Rehab Rounds

CRRN: Your Path to Success, Easing the Stress of Test Taking

• Association of Rehabilitation Nurses • Season 1 • Episode 1

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Episode Overview:
Welcome to the very first episode of Rehab Rounds, the official podcast from the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses. We’re kicking things off with a topic that resonates across every stage of a rehab nurse’s journey: the CRRN certification.

Whether you’re just starting to consider the exam or reflecting on it years later, this episode is designed to meet you where you are. Host Dr. Grace Campbell, President of ARN, leads a dynamic and encouraging conversation with expert voices who break down the path to certification with clarity, honesty, and real-world insight.

Featured Guests:
Barbara Winters-Todd, DNP, RN, FARN, CRRN – Director of Clinical Excellence Informatics, Encompass Health
Abigail Mawhirter, BSN, RN, CRRN, CBIS – Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• Practical strategies to reduce exam anxiety before, during, and after test day
• How to build a realistic, personalized study plan around a busy nursing schedule
• Ways to maintain work-life balance while preparing for the exam
• A firsthand success story from a nurse who passed in December 2025
• An introduction to the CRRN Success Suite and on-demand prep resources
• A powerful Member Story Spotlight on how CRRN certification can transform your practice

If you’ve ever wondered “Am I ready?” or “Can I really do this?” — this episode is your starting line!

SPEAKER_01

This episode is brought to you by ARN. Before we dive in, a quick word about something worth putting on your calendar. The ARN 2026 Annual Conference is coming to West Palm Beach. And if you have never been, this is the year to go. A few days surrounded by rehab nurses who take their practice as seriously as you do. Education sessions, networking, and the kind of hallway conversations that follow you home. Details and registration are at rehabnurse.org. Now, back to the episode.

SPEAKER_05

Welcome to the very first episode of Rehab Rounds. I'm Dr. Grace Campbell, and I'm so honored to be your host for this new podcast from the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses. This show exists for you, the rehab nurse who shows up every single day to help patients reclaim their function, their independence, and their quality of life. We created this space to give you expert insight, real stories, and practical tools to support your career and your practice. And for our first episode, we're diving straight into something that I know weighs on a lot of minds in our community: CRRN certification, specifically the stress and anxiety that could come with it and how to move through that and to come out the other side with those letters behind your name. Whether you're just beginning to think about the exam, your mid-study plan right now, or you've been telling yourself maybe next year for a little too long, this episode is for you. I have two wonderful guests with me today. First, Barbara Winters Todd, who serves as the Director of Clinical Excellence Informatics at Encompass Health. Barbara has nearly two decades of experience spanning rehab, ICU, home health, and oncology. And we're also very excited about our member story spotlight, where we'll hear from a seasoned CRRN nurse who reflects on how earning this credential transformed her practice. And this will be Abigail Maherder. This is going to be an honest, practical, and I hope genuinely encouraging conversation. So let's get started. Welcome, Barbara, and thank you so much for being here and for everything you bring to this conversation. You wear a lot of hats, and I don't know how you have time to do any of the things you do, but you're a DNP, a clinician, an educator, and now you're chair of the Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board. So for anyone who doesn't know what that board does, can you explain what the RNCB is and what your role means for CRRN certification?

SPEAKER_04

So thank you, uh Grace, for inviting me to be a part of this Rehab Realms podcast. The RNCB, the Rehabilitation Nursing Certification Board, we develop and administer the rehabilitation nursing certification course. We also develop test questions for the certification as well as review renewals of the certification to make sure that candidates have the appropriate number of CUs and that they are still in good rehabilitation standing.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Barbara, for explaining what the RNCB does. Now you talked about uh writing the exams and um promoting the exam. Now we know that exam anxiety is real. I've heard nurses say that they know the material cold, but the moment they sit down at the test, their mind goes blank. What's actually happening there? And what can you suggest that our nurses can do about that?

