CCRNs -CMC exam?

Specialties CCU

Published

I'm already CCRN cert for many years. I want to tke the CMC exam but I don't know anyone who has. Tell me how you prepared and what you thought of the test please!

Specializes in Critical Care, Cardiac Cath Lab.

I took the CMC exam last September and passed it on the first try. I used the AACN's CMC review course and found it extremely useful. The exam was hard, but it was very balanced and well-represented by the exam blueprint offered by the AACN.

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How long did the program take you? Did you take your prerequ. elsewhere? I am looking at applying for CMC but it says I need Ana/Pysiology, Micro/Biology and English Comp. I graduated over 15 with a BA. Where do you recommend taking them?

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Specializes in AGACNP.

I think you may be confusing what we're talking about with something else. The CMC is a subspecialty certification in cardiac medicine.

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Specializes in ICU, Cardiac Cath/EPS Labs.

I am offering exam prep materials for the Cardiac Medicine Certification subspecialty exam of the American Association of Critical Care Materials. This package is available brand new for $299.48 (including the shipping charge that I paid). As described by the AACN, it consists of the following:

"CMC Review Course Package on DVD"

Package includes:

CMC Review Course on DVD

Cardiovascular Nursing Practice: A Comprehensive Resource Manual and Study Guide for Clinical Nurses

Cardiovascular Review Questions on CD-ROM - An excellent study tool with over 600 questions with rationale, to prepare you for the CMC certification exam.

The CMC Review Course consists of four DVDs and a green booklet with a significant amount of highlighting and pen marks: There is a certificate at the end of the booklet that you can use to get AACN continuing ed credit for your CCRN, but you will have to pay $20 when you send the form in to AACN;

The Cardiovascular Review Questions on CD-ROM works on WINDOWS ONLY and with Vista and Windows 7 there is a quick three-step process to follow to operate the CD (It does NOT work on Macs--sorry);

The Cardiovascular Nursing Practice book is over 900 pages long with a small amount of highlighting and pen marks .

Any questions? Just ask. It is a tough exam (I passed it), but I studied long and hard and have substantial work experience in the critical care cardiac area. It's a wonderful credential to have. I am offering the Package at $150. Good luck and study hard!

My package is listed on ebay at the following link:

Cardiac Medicine Certification CMC Exam Prep for RNs - eBay (item 110577430070 end time Sep-22-10 18:16:35 PDT)

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Specializes in CVICU and MSICU.

Anybody who has thoughts for the CSC exam? I recently passed the CCRN a few days ago and was hoping to take the CSC soon while my review for the CCRN exam is still fresh. Is there any review questions cds for the CSC that you recommend? other study materials perhaps?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, CCU, CVICU.

I found the best way to review and pass the CSC exam was to attend the 2 day review offered at NTI and sit and take the paper and pencil exam the next day. Only downfall was waiting 4 weeks for my results.

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Do you have to be a cvicu nurse to take CSC? I work in ccu, take Iabp, cardiac gtts.

AAAs.

I want the surgical knowledge, but I myself do not have open heart exp.

I will probably just take cmc.

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Specializes in CTICU.

The eligibility requirements for the exams are on aacn.org. You have to have a certain number of hours looking after patients immediately postoperatively. If you do that, you can take CSC. If not, do CMC.

I passed CSC this past weekend; I didn't study but I have ~15yrs CTICU experience. There were a lot of questions that I wasn't sure about, but I passed so guess I did ok. It did stick very closely to the test blueprint provided. I got lots about "here are the coag results, what blood product will you give first"? "Here are the SGC parameters, what drip do you need to start/stop/titrate?". I'm going to do CMC now - will have to study more for that one!

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Specializes in CCRN-CSC.

you need post-op experience for the CSC.

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Specializes in CCRN-CSC.
Anybody who has thoughts for the CSC exam? I recently passed the CCRN a few days ago and was hoping to take the CSC soon while my review for the CCRN exam is still fresh. Is there any review questions cds for the CSC that you recommend? other study materials perhaps?

The CSC exam, I feel, was a lot easier than the CCRN. Reason being, if you work in CV/CTICU, you see these types of patients quite frequently. That being said, the CSC solely tests you on your post-op management knowledge. Additionally, there are some things that they ask you about from a medical point of you. So I'd look into things like cardioplegia, anesthetic choices, post-op pain management and VADs (L or Bi). Hope this helps!

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