CPNE - How bad is it really?

loriangel14, RN · Oct 17, 2011

Hey if you know your stuff you will be fine. If you managed to pass the PN program there should be no problem. Deep breath. It's just another test.Not nearly as scary as people say. Of course it's doable, how do you think PNs get their licenses?

Silverdragon102, BSN · Oct 17, 2011

Moved to the Distance Learning for Nursing forum

BeachieRN84 · Oct 17, 2011

For those that have taken the CPNE, is it really as bad as I am hearing? I am practically having panic attacks over it and I haven't even submitted my application yet. A lot of people are saying it isn't doable, that they are just after making money...

Not at all, atleast for me it wasn't. I had an wonderful weekend during my CPNE, yes it was very stressful but it was nothing like I had imagined it to be. The nerves were the worst part for me. It is absolutely doable. Go in confident but humble, act professional and prepared, and show them you want to be there. Be willing to back your decisions and fight for yourself eloquently, they will listen if you can make your point. Know your critical elements and be organized. The CPNE really is not much of a measure of what an RN does in my opinion... it is how well you work under pressure doing things in a step by step process.

I recommend where I tested (Syracuse, NY) to anyone. It was a great place and the CE's and CA were fabulous. BREATHE. You can do this. I studied non-stop for four months and had nightmares and panic attacks too.... and it was nothing like it's made out to be. It's a very individual experience and alot has to do with what you bring to it. I would be more than happy to answer any questions you have and I also have a journal of my CPNE if you want to read it.

Good luck!!!! :-)

JENNIFER27 · Oct 18, 2011

I would love to read your journal!! Have you posted it yet?

JulesRN10 · Oct 18, 2011

I entered the program in September 2009 with the nursing courses, A&P and Micro to complete. I finished the nursing courses by Feb, FCCA in March then applied for CPNE thinking I had plenty of time to take the 2 science classes then focus on CPNE. Ended up getting an Aug date for CPNE in about 3 weeks time...talk about pressure! I went on to take Tina's workshop in Pennsylvania (DO IT!!!) in June, finished the 2 science classes in July and passed the CPNE in Aug of 2010. Was it easy? Nope. But, I went in prepared...I knew the critical elements backwards, forwards, upside down and inside out. Knew how to write a care plan "their" way, and was focused, confident and had my game face on. I went to Racine and had an absolutely wonderful experience. By my second pt on day 1, I knew that I was going to be okay, but I also knew that I had NO room for mistakes. In the end, all the instructors congratulated me on a job well done. They told me what a pleasure it had been working with me, they could tell that I had worked hard to prepare. The hours and hours I spent learning it all paid off...definitely wasn't easy but was definitely worth every minute!!!

BeachieRN84 · Oct 18, 2011

I would love to read your journal!! Have you posted it yet?

No I haven't posted it on the EPN... I don't know if I am going to or not, I might after my grad date comes up, but if you want to read it just send me a PM with your e-mail :-)

nursetaminator · Oct 18, 2011

Not at all, atleast for me it wasn't. I had an wonderful weekend during my CPNE, yes it was very stressful but it was nothing like I had imagined it to be. The nerves were the worst part for me. It is absolutely doable. Go in confident but humble, act professional and prepared, and show them you want to be there. Be willing to back your decisions and fight for yourself eloquently, they will listen if you can make your point. Know your critical elements and be organized. The CPNE really is not much of a measure of what an RN does in my opinion... it is how well you work under pressure doing things in a step by step process.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Just tested this weekend, no repeats. Ran myself into the ground worrying for no reason. No doubt you have to study and know those critical elements but it's very doable.

QuenymamiRN · Oct 19, 2011

Thank you for the responses. They have really made me feel better. I asked the QA nurse at my job to help critique me during a mock assessment (when I am ready). She agreed and I think that will be a big help. I will also have my night supervisor watch me on other things (BP, IVs, and Caths).

Lynn's workshop was recommended to me on another post, but that will not work, as I NEED hands on. That's the best way I learn.

Tina's workshop looks awesome. I need to look into that.

I do plan to go to Albany, NY for EC's workshop. From what I understand it is hands on but the downside is there are a lot of people at each workshop. I learn better in smaller groups but I don't have any better options right now. I am also purchasing Robs CPNE package for the Ebook and videos. I will be going with the most expensive practice kit from Excelsior. So, hopefully everything combined will help. I found a tutorial on here and I have Dave's tutorial.

