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What to Expect on the TCRN® Exam

With excerpts from Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN®) Examination Review, by Kendra Menzies Kent MS, RN-BC, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN, TCRN

It pays to be mentally prepared for what’s to come on TCRN® exam day. Here’s an outline of what you can expect—from format to timing and everything in between.

Exam Overview

Developed and reviewed by trauma nursing experts with the Board of Certification in Emergency Nursing (BCEN), the TCRN® exam covers the care of a trauma patient from prevention and injury through rehabilitation.

  • Offered year-round at Pearson VUE testing centers

  • Certification valid for three years

Exam Format

The TCRN® exam is a computer-based test (CBT), taken in one three-hour sitting.

  • 175 multiple-choice questions (4 answer options each)

  • 150 scored questions

  • 25 pilot questions (unscored, used for future test development—indistinguishable from scored items)

  • Immediate results and score breakdown provided at the end

Exam Content Breakdown

By Category

  • Clinical Practice: Head and Neck — 29 questions

  • Clinical Practice: Trunk — 36 questions

  • Clinical Practice: Extremity and Wound — 25 questions

  • Clinical Practice: Special Considerations — 22 questions

  • Continuum of Care for Trauma — 21 questions

  • Professional Issues — 17 questions

By Nursing Process

  • Assessment — 18%

  • Analysis — 31%

  • Implementation — 31%

  • Evaluation — 20%

By Cognitive Level

  • Recall — 21%

  • Application — 61%

  • Analysis — 18%

👉 For a detailed Test Content Outline, refer to the BCEN Candidate Handbook.

Exam Day Details

  • Arrival: Bring your letter of approval and two forms of ID (one must be photo ID). Nothing else is permitted in the testing room.

  • Timing: Arrive at least 30 minutes early. If you’re more than 15 minutes late, you risk forfeiting your exam.

  • Tutorial: Optional computer-based testing tutorial available before you begin (does not count toward exam time).

  • Test Time: 3 hours total. Breaks are allowed but count against your exam time.

  • Strategy: Answer every question—there’s no penalty for guessing. You can skip and return to questions later.

See also  So, What's the Adult CCRN® Exam Like?

Results

  • Results provided onsite immediately after the exam.

  • Certificates are mailed to successful candidates within 3–4 weeks.

Resources

👉 Trauma Certified RN Certification Overview

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