Burn Nursing Specialty Certification
The World’s First Burn Nursing Specialty Certification
BCEN developed the world’s first burn nursing specialty certification — the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN). It was our honor to partner with the American Burn Association (ABA) and world-class burn nurses on the initial development of the CBRN exam.
Below, read about the milestones that led to this historic happening in burn care.
How to Apply for the Exam
Eligible RNs and APRNs in the U.S. and its Territories, Canada, and Australia may apply to take the CBRN exam here. Nurses outside those areas will first need to go through BCEN’s International Credential Evaluation process. Exams may be taken at approved testing centers or via Live Remote Proctoring.
Other useful links:
- American Burn Association (ABA) member and military discounts
- BCEN Voucher Program for volume discounts on exams, retests and renewals for employers and groups of 3 or more nurses
- BCEN’s Test Assurance Program
CBRN Burn Nursing Milestones
2025
BCEN’s Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) certification program earned national accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC), and as a result, is now also accepted by the ANCC Magnet Recognition Program. This independent validation by ABSNC affirms that the CBRN meets or exceeds the industry’s highest quality standards for nursing specialty certification programs. With the CBRN’s accreditation, all six BCEN certification programs are now both nationally accredited and Magnet-accepted. Read BCEN’s announcement.
2024
October
With nearly 500 nurses now holding the CBRN, BCEN marked the one-year anniversary of the worldwide launch of the CBRN with a special, month-long promotion on initial certification and published an updated version of Burn Nursing Excellence: The CBRN—read the latest here.
February
“Specialty Spotlight” column on burn nursing authored by Gretchen Carrougher published in the American Journal of Nursing.
Fall 2023
October
On October 17, BCEN announced the full worldwide launch of the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN). BCEN also nationally debuted this burn nursing video and Burn Nursing Excellence: The CBRN.
BCEN’s staff and board of directors wish to express gratitude for the tremendous contributions of the world-class burn and trauma nurse subject matter experts and the American Burn Association for their partnership on the initial development of the CBRN.
Also, thank you to the burn nursing experts serving on BCEN’s CBRN Exam Construction Review and Item Writer Committees, including inaugural ECRC chair Gretchen Carrougher, MN, RN, CBRN, who will help BCEN maintain the accuracy, relevancy and quality of the CBRN certification program going forward.
September
Following a successful beta testing phase, 165 nurses earned the CBRN credential along with 61 subject matter experts integral to the development of the CBRN certification program. Congratulations to the world’s first board certified burn nurses!
On September 18, BCEN introduced a CBRN practice exam, which pulls from a bank of 150 questions and provides diagnostic feedback and references. Users may take up to 3 non-timed exams and 3 timed exams.
“Specialty Certification for Burn Nursing: Value, Beliefs and Benefits” published in the September/October 2023 issue of Journal of Burn Care & Research.
Spring/Summer 2023
August
With the CBRN beta testing phase now complete, BCEN prepared for the wide availability of the CBRN exam later this year.
BCEN is also growing its burn nursing CE offerings on our BCEN Learn platform.
In late August, the American Burn Association (ABA) published the burn nursing core curriculum: Burn Nursing: Injury Prevention to Rehabilitation and Aftercare. This primary study resource for nurses preparing to take the CBRN exam includes information about the entire continuum of burn patient care.
May
On May 10, applications for the CBRN beta exam were accepted. All available seats were filled. CBRN beta testing took place from July 10 – August 6. Nurses who pass the exam were among the world’s first specialty certified burn nurses.
Also in May, BCEN invited burn nurses not taking the beta exam to apply to participate in the 2023 CBRN Passing Point Study. Thank you to all of the nurses who volunteered for this important endeavor.
March
Letters to the editor authored by burn nursing experts and BCEN’s certification director published in the Journal of Burn Care Research and Burns provided the worldwide burn care community with important information and updates about the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) certification program.
Special thanks to authors Emily Werthman, MSN, RN, Burn Program Coordinator at The Johns Hopkins Burn Center, and Katie Hollowed, MSN, RN, International Society for Burns Injuries (ISBI) Nursing Committee member and Burn Program Manager at the South Carolina Burn Center at Medical University of South Carolina.
Late 2022/Early 2023
CBRN exam development continued in collaboration with volunteer burn nursing subject matter expert item writers and members of BCEN’s CBRN Exam Construction Review Committee (ECRC)—chaired by University of Washington/Harborview Medical Center Northwest Regional Burn Model System Research Nurse Supervisor Gretchen Carrougher, MN, RN—and BCEN’s exam development partner, PSI.
Fall 2022
November
BCEN published the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) Exam Content Outline, which represents the burn nursing specialty body of knowledge. The content outline serves as a blueprint for the CBRN exam and is an important resource for nurses studying for the exam. Read BCEN’s November announcement.
September
Burn nurse subject matter experts from across the U.S. attended BCEN’s item writer workshop to begin the development of test questions for the CBRN exam. Under the guidance of the newly formed CBRN Exam Construction Review Committee, volunteer CBRN item writers from every region of the United States will develop exam items throughout the rest of the year and into 2023.
Spring/Summer 2022
Members of the BCEN Burn Nursing RDS Advisory Committee drafted and finalized the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) Exam Content Outline. The outline will be reviewed and approved by the BCEN board of directors and published later this year. Learn more in “CBRN Update: July 2022.”
BCEN nursing specialty certification experts, American Burn Association (ABA) burn nursing subject matter experts, and BCEN test development partner PSI Services conducted the initial Burn Nursing Role Delineation Study (RDS) survey to define the burn nursing scope of practice and body of knowledge. Read BCEN’s March 15 announcement about the CBRN.
The 405 burn nurses who completed the 154-question BCEN Burn Nursing RDS Survey (53% completion rate) played a very important role in defining and validating burn nurse roles, responsibilities and competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities). The results of the survey helped determine the content of the CBRN exam and were the basis for the detailed exam content outline.
2021
Fall/Winter
Subject matter experts were selected for a burn nursing role delineation study (RDS), which got underway in early 2022.
The ABA continued drafting a core curriculum titled Burn Nursing: From Injury Prevention to Rehabilitation, which was one of the primary resources for the creation of exam content.
Summer
BCEN entered into a partnership with ABA to develop a burn nursing specialty certification program. BCEN solely owns the certification program and maintain the exam.
2020
September
Burn Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice published. Created by a diverse committee of experienced burn nurses, this reference provides the official scope and standards of practice for burn nursing and was critical to burn nursing being recognized as a nursing specialty.
August
The American Nurses Association formally recognized burn nursing as a nursing specialty, approved the scope of practice, and acknowledged the standards of practice.
BCEN is committed to supporting nurses delivering specialty care across the emergency spectrum and beyond, advancing nursing practice and excellence, and promoting optimal patient outcomes with the highest quality, most respected credentials.
Please direct any questions or inquiries about the burn nursing RDS and burn certification program to BCEN Director of Certification & Accreditation Amy Grand, MSN, RN, at [email protected].