Anyone taken the CDN or CNN exam???

Specialties Urology

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I've asked this question months ago, but since we have more visitors posting to the site, I am going to ask it again. Has anyone that works in Dialysis taken the CDN exam offered by the NNCC?? I am scheduled to take it in May, and just wondered if anyone had any tips on studying, how the test was, etc... Anyone who has taken the CNN probably could share info with me, since the CDN is a level under the CNN, format of questions are probably similar. I have looked at the pie graphs for each test and know what % of the test is from each subject area. Hope someone out there can help me. I am studying my brains out!!!

:D :D :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Originally posted by RNSha

I just took the CDN in October.It was not too hard if you have been in dialysis a while.If you dont know anything about PD look it up and know something about the values of changing med doses on Calcijex and Epo.Everyone gets a different test though but I hope this helps you some.

PS yes I passed

Good for YOU ! :)

I'm in no hurry... want to do the CDN just for me... won't make any difference to anyone else. Not like you get extra pay or anything... but it would satisfy my own quest for knowledge and personal accomplishment.

I'm working on my nephrology CEUs... have half of those needed already...

Have you been to the ANNA site for the free onlines?

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Originally posted by RNSha

Have you been to the ANNA site for the free onlines?

Yes.. got one there... but got most of my free CEUs from http://www.hdcn.com... all nephrology and a SUPER site for those into dialysis, PD, nephrology...acute and/or chronic.

Check it out, if you haven't already ! ;)

HDCN is a cool site.Learn all kinds of things that noone either knows or forgets to tell you.

I really like the PD info on there.Since I am acutes we dont do much PD .The floor nurses usually handle all that along with the patients and I have always had an interest in it since I was in tech school.

They didnt really teach us a lot about it there either(in a whole year)just briefly touched on it.

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

Yeah... I refer to that site a LOT... can take my time at home refreshing and upgrading my knowledgebase.

I've always wanted to learn more about PD as well, but we only have one outpatient PD patient.

Perhaps some day I'll be able to incorporate some of that as well.

We have quite a few in our wilson clinic.They have an opening for a f/t PD nurse.I put in for a transfer cause acutes are sooooo stressful sometimes.

I have often said if I ever have to fo dialysis-PD is what I am doing.

I am really intersted in TELEpathicRN why is this your name and are you really telepathic? Curious

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Originally posted by RNSha

We have quite a few in our wilson clinic.They have an opening for a f/t PD nurse.I put in for a transfer cause acutes are sooooo stressful sometimes.

I have often said if I ever have to fo dialysis-PD is what I am doing.

Great !!! Go for it ! I've never done acutes, but do freestanding

outpt. hemodialysis... small clinic.. 30 pts. total. But PD is far less demanding physically, plus the added benefit of being able to do a lot more teaching.. something I love, yet have little time to do.

I'd like to be able to do something like Helllllo Nurse is doing now... couple days hemo at the clinic, and couple days PD. Nice variety.

Wish you well... keep us posted ! :D

Did out patient for a long time.Our clinic is huge about 160 patients total.

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Originally posted by RNSha

Did out patient for a long time.Our clinic is huge about 160 patients total.

:eek: no way. Would never work in a large clinic. Hear too many horror stories.. too much turnover, too much "assembly line" patient care... too little patient contact...too much everything and too little compensation/appreciation for your efforts.

Nope... love our small clinic. Wouldn't ever go to a bigger one.

I actually have an advantage because I know each and every patient and since I do acutes I have started 99% of them on the program.

The clinic wasnt that big when I started -maybe 80 at the most.A lot has happened in the last few years.Seeing older and sicker patients being started and then I have this soapbox I get on about it.

I seem to have serious moral issues about starting some of them.Sometimes I wonder if it is right to put somebody on who cannot make that decision for themselves.I know about the right ot life issues,but to me there are worse things than death sometimes.

Oh here I go up on it now huh?

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

Oh boy, do I ever hear you !

I, too, have a real problem with some of the patients that are started on dialysis... it really breaks my heart. Many of them are so frail, so fragile, with sooooo many other comorbidities, that it just boggles the mind as to WHY these patients are ever initiated.. other than the usual ...$$$$$$$$$$ ... :(

It's like "oh, we can get 6 months out of them..."

We. too, are getting more and more REALLY elderly with so many other things going on, that it's simply ridiculous to put them through this on top of everything else.. and they don't understand it all, just take whoever's word for it, be it the doc, the family who won't let go... whatever.

Really sad. But if medicare pays, then what the heck... start as many as you can, right? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.... !!!!

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