Beachnurse84 - I do not know how to PM you, maybe it is because I have a free membership. However, I would love to see your journal.

According to some research, someone said that one wk one test site will be good but the next week horrible. However, I saw on here that some sites have great reputations and some have horrible ones. If anyone has any info on this I would love it.

I live in Westchester, NY and am looking at Flushing, NY (Queens) and Albany. If Sarotoga is really better I am willing to travel that far. It is worth it! I'd rather pay the extra gas/hotel costs just to pass on my first try.

BeachieRN84 · Oct 19, 2011

Thank you for the responses. They have really made me feel better. I asked the QA nurse at my job to help critique me during a mock assessment (when I am ready). She agreed and I think that will be a big help. I will also have my night supervisor watch me on other things (BP, IVs, and Caths).
Lynn's workshop was recommended to me on another post, but that will not work, as I NEED hands on. That's the best way I learn.
Tina's workshop looks awesome. I need to look into that.
I do plan to go to Albany, NY for EC's workshop. From what I understand it is hands on but the downside is there are a lot of people at each workshop. I learn better in smaller groups but I don't have any better options right now. I am also purchasing Robs CPNE package for the Ebook and videos. I will be going with the most expensive practice kit from Excelsior. So, hopefully everything combined will help. I found a tutorial on here and I have Dave's tutorial.
Beachnurse84 - I do not know how to PM you, maybe it is because I have a free membership. However, I would love to see your journal.
According to some research, someone said that one wk one test site will be good but the next week horrible. However, I saw on here that some sites have great reputations and some have horrible ones. If anyone has any info on this I would love it.
I live in Westchester, NY and am looking at Flushing, NY (Queens) and Albany. If Sarotoga is really better I am willing to travel that far. It is worth it! I'd rather pay the extra gas/hotel costs just to pass on my first try.

I used Rob's CDs and I loved them!! Just be careful because not all the material is entirely up to date, I don't know what the changes for the 18th edition were but I used the 17th edition and there were a few things not applicable to me that he shows, but as a foundation he makes things simple and his mneumonics are great-- I used them and tweaked them to work for me.

Workshop wise, I recommend Sheri Taylor's. I was unable to do a hands on workshop but I did her online workshop and it was awesome. She is always around to support you and help you, you will be able to bang out a perfect care plan in 10 minutes and her videos are awesome. I also did a mock CPNE day with one of her associates.

As far as buying the most expensive stuff, don't. Go on facebook sites for CPNE students and the Excelsior peer network. People sell things after they are finished with them or give them away for free. I sent everything I had left over, my supplies, my notes, my Rob's CDs, my flashcards, my audio CD, my care plan book... seriously everything, put it in a box and sent it to another student for free. So much has been paid forward to me and I wanted to continue that on, and I think that is a trend with ALOT of Excelsior grads... someone just yesterday posted on FB he would pay his supplies forward to the first student who replied... so shop around.. once you are done with the exam you just want your life back and it's kinda a great feeling to get rid of the stuff. :-)

As far as testing sites yeah some do have horrible reputations (I can only speak for one of them because a friend of mine has had a horrible experience more than once there and she is VERY prepared) but for the most part I think there is alot to do with what you bring to it and how you are prepared. Someone on here above me posted they passed in Racine, WI which if you ask around from before it closed alot of people will tell you that they failed everyone there, so it's not like it can't be done at any one of these sites. My friend's weekend in Syracuse there was 2/6, my weekend there was 4 that I know of out of 6, and the next weekend when my other friends tested it was 5/6. A friend of mine just passed at Grady in Atlanta, and her weekend was 2/6, and the weekend before it was 6/6, you cannot base how successful you will be that way, you don't know how the students prepared that did not pass.

Just worry about you and you alone on your weekend, make sure you are as prepared as you can be, so that way when you go the only thing you need to worry about controlling is your nerves.... if you know these critical elements you will be just fine, and the best part of the CPNE is they pretty much let you and encourage you to have a cheat sheet so take advantage of it!!! I used mneumonics and you can refer to your papers at any time during your PCS. I had a check and a double check on my AOC's and my documentation and if you look back after you leave the room and you noticed you forgot something... they let you go back in.