SPEAKER_04

I think that nurses, we're always so active and going and focused on the day-to-day of what we do. What we have to do is prepare for the test. We know we're intelligent, we know we do this day in and day out, but we still need to study the core curriculum information in like short focused sessions, like 25 to 30 minutes at a time, not the week before the exam, but probably start about six months out and have a really good plan before you take the exam. There are many practice questions that are available through ARN. Um, you can actually do a survey and find out what type of learner you are. Are you a visual learner? Are you an auditory learner, or are you more global? I do this a lot of times with clinical students and they're very surprised to figure out what kind of learner they are. Once you learn what type of learner you are, you could modify the way you study to the type of learner you are. So if you're an auditory learner, you can actually read those questions out loud to yourself, and they may stick a little bit more than if you're just reading it on the page and you don't hear it. I always tell everybody, you know, make sure you have a plan, make sure you have a calendar, um, space that study out. And then once you get to the test itself, you know you've prepared. You just have to take a deep breath and get ready to take the exam. I also think it's important to manage your stress and take care of your body, um, you know, through exercise, or if you are someone who has severe, severe test anxiety, maybe talking it out with a colleague, a family member, or even a counselor to help you get through that test anxiety.

SPEAKER_05

Thank you, Barbara. Those are some really good suggestions for managing that stress and anxiety. Um, and you've uh you've wet our appetite a little bit for some of the uh preparation materials that I'm going to ask you about shortly. Um, but before we get to that, I wanted to ask you about specifically what is the CRR CRRN exam looking at? What is it actually testing? Um, because sitting as you are on the certification board, I think you can share with the nurses listening what specifically they're looking for in the test.

SPEAKER_04

Now I think we're all very familiar with the uh exam to become a registered nurse, the state boards that we all take. And while that exam looks at your overall nursing knowledge, the CRRN is looking specifically for your rehabilitation nursing knowledge. So, how are you going to care for the TBI patient? What do you know about the stroke patient? Um, but also some of those regulatory entities that we experience in inpatient real habilitation that maybe the acute care facilities do not, as well as some case management type things that we do for preparing patients for discharge that we do day in and day out. It's just getting a really good read on your rehabilitation experience as a nurse.

SPEAKER_05

Thanks for that, Barbara. It really sounds like the test is looking for a very um sort of a broad basis of rehabilitation nursing skills and knowledge. And we appreciate you bringing that to our listeners' attention. Now, if a nurse is listening right now and they've been avoiding registering for the exam because they're scared, what would you say directly to them?

SPEAKER_04

I would say you remain positive. I have had um candidates that were not born in the United States, that English was not their primary focus or language, that have worked in rehabilitation for 20 to 30 years, that were scared about taking the exam. I have had older nurses that were like, I've not been in school for a very long time, I'm not gonna do well. I think that the power of positive talk is a very good thing. Replace that I'm going to fail, I'm not gonna be able to do this. To knowing that I have prepared for this exam, this is what I am fantastic at. It is what I make my living and my life doing, and that I am going to do my best and do your best. And even if you do not pass that first time, which I say you're going to, I would say you always have a, you know, you kind of like get an experience of what it's like, and then you can always retake as well.

SPEAKER_05

Those are some really great tips. And I think that uh we all could benefit from that lesson in uh positive self-talk. So thank you so much for that, Barbara. Now I want to get uh practical right now. Um, you had mentioned a little bit ago about a study plan. So if someone is starting their CR or in prep today, what does week one look like? How do you even know where to start?

SPEAKER_04

I think that what I would probably say is look through the chapters or look through right now, most everything is virtual on the ARN website and find what you are the, you know, the most passionate about. Maybe start with that so that it can kind of whet your appetite a little bit to get you ingrained in it. And then you can start looking at the things that you may not care too much about, like maybe you're not a big fan of the regulatory aspect. Um, I think that you can go back and forth and just divide those chapters out and um do a little bit at a time. And then whenever it gets closer to the exam, the things that you are the most uncertain about, just open it up and restudy.

SPEAKER_05

That's some really good advice. Now I know that a lot of our listeners work full time, often they're working night shifts, weekends, you name it. How do you build a study plan when your schedule is so unpredictable?

