response and confirm you have submitted/ended the exam as directed.
Follow the vendor's instructions for ending the session and retrieving your belongings. Note that any preliminary result shown on screen may not be the official result - wait for written confirmation from ABNN before telling others or updating credentials.
Rules to check
Bring a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. The name on the ID must match your registration; if your legal name has changed, resolve it with ABNN before test day.
Assume no personal items are allowed at the workstation. Phones, smartwatches, notes, and study materials must be stored as directed; possessing them during testing can void your score.
Only use scratch materials provided by the test center (or the approved remote-proctoring equivalent). Do not bring your own paper, pens, or reference sheets.
Breaks and their timing are governed by vendor policy, which varies - confirm in advance whether scheduled breaks exist, whether the clock stops, and how to request a restroom break. Do not leave the testing area without notifying the proctor.
The exam is scored pass/fail against a predetermined standard, not against other candidates. Confirm the current passing-standard and reporting process in the ABNN candidate handbook rather than relying on what colleagues report.
The exam is generally offered in multiple-choice format with no penalty for incorrect answers - answer every question. Verify this and the current item count/time limit with ABNN, as policies change.
Report any technical problem (freezing, lost connection, screen issues) to the proctor immediately and do not attempt to fix it yourself; document what happened before you leave if a disruption occurs.
Any suspected irregular behavior - talking, looking at another candidate's screen, unauthorized materials - can result in a score invalidation. If you are unsure whether something is permitted, ask the proctor before you do it.