Anyone else studying for CCRN exam?

Specialties CCU

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  1. I have or would like to get my CCRN certification: (you may select more than one)

    • 851
      Yes
    • 17
      No
    • 365
      If yes: I get some kind of financial reward or incentive to achieve and maintain certification.
    • 331
      If yes: There is no financial reward or incentive at my institution for CCRN certification.
    • 360
      If yes: I have or can have CCRN on my name badge or there is other forms of acknowledgement.
    • 291
      If yes: I find the certification has empowered my practice and would encourage others to pursue it.
    • 13
      If yes: It really hasn't been worth the work and I would discourage others from pursuing it.
    • 5
      If no: I don't have the certification and feel no need or have had negative experiences.
    • 53
      If no: I would like to pursue it, but have had difficulty getting motivated.
    • 12
      I am undecided.

379 members have participated

Is there anyone else out there who is currently studying for the CCRN exam and would like to start a thread as perhaps a study and support group? I have just applied for the exam and have not yet set a date, but about in 3 months is when I will be taking it. I would love to be in communication with others in the same boat! I hope there is at least one other nurse out there! Thanks!

deeDawntee

Specializes in CCRN.

Are you talking 90 mcg/kg with the diprivan? I haven't gone that high unless someone is ETOH dependent.

Sounds to me link emphysema, not just pneumonia. I have a pt. curently that is end stage emphysema, yet the family is just accepting the dx. So sad. Mom (patient) is an emaciated 60+ year old barrel chested COPD pt. You know.... Yet the family just now realizes the extent. So SAD. There is truly nothing worse than watching a loved one "struggle" for breath. Say a prayer please.

Thanks!

Stressgal

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Yep 90 mcg/kg, that is up from 80-85 during the day. Not that unusual really for large people. This guy definitely has SEVERE emphysema with a physiologic peep of 30! VERY stiff lungs. I doubt that he really wants to wake up or get better, to tell you the truth. Looks like a case of slow, deliberate suicide. Very sad.

You are right, I think dying of COPD is the worse death.

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In our institution we we get that high on Diprivan, its time to start a different drug (Ativan Versed, etc). Diprivan at 100 mcg is considered anesthesia, not to mention the astronomical cost, around 150.00/ 100 ml bottle. At that rate and with a large person you are probably hanging a new bottle every 2 hours. Plus dietary hates when we keep people on Diprivan for more than a few days with all the lipids and empty calories.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

You are right about the Diprivan, but at the hospital I work it is not uncommon to see doses that high for no more than a week in most cases. It is anasthesia, in people who are hypoxic, at times we use paralytics to keep their O2 consumption at a minimum as well, but that is far less common. Is that an unusual practice?

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Specializes in MICU, CCRN.

No Dawn it's not that unusual a practice. I have seen a lot larger doses than that of Propofol, but we dose in mcg/kg/min. Propofol is a great drug because of it's half-life, can wake them up real quick and then get them back under if needed! And they are always on the vent...so no need to worry about some of the anesthesia effects. A lot of times on our unit we can't use it though due to hypotension...we have a lot of septic patients here.

Ha, we are hijacking our own thread! Oh well, I suppose any ICU case could be used in our studying ;)

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Of course!! That is what we're doing right!!? hehe

But seriously, have you ever had a pt with a physiologic peep of 30?! You know, I am not even sure if I believe it, how is that even diagnosed? I am a bit befuddled by the whole matter!!!

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Specializes in LPN school.

Yea I had an 18 year old huffer who went through a 100ml bottle of propofol every 2 hours and still managed to get out of his restraints and yank his tube out. I think there's a correlation between heavy drug users and propofol tolerance - even though propofol isn't an opioid.

But seriously, have you ever had a pt with a physiologic peep of 30?!

What are his peak pressures? It seems odd that they'd have him on a volume controlled mode with that kind of COPD nastyness (sounds like ARDS?) His lung compliance and alveolar recruitment must be in the toilet - I can't imagine needing 30 PEEP off vent and spontaneously breathing; I mean --- needing that kind of peep just walking around means your lungs would collapse every time you exhale, and then would be nearly impossible to reinflate....right? Or does the COPD autopeep come into play here?

STUDY UPDATE: I'm taking the GRE tomorrow (wednesday), then I'm doing a PALS cert course (thur-fri), then I'm ramping up CCRN study full time. I'm shooting for 4 hours a day on my days off.

How's everyone else doing with studying? lets hear some updates!:biere::roll:roll

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

Oh My Gosh Burnt2 (I get the screen name now) is the rest of it:

a crisp? You are something else. That is an incredible amount of testing you are doing!! That is amazing and I am sure it will lead to great things.

As far as studying is concerned, I have stepped back and tried to stay concentrated on the core content of Laura Vonfrolio's course and of David Woodruff's course. I was told that is enough to pass the test. The questions in Laura's Review book are very good but are far more detailed than most of her core material in her DVD course. (Has anyone noticed that?) I suppose it is the difference between passing at 70% and getting closer to 100%. Personally, I will be happy with about 85%!! I want to have that core stuff down so well that I never forget it. The rest that I can memorize before the exam will just help with the score. I tend to be the type of person who tests well, but most of the detailed material is gone from my mind in a short time. Anyway, that is my new strategy. Anyone else have any suggestions? It helps so much to have a patient with some of this stuff and see it first hand.

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Specializes in MICU, CCRN.
It helps so much to have a patient with some of this stuff and see it first hand.

I couldn't agree more! I have found almost everyday that I can correlate something that I was studying, to a patient I have had in the last few weeks!! For example, I have been studying a lot of cardiac lately since we don't see it as much in the MICU. Well, I've got a super septic pt right now, maxed out on vasopressin and levophed, but also on milrinone because he has such an extensive heart history and they are thinking there's a little bit of cardiogenic shock going on. Yesterday before the milrinone was started, I was thinking: hey, this pictures looks a little cardiogenic also, we may need something for contractility or cardiac vasodilator. Oh how fun it is to learn!:lol2:

He's also on Xigris (among many other gtts), anyone know the cost of that one? I heard along the lines of $1000 a bag !!? Great med though!!

Happy studying everyone!;)

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Specializes in MICU, CCRN.
STUDY UPDATE: I'm taking the GRE tomorrow (wednesday), then I'm doing a PALS cert course (thur-fri), then I'm ramping up CCRN study full time. I'm shooting for 4 hours a day on my days off.

Good Luck!!!!

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Specializes in LPN school.

He's also on Xigris (among many other gtts), anyone know the cost of that one? I heard along the lines of $1000 a bag !!?

I had a patient on Xigris last december.....

the pharmacy accidentally sent me the bag via the tube system and we had to throw it away (Xigris has to be hand delivered to avoid shaking).

expensive mistake!

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
I couldn't agree more! I have found almost everyday that I can correlate something that I was studying, to a patient I have had in the last few weeks!! For example, I have been studying a lot of cardiac lately since we don't see it as much in the MICU. Well, I've got a super septic pt right now, maxed out on vasopressin and levophed, but also on milrinone because he has such an extensive heart history and they are thinking there's a little bit of cardiogenic shock going on. Yesterday before the milrinone was started, I was thinking: hey, this pictures looks a little cardiogenic also, we may need something for contractility or cardiac vasodilator. Oh how fun it is to learn!:lol2:

He's also on Xigris (among many other gtts), anyone know the cost of that one? I heard along the lines of $1000 a bag !!? Great med though!!

Happy studying everyone!;)

Good job!! I've hung Xigris a couple of times. Pretty amazing med.

I've always really liked milrinone, in my limited experience, it has been more effective that dobut.

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