SPEAKER_04

So nurses are resilient. We are used to balancing uh families, jobs. Most of us go to school as well as work. We're used to multitasking and doing so many things. One study plan does not fit all. We, you know, once you find out how you study, how you learn, just tap into that. It could be that you're that person that you need to go to a live two-day course and then study from the course. You could be that person that you just watch the virtual videos on the ARN website, and that is how you study, and that is how you learn the best. I think we all kind of learn how we absorb material through our educational experiences. And if you just really don't have a clue how you learn or anything like that, ask a colleague. Say, hey, you you work with me a lot, or a friend, you've been with me a lot, or a classmate. How do you think I can make this experience better for me?

SPEAKER_05

Those are some really great suggestions. So, what is the most common study mistake that you see nurses making when they're preparing for the CRRN exam?

SPEAKER_04

Waiting till the last minute. You know, this is not like a short quiz that you're gonna go take on on blood gases, because I waited at the last minute one time for a blood gas test. Um, you know, and then not uh not preparing to go to the test site, maybe working the night before. You're not gonna be able to work all night and then go take this test. Maybe not, you know, finding out where the test site will be and preparing for the drive because you cannot be late. Uh showing up to the test center unprepared will make you more anxious and more nervous. And it may take you 30 minutes or an hour into the test before you kind of like really get into the groove of actually taking the test. So I think just being prepared overall and not being someone who waits to the very last minute to do all the things.

SPEAKER_05

Which I think might come more difficult to some people than others. Um, I tend to be a last-minute person, so don't do what I do. Um, you've given us some really great concrete strategies about test prep. Um, but I want to sort of shift a little bit and talk about the importance of work-life balance during the prep process. You know, burnout's real and studying on top of a demanding job can really kind of tip people over the edge. So, what suggestions do you have for maintaining that balance?

SPEAKER_04

I would say you just have to make some time for your mental health and well-being. I am not the one that is very good at putting myself first. I tend to burn the candle at both ends and in the middle. And I have gone to school and worked full-time for many years, more often than not. But every once in a while, just taking a day to really take care of yourself, go get your hair cut, go get a pedicure, go do all the things and just having a relaxing moment for yourself makes you into a better person to be able to work around all the things that we need to do.

SPEAKER_05

That's great. And it's a good reminder for all of us, not just when we're preparing for the CRRN exam, certainly. Now, before we move on, I want to ask you specifically about the CRRN success suite, because I know you're very connected with that, um, and also with our on-demand prep courses. Can you tell our listeners a little bit about what those resources are and how they might fit into an overall study plan?

SPEAKER_04

I think they're wonderful because they give you some micro learning videos. So it's short uh information. There are some small reading things that you can assign yourself. And by using short focused assignments, that will help you to retain that information. You can use those little snippets of information and tape them up where you brush your teeth or in your workplace or you know, places that you are in your house here and there to give you just short little areas to focus on for a short period of time. Sometimes rereading the same information helps that information to stick whatever you're studying for an exam. Um, there are also practice questions within the suite, and there's just a plethora of ways to learn that is not just one thing like just all lecture. So I think there's something in the suite that appeals to every type of learner.

SPEAKER_05

Those resources really sound incredibly valuable. We'll put links in the show notes so that everybody can check those out after the episode. And do the practice exam questions.

SPEAKER_04

Even if you do them over and over and over again, it's getting you ready to start reading and knowing how those questions are going to look when you get to the exam.

SPEAKER_05

That's an incredibly good reminder. Thank you so much for that. So we've talked a lot today about the road to the CRRN, and now I want to switch gears a little bit and zoom out and hear what life looks like after you've had this credential for a while. Our next guest has been a certified rehabilitation registered nurse for nine years, and her story really captures the why behind all the hard work.

SPEAKER_03

We'll hear more from Rehab Rounds in just a moment. But first, if you're a CRRN and your renewal is coming up, this is worth 30 seconds of your attention. If you're not currently an ARN member, joining before you renew means you pay the member rate on your recertification fee. That's real money back in your pocket for something you're already doing. ARN membership also gets you access to resources, community, and continuing education that makes the renewal process a whole lot smoother. Visit the membership page on rehabnurse.org to see what membership includes. Now, back to the show.

