CSC Exam in a couple weeks. Need advice!

[KymmD77]

So I'm scheduled to take my CSC in a month. Just to give you some background: I've been working in a mixed ICU for 5 years, I've been recovering hearts for 4 years, and I recently renewed my CCRN after my 3 years were up.

I do not primarily recover hearts. But I do get a rush of them here and there and avg 3-5 per month on a good month. I'd say I've done at least 100. Some very complicated, some not so much. My worry is that we are old school. Still use swans. Pts come back intubated. CTs, PWs, the usual drips: Milrinone, NTG, Nipride, Dopamine, sedation, possibly cardizem, insulin gtts. I've seen everything from a cruise on out of the unit to a crash and burn on arrival. MVRs, AVRs, CABG, CABG redo's, windows ...all with or without IABPs.

So what do I do to study??? What content does the exam focus on? Any advice from anyone who has taken the exam would be much appreciated!!!

[guest239592]

Believe me you have more than enough experience to take the exam. A lot of it is integration of clinical picture (pt signs and symptoms, swan numbers, drips) to intervention. I worked in a CVICU as a new grad for 1.5 years when I took my CSC (2 months after passing CCRN) and passed just fine with no problems (granted this was a high-risk, high-volume center 5-9 cases/day every day which helped me compensate in this area for my lack of many years of experience). In addition to my experience I read the book Cardiac Surgery Essentials for Critical Care Nurses. Very well written, learned a lot, case studies at the end with ?s geared toward CSC and an overall easy read (read the whole thing casually in about 3 weeks). Just think the ? through and you'll do fine. I see your original post was on Aug 27 so sorry if you've already taken the test...