The Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN) exam is for registered nurses with qualifying stroke nursing experience. This page brings together free practice sets, explanations of sample answers, and verified exam details from the American Board of Neuroscience Nursing (ABNN). Use it to connect your review to the official content areas, examine why an answer fits a clinical question, and plan what to study next. Our practice content is written with AI tools.
The SCRN has 170 questions, takes about 3 hours and costs $400[1][2] (American Board of Neuroscience Nursing, verified Oct 27, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 170 multiple-choice questions (150 scored, 20 unscored pretest)[1] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Time limit | 3 hours[1] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 200[2] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $300 AANN member / $400 nonmember (credit card); $325 / $425 (check)[2] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Once per examination window; maximum 3 times in 12 months[2] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Validity | 5 years (expires December 31 of the 5th year)[2] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Delivery | PSI test center (onsite) or Live Remote Proctoring (online)[3] | test-takers.psiexams.com · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Current RN license + 2,080 hours of direct or indirect stroke nursing practice within past 3 years[4] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Score release | Immediately at test site; via email for Live Remote Proctoring[2] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Late registration deadline | January 31, 2027 (5:00 p.m. CT) for recertification by CE[5] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
| Testing window | February 1–28, May 1–31, September 1–30 (2026)[6] | American Board of Neuroscience Nursing · Oct 27, 2026 |
According to American Board of Neuroscience Nursing, “To calculate a scaled score, the raw score required to pass is first set equal to 200.”[2]
The SCRN exam verifies knowledge needed for a Stroke Certified Registered Nurse. The American Board of Neuroscience Nursing sets the eligibility requirements: a current RN license and at least 2,080 hours of direct or indirect stroke nursing practice within the past 3 years. Check ABNN’s official SCRN eligibility page when assessing whether your experience qualifies.
You can take the exam at a PSI test center or through Live Remote Proctoring online. It contains 170 multiple-choice questions, with 150 scored questions and 20 unscored pretest questions. The testing time is 3 hours. The passing scaled score is 200; this is a scaled score, not a stated number of correct answers.
Results are provided immediately at the test site or by email for Live Remote Proctoring. Candidates may test once per examination window, with a maximum of 3 attempts in 12 months. ABNN’s SCRN candidate handbook is the official source for scoring and retake rules.
Exam fees depend on AANN membership and payment method. Credit card payment costs $300 for members and $400 for nonmembers; check payment costs $325 and $425, respectively. Use the official ABNN candidate handbook to confirm the fee that applies to your application.
The content areas below are copied from the official SCRN content outline published by American Board of Neuroscience Nursing. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Acute Care[2] | SCRN Acute Care Practise recognizing changes in a patient's condition and choosing appropriate priorities during acute stroke care. |
| Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology of Stroke[2] | SCRN Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiol... Practise connecting stroke mechanisms and affected brain structures with the findings described in a question. |
| Hyperacute Care[2] | SCRN Hyperacute Care Practise identifying immediate assessment, monitoring, and stabilization priorities. |
| Post-acute Care[2] | SCRN Post-acute Care Practise matching rehabilitation needs with care that supports function and safe daily activities. |
| Primary and Secondary Preventative Care[2] | Mixed practice tests above Practise distinguishing prevention before a stroke from prevention of a recurrent stroke using the official outline and your study material. |
Prepare for the SCRN - Stroke Certified Registered Nurse exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What role does physical therapy play in post-acute stroke care?
Answer: B. To help with regaining physical function such as strength and balance
Explanation:
B is correct: physical therapy helps patients regain physical function, including strength, balance, coordination, and mobility. The question asks for the role of a particular rehabilitation discipline, so match the answer to that discipline's main purpose.
A focuses on emotional recovery, which can affect rehabilitation participation but is not the primary role described here. C focuses on cognitive abilities rather than the motor function emphasized in physical therapy. D concerns blood pressure control rather than rehabilitation of movement.
Rule to remember: when a question asks about physical therapy after stroke, look for goals involving movement, walking, balance, and safer physical activity.
Question: A stroke patient with dysphagia fails a bedside swallow screen. Which nutritional strategy is most appropriate for the short term?
Answer: B. Nasogastric (NG) tube feeding
Explanation:
B is correct: nasogastric tube feeding is the short-term enteral nutrition option identified in this question. The important clues are the failed swallow screen and the need for short-term nutritional support. This is a nutrition-route question, rather than permission to resume oral intake.
A uses parenteral nutrition through a central line; the question gives no reason that an enteral route cannot be used. C proposes PEG placement within 24 hours, which does not match the short-term approach being tested. D leaves the patient's nutritional needs unresolved: withholding oral intake indefinitely is not a nutrition plan.
Rule to remember: distinguish protecting swallowing safety from providing nutrition; the patient still needs an appropriate nutritional route.
Question: Why is monitoring of vital signs critical in hyperacute care?
Answer: B. To monitor for complications and stabilize the patient
Explanation:
B is correct: monitoring vital signs helps detect complications and supports stabilization during hyperacute stroke care. Changes in blood pressure or breathing can signal a need for prompt assessment and intervention. Monitoring supplies information that guides care; it does not prevent complications by itself.
A focuses on discomfort, which does not explain the main purpose of monitoring in this phase. C concerns the start of rehabilitation, rather than immediate physiological stability. D concerns discharge preparation, which is also outside the priority described.
Rule to remember: match the purpose of an intervention to the phase of care. Hyperacute questions emphasize recognizing deterioration and supporting immediate stability.
Begin with ABNN’s official SCRN content outline and candidate handbook. Use the outline to organize your review and the handbook to check eligibility, delivery, and exam rules. Keep the official content areas as your study headings; the additional topic labels on this page are practice categories.
Try the Start Practice Test set to identify questions you cannot explain clearly. For each missed or uncertain answer, record the clue you overlooked, why your choice did not fit, and what you need to review. Check clinical points against your study material before turning them into notes.
Then choose a matching topic set, such as SCRN Hyperacute Care or SCRN Post-acute Care. Explain your choice before reading the answer, then account for the alternatives. Return to questions after reviewing the underlying topic.
For Primary and Secondary Preventative Care, use the official outline to direct your reading because this page has no dedicated set for that area. Before test day, review your recurring errors and check the official instructions for your chosen delivery method. Treat these AI-written practice questions as study prompts, not real exam questions or a prediction of your result.
Indirect stroke nursing practice can count toward eligibility. ABNN requires a current RN license and at least 2,080 hours of direct or indirect stroke nursing practice within the past 3 years. Consult ABNN’s official SCRN eligibility page when checking your experience against that requirement.
The fee depends on AANN membership and how you pay. By credit card, it is $300 for AANN members and $400 for nonmembers. By check, it is $325 for members and $425 for nonmembers. These fees are listed in ABNN’s SCRN candidate handbook.
The passing scaled score is 200. ABNN sets the raw score required to pass equal to 200 on its reporting scale. The exam has 170 multiple-choice questions, including 150 scored questions and 20 unscored pretest questions, with a testing time of 3 hours.
Yes. PSI offers Live Remote Proctoring online as well as onsite testing at a test center. Results are provided immediately at the test site or by email for Live Remote Proctoring. ABNN’s candidate handbook states that candidates receive pass/fail status and an explanation of their scaled score and the passing scaled score.
Yes, subject to ABNN’s attempt limits. Candidates may take the exam once per examination window and no more than 3 times in 12 months. A retake must fit both restrictions. The official SCRN candidate handbook provides the rule governing repeat attempts.
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