SPEAKER_05

So for our member spotlight today, I'm really excited to welcome Abigail Maherder from the BSW Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center to our program. Abigail holds dual certifications as a Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse or CRRN and a certified brain injury specialist, a CBIS. She's an active member of ARN, serving on several subcommittees and on the board of the Northeast Texas ARN chapter. Abigail, welcome. Tell us about you and how long you've been CRRN certified.

SPEAKER_02

Hello. Thank you for having me. Rehab is one of my favorite things to talk about. It gets me very excited. So I could probably fill a bajillion episodes of a podcast just talking about rehab and what I love about it. I did get very blessed that rehab was my first nursing job straight out of school. I had no prior knowledge of what rehab nursing was. And I think it took a few years to even realize that it was so such a specialty and so wonderful. But I did fall in love with it right away. Can't even imagine working in another area now. And I became certified three years in. So for her to come to me and say, hey, would you want to be certified in this? I thought, well, I like it, sure, you know, why not? And that opened the door for me to realize what rehab nursing could be and was outside of my little world. And I thought, I would love to dig more into this. You know, I love it. I want to do it the rest of my life, at least that's what I thought then, still think it now. And I was encouraged by her confidence in me. Because, like I said, I probably would not have thought I was at the point three years into my career that I could be an expert in that field. And because I was eligible, and at the time, I think I was eligible with maybe one other coworker. And so my manager was just kind of encouraging us both to kind of pursue that. And I was very fascinated with the options that it could provide for me.

SPEAKER_05

Oh, yes, the gentle nudge from a manager. I've been there too.

SPEAKER_02

A little bit of volume.

SPEAKER_05

Yes. Yes, uh, yes, I hear that. You've mentioned that the CRRN helped you go from being a nurse who cares for rehabilitation patients to a rehabilitation nurse. And I just I love the way that you um encapsulated that. It just says so much. Can you tell us a little bit more about what you mean by that?

SPEAKER_02

Yes. So I think in a nursing world in general, especially in a culture where we are inundated more and more with very sick, acute patients, people who are sicker and sicker at presentation and also are prolonging care and the medical field is lacking adequate providers to fill the need. And so nurses are just bombarded with busy, busy, busy, busy, busy tasks. So I think it can be very easy to get focused on just like a task list. Like nursing is I need to clock in, I make sure all these things are done, I clock out. Okay, everybody's alive. I'm good. And I think graduating nursing school, you know, it seems so overwhelming that you're this young person going into this field where you're saving lives and you're gonna have to keep up with all these things. And so when I entered rehab nursing as my first job, I loved that it wasn't so much all about the tasks of the duties, but there were so many hats that I could wear, so many roles that I could play for these patients that encompassed more than just knowledge, encompassed more than just skills, but it was a lot of just heart. There was a lot of heart that has to go into that. You get to be an advocate, you get to be a cheerleader, you get to be a teacher. And those are such fun roles to play, other than just here's your medicine, you know, uh, even if it's crushing it for dyspasia patients that might be more specific to rehab, but you know, medication pass is not the focus. It's helping them regain this livelihood, this best functional life, even if it's different, it can still be a great life, and you get to help reinstill that hope. And so I think that really takes the difference of, you know, I'm just a nurse on this floor that you might have a shift to I'm a rehab nurse, that I am really owning that and claiming that to be part of my identity, because you really see that rehab nursing is not copy and paste kind of nursing. It's not just a window of time. You're looking at a journey and you're walking alongside those patients in that journey, and you want the end to be a good one. And I'm that partner, and I that is a role I take not for granted because it's such a gift that those patients give to me to say, I'm in this vulnerable stage of my life. Come in, walk with me, help me, and let's do this together. That is a privilege. And so I think being a rehab nurse, to say I am certified and I am claiming that as a part of my identity is just part of me showing the world that I do believe so much that rehab is the best and that um I love it so much, and I so much so that I want to proclaim that to everybody and have that part of my nursing identity.

