 The certification exam first became available in July 1980, was accredited by the Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) in February 2002, and was reaccredited in 2007 and 2012.The certification is valid for four years, and can be renewed either by passing another examination, or by attesting that the nurse has completed 100 continuing education units (CEUs) in the specialty.As of 2019, the BCEN has designated over 38,000 active CENs in the United States and Canada.