TCRN Practice Test

• To apply for the TCRN exam you must hold a current, unrestricted RN licence.
• While BCEN recommends trauma nursing experience (e.g., about 2 years in the specialty) and relevant training, these are suggestions rather than strict mandatory minimums in many cases.

The exam covers six major content domains across the trauma continuum of care:

• Clinical Practice: Head and Neck
• Clinical Practice: Trunk
• Clinical Practice: Extremity and Wound
• Clinical Practice: Special Considerations (e.g., shock, psychosocial issues)
• Continuum of Care for Trauma (e.g., injury prevention, pre-hospital care, rehabilitation)
• Professional Issues (e.g., trauma registry, disaster management, ethical issues)

Create a BCEN account online at BCEN website, submit your application with RN license details, and pay the fee. Once approved (typically within days), you'll have 90 days to schedule at a PSI testing center. Walk-ins are not allowed—book early as seats fill quickly.

Certification lasts 4 years. Renewal options include earning 100 continuing education hours (with at least 50 in trauma nursing) or retaking the exam. You can also combine 50 CE hours with 1,000 practice hours in trauma nursing. Track your progress via your BCEN account.

Preparation strategies include:

• Reviewing the official exam blueprint/content outline from BCEN.
• Using Prephow TCRN practice questions and mock exams that simulate the actual testing format.
• Focusing on high‐yield trauma topics (e.g., ATLS algorithms, hemorrhagic shock, pediatric trauma, burn injuries).
• Developing good test‐taking strategies (e.g., read questions carefully, eliminate obviously wrong answers, watch time, avoid overthinking)

Benefits include:

• Formal recognition of trauma nursing expertise and commitment to the specialty
• Enhanced credibility among employers and peers
• Potentially improved career opportunities, job satisfaction, and perhaps salary/advancement
• Contributing to improved patient outcomes in trauma care settings