SPEAKER_05

Wow, that is so meaningful. And I I I've talked with so many other rehab nurses that have told me similar things about the the the real identity that it gives us. If I could pin you down on one most meaningful way that certification has changed how you practice, what might that be?

SPEAKER_02

For me, it is like I said, it ignited a fire that was already somewhat lit because I just love people. I love nursing in the way that it gives me the opportunity to pour into people. But I think when you have even just a couple of patients into your nursing career and you see the progression and you have them share with you the meaning that you play in their life or the impact that you have, even with just the smallest things, it helps to really transform you to realizing you're part of something bigger. And not that nursing doesn't do that in general. I think, you know, being a nurse, some people say it's a calling. I it does take a lot of heart. And that's what it's all about is about the heart and the passion. It's not about all of the knowledge and, you know, being able to start off facts and blood gas numbers and things like that. While some of that knowledge comes in handy, sure, but it's about your what is igniting your fire and what's keeping you going. And for rehab nursing, for me, just seeing that a person's life is so fragile, but watching the recoveries is so enlightening, but also so encouraging and inspiring. I get so much fulfillment on the job that I help that I feel like that does help counterbalance the chances of getting burned out. Is it hard? Sure. And it is hard to shut your brain off when you leave the door and to not keep feeling and to think about these people. You know, you get connected. And I hope that what I can bring to my craft is evident to other people that I love what I do and that there's something different there. And I don't necessarily feel the same about other areas of nursing, but rehab forever, forever will be that way for me.

SPEAKER_05

That's great. Yeah, you mentioned the craft. I think that's a lovely way of putting it because it really is an art and a craft. So have you noticed a difference at all in how patients or families respond to you, knowing that you are a certified rehabilitation registered nurse?

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely. I think at the very least it sparks some curiosity. You know, you you see the acronyms on the name badge, and it looks like a bunch of alphabet soup, probably for people who don't necessarily know, but it does spark that conversation. So, you know, they want to know because I have a lot of pins that I put on my badge because I like to bedazzle it and make it look, you know, at least fun. And so I think that catches people's eye, and then they see the name and then the the credentials. And so to be able to tell somebody who's in rehab, oh yeah, I'm a certified rehab nurse, I think that does give them some, you know, oohs and ahs. And if they're not impressed, they're at least somewhat reassured. I think that I know what I'm doing and I'm not just there randomly and that I care about what I do. And I think it does hold me accountable then to give that expert care and to hold myself to a certain standard of great care, to say that I am certified rehab nurse. So I'm gonna give you the best rehab nursing that I have to offer. It gives me a chance to show that I am proud that I have that and to show them a little more again, that passion that I have for rehab.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, that's great. So, what would you say to a nurse who's thinking, I'm already a great nurse? Do I really need this certification?

SPEAKER_02

Do you need the certification to make you great? No, I mean, you're already great because you're you. You know, you're great because you're passionate, you're great because of your individuality, because of your heart. That's your greatness. And that can't be taken away. But certification can be the icing on top of your already delicious cake, right? You can be have a little specialized flair because being a CRN identifies you not only as an expert in your field, but also it proves that you wholeheartedly believe and support rehab as a specialty. You know that it's different and you want other people to know that it's different. And so much so that you are willing to put that extra time, put that extra effort into achieving that certification. And having a CRN on your badge is like basically like wearing, I love rehab or rehab nursing is the best, like having that broadcasted on your chest because we all feel that way, right? I mean, so we might as well proclaim it, have some rehab swag. That certification, I think, just like puts it over the top of saying, like, this is really great, and you can be certified and it could have still great. Great.

SPEAKER_05

Now you talked a second ago about you put in that extra time to prep for the uh for the exam. So thinking back to when you started your certification journey, did you use any specific prep resources? And yes, uh, I guess a follow-up to that question is and were there moments that you wanted to quit?

