Radiologic Nursing Certification Board | Getting Started

Getting Started

Congratulations on your decision to become certified in Radiologic Nursing in Imaging, Interventional, and Therapeutic Environments. Download the Guidelines for Certification & Recertification Handbook to assist you in preparing your application materials.

There are a number of forms that you will need to prepare ahead of time to complete the online process, so we recommend you gather all the information together before you begin the application or re-application process.  Please note:  you will NOT be able to save the application document and return to it, so it is important to have all necessary documents ready before you start the application. Incomplete applications will not be processed.

A complete application includes the following items:

  • Fully completed certification application form  NOTE: If you are re-taking the test, use the Re-Test Application Form below!
  • Proof of current ARIN Membership with expiration date (if requested)-printed screenshot from www.arinursing.org is acceptable*
  • Copy of current nursing license - printed screenshot showing name and expiration date from licensing body is acceptable
  • Completed contact hour documentation form included with application. If you prefer a workable Excel file you can download it from the Resources Section of our website Please note, for certification, there must be a minimum of 30 hours recorded on this form.
  • Appropriate payment amount, including any late fees that apply (see the Fees section in this document for late fee dates that may apply)

*Members of the Association for Radiologic & Imaging Nursing (ARIN) receive a discount to sit for the CRN Exam.

Fees

For Certification: 

  • ARIN Member Rate - $325.00 (including a $25.00 application fee and an examination fee of $300.00)
  • Non-Member Rate - $425.00 (including a $25.00 application fee and an examination fee of $400.00)
Non-refundable Late Fee - $45.00 (in addition to application and all other fees) The RNCB will accept late applications up to 14 days past the application deadline with the additional payment of the late fee; this fee applies to member and nonmember rates.

Reexamination Fee (Failed Test-first retake attempt only)

  • ARIN Member Rate - $300.00 ($25.00 application fee is waived for first retake)
  • Non-Member Rate - $400.00 ($25.00 application fee is waived for first retake)

Non-refundable Late Fee - $45.00 (in addition to application and all other fees) The RNCB will accept late applications up to 14 days past the application deadline with the additional payment of the late fee; this fee applies to member and nonmember rates.  Anyone submitting to retake the exam for a second time will pay full fees, including the application fee.

RE-Testing Application

If you are applying to re-take the test, please click here.  You will need to fill out a new application.

 

Application Deadline

January Deadline:12/1  Late Fee Deadline: 12/15
April Deadline: 3/1  Late Fee Deadline: 3/15
July Deadline: 6/1  Late Fee Deadline: 6/15
October  Deadline: 9/1  Late Fee Deadline: 9/15

 

Certified Radiology Nurse Exam Information

The Certified Radiology Nurse (CRN) exam will be a computer-based exam consisting of 150 multiple choice questions.  The CRN exam will be administered four times annually, during the months of January, April, July and October.  Candidates, once approved to sit for the exam will be provided with the information for booking their exam at a date and location of their convenience.  To prepare for the exam please Download the CRN Exam BluePrint Radiology Practice Modality Areas.

Exam Scoring and Candidate Feedback/Results

The examinations are Pass or Fail only. The method used to set the passing score for the examinations is in accordance with standard criterion-referenced passing score standards. The members of the Board, who possess extensive knowledge about the current practice of radiology nursing in a variety of settings, set the passing score for each form of the examination. The passing score is set using generally accepted psychometric principles and methods to determine what constitutes a competent radiology nurse. Each candidate is measured against a standard of knowledge, not against the performance of other individuals taking the examination.

The score on the Radiology Nursing Certification Examination is reported as a standard score which summarizes the candidate’s performance on the entire exam. To reach the passing standard score of 95, the candidate must answer 73% of the questions in the total exam correctly. Candidates who are not successful on the test receive a breakdown of their performance by the Radiology Practice Modality Areas of the test blueprint to indicate areas of strength and /or weakness.

Incomplete Applications

Incomplete applications delay the review process and may preclude you from sitting for the examination. Incomplete applications will be held in a pending file until resolved.

Applicants will be notified of "pending" status in the event of incomplete applications by traceable means within 5 business days of receipt of the incomplete application.  Applicants will be requested to submit the missing materials within 5 business days.  Applicants will not be sent candidate materials until the applications are completed. RNCB will not process incomplete applications.

The continuing education requirements may be met by using in service classes, grand rounds, academic credits, CME credits, and continuing education programs related to the specialty of radiology nursing practice. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain certificates, transcripts, and other documentation and maintain this documentation in case of an RNC audit to verify participation in continuing education activities. 

NALS, ENLS, ARLS, TNCC and ACLS certification and re-certification are counted toward certification and re-certification. These credits will apply only once per certification and/or re-certification, duplicate years of the same course are not counted during the certification and/or re-certification process.

The application will not be processed without all required documents and fees. The application must be received on or before the application deadline. 

All practice requirements must be completed by the date on the application. All practice requirements past and/or present must have been met while the applicant had an active registered nurse license in the state or territory in which practice occurred.

All requirements regarding number of hours practiced apply to practice as a licensed registered nurse only. You may not count any hours in which you practiced as a licensed practical nurse, a licensed vocational nurse, a graduate nurse, or those contained in educational preparation/training programs.

We recommend that you make copies of all your application materials for your own records. All application materials become the property of RNCB and cannot be returned.

 Click here to start the Application