The credentials CRRN stand for Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse. The certification in nursing earned by passing the CRRN exam is an outward sign that the restorative or rehabilitation nurse has achieved a standard of knowledge measured by a certification exam, which serves as a benchmark of the nurse’s skills, and is much higher than the typical rehab skills and knowledge acquired in nursing schools.
CRRN Certification Process
In order to qualify to take the CRRN exam, the candidate must possess at the time of application a current and unrestricted license to practice nursing in the United States. He/she must also have either completed two years of rehabilitation nursing in the five years before application, or one year of practice in rehabilitation nursing and one year of advanced education beyond BSN.
The CRRN exam consists of 175 multiple-choice questions, 150 of which are used to derive the candidate’s score; the other twenty-five questions are test questions which are being validated for possible inclusion in future versions of the CRRN exam. The maximum time allowed for completion of the exam is three hours. A scaled score of 500 is a passing score for this exam. The applicant will receive their score report at the end of the exam, which will indicate a pass or fail status. Within approximately six weeks of passing the exam, the candidate will receive their certificate and information on the recertification process.
Certification is renewed on a five-year cycle and may be accomplished by either retaking the certification exam or by obtaining 60 point credits. The points credit system is designed to promote and encourage professional development among rehabilitation nurses. The nurse can select from a variety of enrichment activities in order to obtain points, such as formal education, presentations, or continuing education, in addition to other types of activities.
The certification board website has a handbook that is downloadable free of charge and contains eligibility criteria as well as information about the testing process. There are also useful study tips that the candidate should use to help guide and direct study for the exam.