SPEAKER_02

Well, as far as resources, thankfully, my the manager that had kind of started my journey did have some materials that she had acquired. She had originally thought that she might sit for the test and then ended up not, but she did share those with me. So I believe it was the edition seven of the ARN textbook then. And man, I read through that. I I'm more of a visual learner. I am. So I read things, I read it again, I might type it out, read it again because that's how I remember. Because there's only two testing windows a year, that does give you a good chunk of time to kind of organize what your study period's gonna look like. And it does give you that option to do chunking, you know. So I'm gonna study this and then next time I'm gonna study a little more and add on to it. So then I can kind of just gain that knowledge. I would say that the flashcards, she had some ARN flashcards that she shared with me. Those are probably my favorite because they were more specified to what maybe a question might like might look like on the test rather than just broad-based information in the textbook. I do know that now, of course, there's so many more resources available through like the CRRN success suite, um, which I did have a very small part in the development of very early on and thought, man, this is really cool. I wish this had been around. But I don't, I don't even think that people who are ARN members realize the resources that are there that are available to them. I mean, you are not alone. ARN is such a support system, such a great asset. I mean, and think of all the people in ARN, that would be great tools. I wish I had known somebody who had studied and set for the test at the time I did. I didn't. I didn't know anybody who was CRN certified. I think once I committed by signing up for the test and paying my fee, I think that was my accountability and saying, like, okay, you got this. And knowing I had that testing window time. But like I said, once I just decided, you know what, I'm gonna, I'm gonna sign up and it's gonna be what it's gonna be. I figured I didn't have anything to lose. I mean, I I figured I might have well at least be worth the chance. And if I didn't, if I wasn't successful, at least by studying, I would gain some more knowledge and at least know what to expect for the next time.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah. So let's talk a little bit about exam day. What was going through your mind when you sat down at that computer?

SPEAKER_02

Well, unfortunately, the I tested in June, and of course, no testing sites were available in my hometown until December. So I had to I had to drive about an hour and a half away to the nearest testing center. And again, what Barbara was talking about is knowing what to expect at the testing center. That is very pivotal because I had no idea when I got there, I didn't have the right parking permit sticker that I had to get, because it was at a community college. So I had to go in, I had to get a community college sticker, go back up to my car, which was like a bajillion miles away, put it on my windshield so that I wouldn't get ticketed, like all of this within the very narrow frame before my test started. So, like she was saying, that kind of gets you out of the frame of mind that you need to be, you're just stressing you out with the wrong things. I will say that on the drive there was giving me the chance to kind of psych myself up, kind of run through some facts in my head. And because I don't, I wouldn't say I get super bad test anxiety. It was just more of like, I am an overthinker and a second guesser when I'm actually taking a test. But knowing, like just thinking, like, please, God, let me have studied what was needing to be on this test. Because I know from nursing school, you go in blind. You don't know what's gonna be on that test, you don't know who made the test, you don't know if you studied the completely wrong thing. So I think that fear was going through my head of like, oh gosh, I'm gonna get in there and it's gonna be nothing. But I just tried to psych myself up by saying, okay, you worked in this area for three years, worst case scenario, just try to like envision a patient that you took care of and how it relates to this question and try to play it out in your head. But I would say definitely read all of the kind of study outlines and things of what to expect on there because all areas are covered on there. Um, but I do think it took me longer, honestly, to drive there and back than it did to take the test. Because as I was taking it and I was like, oh, I think I know this. I think I think I know this and this. And for me, that was such a relief because, like I said, I'm a second guesser. So usually I'm like, I know it's gotta be this one or this one. Maybe it's this one. And then, and so I felt like pretty confident when I finished that exam and drove back. And in June, the results were not automatically available. That was only available in the December window. And so I didn't know for a fact had I passed or not, but I left feeling a lot better than when I left the NCLEX and felt like I was at the end of the world. I felt so despondent when I left the NCLEX mean. Like, what's my life gonna be like? Which I did pass that one too. But this one I could leave feeling assured and confident that I at least had prepared well and that I I knew what I was talking about. Because you know more than you think you know. So you really do.

