PCCN Test Day: Check-In, ID, Breaks and the Remote-Proctoring Rules That Can End an Exam

Some PCCN test-day problems end an attempt early, a few before a single question is answered, and they are preventable: a name that doesn't match the ID, a laptop that fails PSI's check, a phone left on the desk during a remote session. This guide walks through the day in order, from the checks to do a week out to the moment you click End. The rules come from AACN's Certification Exam Policy Handbook (September 2026) and its testing pages, checked October 27, 2026. If you haven't yet chosen between a testing center and a remote session, the PCCN exam format guide compares the two side by side.

The week before your PCCN appointment

• Check the exam name. AACN asks you to confirm that your confirmation email names the right exam, because the exam type can't be changed at the time of testing.
• Check your name. The name on your ID must match the name in your AACN record. Name changes have to be made by calling AACN Customer Care, so do it well before test day.
• Watch for PSI's emails. PSI confirms your date and time when you book and sends a reminder 72 hours before the appointment.
• Know your last change date. You can reschedule or cancel an appointment up to 48 hours before it. After that, AACN gives no refunds or extensions for missed appointments.
• For a remote exam, run the tutorial test. PSI's tutorial test, linked in your scheduling email, runs a full system check and a five-question mini-test. It must be done on the same Wi-Fi network and computer you will use on test day, can be launched up to three times, and can be started up to 2.5 hours before your exam.
• For a remote exam, check the hardware. AACN's policy handbook lists a webcam and microphone, a supported Windows, macOS or Ubuntu version, PSI's secure lock-down browser, broadband of at least 750 kbps and 8 GB of RAM. Tablets, mobile devices, virtual machines and Chromebooks aren't supported.

AACN's scheduling page says testing is offered Monday through Friday, with Saturday appointments at many testing centers, while the PCCN FAQ says Monday through Saturday. Look at the real calendar when you book rather than relying on either. If your date is still open, check which planned PCCN access period reaches your appointment date before you commit.

The IDs AACN accepts for the PCCN

You need a current, government-issued ID with your photograph and signature. AACN lists four acceptable types:

• Driver's license
• State or province ID card
• International travel passport
• U.S. visa

No military or temporary ID is accepted. For a remote exam, the policy handbook adds that if you can't show acceptable ID, you are denied admission and a retest fee is required. When you schedule a remote exam, you can also upload your ID in advance to pre-verify it; PSI keeps the upload for 90 days after the test, and you can delete it yourself in the test-taker portal.

Checking in at a PSI testing center

The policy handbook describes the routine at the more than 300 PSI centers, some of which are inside H&R Block offices:

1. Arrive on time. Report no later than your scheduled time. You can't start early, and you won't be admitted if you arrive more than 15 minutes late.
2. Leave belongings outside. Books, papers, purses, briefcases, headwear, hooded clothing (religious apparel excepted) and coats can't come in and should stay in your car or at home. Unauthorized items go into secure storage, and PSI, AACN and H&R Block aren't responsible for loss or damage.
3. Expect a security check. The administrator asks you to empty your pockets, inspects items such as glasses and jewelry, and scans you with a metal-detector wand. The room is under audio and video surveillance.
4. Log in with your AACN number. The screen asks for a Social Security number, but you enter your AACN customer number instead. Your photo is taken and stays on screen for the session.

Dress in layers, as AACN suggests, so you can adjust to the room's temperature. Scratch paper is available on request, and you can't eat, drink or chew gum in the testing center.

Checking in for live remote proctoring

Remote sessions start from your AACN dashboard ("Take Exam") or the AACN scheduling page ("Launch Exam"):

1. Log in 15 to 30 minutes early. You won't be admitted if you log in more than 30 minutes after your appointment time.
2. Allow an hour. AACN says check-in with the live proctor could take 60 minutes or more.
3. Photos and a room scan. With your webcam you photograph your ID and yourself, then scan the room you are testing in.
4. Set up the desk. The computer must be on a desk or table. Headphones, electronics, phones, tablets, notes and reference materials aren't allowed in the testing area, and the only food or drink allowed is water in a clear container.

During the exam the proctor can see and hear you, but you can't see or hear the proctor; communication is by typed chat only. Your whole session is recorded, both hands must stay on or above the workspace, and your face must stay fully visible. There is no scratch paper unless it is part of an approved accommodation; the platform has a digital notepad instead. AACN doesn't recommend testing from a work environment other than a home office, because noise or distractions can get a session terminated.

AACN's remote-proctoring violations and warning limits

AACN publishes the behaviors proctors watch for and the maximum number of warnings before the exam is ended. A zero means the exam can be ended at the first occurrence:

Some of these are habits nurses don't notice, such as reading a long stem under their breath or resting a chin on a hand. If you practice at home, sit the way the proctor will expect you to: face visible, hands on the desk, silent reading. The planned one-sitting PCCN mock exam built to rehearse test day is one way to build those habits over three full hours.

If you are dismissed for a violation, at a center or remotely, AACN voids your score, keeps your fees and decides whether you may reapply; a re-exam needs a new application and fee.

Breaks, the clock and technical problems during the PCCN

• Two breaks, five minutes each. You may request up to two breaks of up to 5 minutes whenever you wish, but no time is added. Leaving the testing area without authorization voids the exam.
• The tutorial is free time. The practice session before the exam isn't counted in your 3 hours; the timed exam starts when you end it.
• No content questions. You can't ask about exam content, but you can use the COMMENT button to flag an item you think is flawed.
• Remote connection lost. The policy handbook gives PSI's technical support line, 844-267-1017, for an internet connection lost during the exam. Note that AACN's violation list allows only two warnings for connection loss or system errors.

Accommodations and comfort aids for the PCCN

Accommodations such as extra time, a reader, a scribe, a sign language interpreter or a reduced-distraction room need advance approval from AACN Certification Corporation. You submit AACN's Request for Exam Accommodations form, with documentation from a qualified professional, together with your exam application; the form asks for it 2 to 3 weeks before your anticipated exam date. Appointments with accommodations are scheduled through PSI directly, not through AACN's online scheduling.

Some accommodations aren't available by live remote proctoring: paper and pencil, a reader, a sign language interpreter, and software such as ZoomText or JAWS. Comfort aids, such as specific medicines, medical devices attached to the body, communication aids, mobility devices and service animals, don't need pre-approval, but the administrator or online proctor will inspect them before you start.

Weather, closures and missed PCCN appointments

• Bad weather. PSI decides whether to close a site and tries to contact scheduled candidates. Its 24-hour weather hotline is 800-380-5416, and closures are posted at schedule.psiexams.com. An exam usually goes ahead if staff can reach and operate the site.
• Holidays. AACN lists New Year's, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas as days PSI centers are closed, and says the list may not be complete.
• No-shows. If you miss your appointment, you can reactivate an application less than a year old by paying a fee equal to the retest fee; an older application needs a new application plus that fee. The PCCN eligibility and application guide covers the $100 extension that can prevent this.

When you click End on the PCCN

Before you finish, the system tells you if any questions are unanswered; there is no penalty for guessing, so answer them if time remains. Your pass or fail result then appears on screen. AACN's documents give 24 hours or 24 to 48 hours for the emailed score report, and your certification shows in AACN's online verification system the day after a pass. The PCCN passing score guide explains what the report contains.

Your next step for PCCN test day

Book the appointment, then put three dates in your calendar: the tutorial test (remote only), the 48-hour change deadline, and an ID check a week out. In the final week, the planned Cram and Test Day tools for your final days are part of full prep at launch.