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The CEN is refreshingly accessible to register for — the gate is your license, not a fixed
number of hours, per BCEN.
License requirement
You must hold a current, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license in the United States, a U.S.
territory, Canada, or Australia.
Is there an experience requirement?
No formal minimum. BCEN recommends at least two years of emergency nursing experience
before testing, but it isn’t required — you can sit the exam when you’re ready.
The practical reality
Because the CEN has a notably tough pass rate, that two-year recommendation is worth taking
seriously: the exam rewards real emergency-department experience and broad clinical exposure. If you’re
newer, plan for more preparation.
Unlock 2,100+ CEN practice questions across 14 full-length simulators — $19.99 lifetime →
Sources & references
The exam facts on this page are drawn from official certifying-body materials, reviewed 2026-06-18 by the DrCertifications exam-prep team (10+ years in exam preparation and publishing).