SPEAKER_05

That is so very true. And thank you so much for those reminders. But you did find out then eventually that you passed. So can you paint the picture for us about what that moment was like?

SPEAKER_02

Yes. So that was validation, I think. Validation, excitement. Um, probably I I wouldn't say disbelief, because like I said, I felt pretty confident that at least had I put a good effort in. So I think it was just so much excitement and relief that then I could like tell other people because you don't really want to tell people you tested for something until you're sure, because that's embarrassing. Um, but also my facility was very kind. My manager at the time, actually, one of the doctors and his wife, they bought, because my coworker, she had passed hers as well. They bought us flowers and this nice little vase to um congratulate us for being certified. Because at the time, I mean, even still, there's not a lot of CRNs on my unit. And so they really wanted to spotlight us. And that just felt really good because not that nursing is about getting recognized, but you will we do so much, and sometimes you focus on the one thing that you didn't do, it's really easy to get down on yourself. So when you find something that makes you proud, and then other people are recognizing it too, and congratulating you and showing that, like, yeah, rehab is great, and now you're certified and we're proud of you. That was a really good feeling. It was a really good feeling.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah, it is a great feeling, isn't it? I remember that too. So for the nurses who are listening right now who um are going through all those feelings that you both talked about, and they're where you were maybe six months before you took your exam. What's one thing that you would tell them?

SPEAKER_02

I would say do it. Do it. You you could always come up with a million excuses, but even trying it, you're not gonna regret it because worst case scenario, you don't get the certification, but you're not losing anything other than I guess the testing fee, but you gain so much even in the process. And I think once you like put your foot in the door, I don't think you're gonna be able to back down the next time. You know, you might say, like, I don't know if I really want to do it. But once you start on that journey, you're gonna want it. You're gonna want it, you're wanna pursue it, and you're gonna want to see it to the end, but don't sell yourself short. Like, there's no reason to not get certified. You're great, you're proud of rehab. Go for it, show it. You only have a million things to gain, opportunities, resources, community. Being a CRN is so much more than just the acronym on the name badge. It really does encompass a whole different community. And the ARIN is a big part of that. And I think to open your mind to what nursing is outside of just your day-to-day job is a beautiful thing because once your eyes are open to it, they can't close back. So do it for your teammates, do it for your patients, but do it for you. Do it for you. You deserve it.

SPEAKER_05

Those are wise words. Thank you so much. And what a great way to kick off this podcast. I'm just so excited that we've been able to have this conversation. I want to thank Barbara Winters Todd for bringing so much expertise and warmth and knowledge about the process to this conversation. And I want to thank Abigail for reminding all of us what this credential is really all about. This is exactly the kind of conversation that I had hoped we'd be having on this podcast, and we're just getting started. If today's episode gave you even one small push toward your CRRN, please take action on it. Here's what I would love for you to do. First of all, please subscribe to Rehab Arounds wherever you listen to podcasts so that you're the first to hear every new episode. Next, visit the CRRN success suite. Check out the on-demand prep courses and see which one fits where you are right now. Next, block one hour this week, just one hour, to start or to revisit your study plan. Remember, you don't have to do it all at once. And then finally, if you've already passed your CRRN, please share this episode with a colleague who needs to hear about it. The CRRN is absolutely within your reach. The knowledge is there, the resources are there. And now the community has a podcast. If you enjoyed today's episode, please subscribe so you never miss what's coming next. And if this conversation helped you, share it with a colleague who needs to hear it. Until next time, take care of yourselves and take care of each other.

SPEAKER_00

If what you heard today resonated, that sense of wanting to put your name behind rehab nursing and really own it, ARN volunteering might be worth a look. There are committee roles, chapter involvement, conference opportunities, and ways to shape the direction of especially at a national level. You don't have to have decades of experience to contribute. You just have to care about where rehab nursing is headed. Learn more at the ARN Annual Conference in West Palm Beach or visit our volunteer page at rehabnurse.org.