Send me your email address and I will send you my journal. Good luck :-)

t-lo · Oct 19, 2011

the 3 day clinical time table ( what’s the schedule like?)

on friday night students meet for orientation, to do the labs and get the chart information.

approximately 3 hours is spent on: orientation, getting your rotation assignments for the labs and pcs assignments and physically doing the labs.

rotation assignments for the labs are handed out, but pcs rotation assignments are done differently at the sites. some sites have you draw a card with a rotation assignment and other sites already have the rotations figured out and students are handed a sheet with the pcs rotation assignment already printed.

pcs assignments can go 1 of 3 ways

peds/adult/adult and then repeats if needed/allowed

adult/peds/adult and then repeats if needed/allowed

adult/adult/peds and then repeats if needed/allowed

there are 4 simulation labs to complete on friday evening: ivpb, ivp wound and either subcutaneous insulin or a mixed im injection. some sites have all students do the labs and then all students go to the floor for a brief orientation to the unit and to read the pt information from the computer, charts or print-outs. other sites have half the student do the labs and the other half get the info from the charts, computer or print-outs for their 1st pcs and then the switch. please don’t think you have 30-60 minutes to read the pt information on friday night. the instructors give you 10-15 minutes and that’s it. this is a head start for your 1st pcs all other pcs’s you will not have the information ahead of time to write the 2 care plans for the pcs.

day 1 friday night, of a clinical will run like this

orientation = 1 hour

wound lab = 15 minutes

ivp lab= 15 minutes

im or sub-q lab = 15 minutes

ivpb= 20 minutes

orientation to the floor and the instructor goes over your assignment kardex= 5-10 minutes

pcs 1 information gathering= 15 minutes

student then return to their hotel to complete only the care plans for pcs 1. nothing else can be done until the official start time of your pcs begins on saturday morning. any labs not completed successfully the 1st time can be repeated on saturday as the 2ndattempt.

sat morning students met in the designate area and then go with your instructors to the pt unit you are assigned to. the instructor (ce) will go over your assignment with you and then write the official start time on your assignment and this is when the 2.5 hours of a pcs begins. students can then review the pt information from overnight check their care plans, complete their grid and set up their pcs forms, complete the implementation and evaluation phases. pcs 1 completed approximate time table of the 2.5 hours for pcs 1 is 7:30am – 10 am, but a student can fail the pcs during the 2.5 hours for violation of the critical elements at anytime. the pcs would be unsuccessful and terminated at that time.

pass or fail pcs # 1 the student then get a 15-20 minute break and then go right into pcs 2 on saturday

saturday pcs 2

saturdays pcs 2 begins approximately 10:30 am with the instructor going over the pt assignment kardex with the student and orientating the student to the unit. after that the instructor writes the official start time of the pcs on the assignment kardex and the 2.5 hours of the pcs begin. student then have to gather the pertinent pt. information to complete the planning phase, if care plans are accepted implementation continues, and as long as the critical elements are not violated in implementation the evaluation phase is then completed by the student. it is then determined if the pcs is successful or unsuccessful pcs 2 is completed by approximately 1-1:30 pm

if a student has adult/adult/peds as their rotation and if they fail both of the adult pcs 1 and adult pcs 2, the clinical is terminated at that time and the student goes home unsuccessful.

if the student has the rotation of: peds/adult/adult, and they fail both pcs 1 peds and pcs 2 adult they are still allowed to continue

if the student has the rotation of: adult/peds/adult, and they fail both pcs 1 adult and pcs 2 peds they are still allowed to continue

a clinical is failed for unsuccessful pcs’s when 2 adult or 2 pediatric pt’s are unsuccessful pcs’s at any time during the weekend.

after pcs 2 on saturday, if a student was unsuccessful at any of the labs on friday night this is the time for the repeat of the labs. if the student is unsuccessful at the 2nd attempt of any of the simulation labs the clinical is unsuccessful and is terminated. the student will not be allowed to continue on sunday even if they passed 1 or both pcs’s on saturday. if a student fails any of the labs twice the student goes home and the clinical is unsuccessful.

sunday is pcs 3 and any repeat pcs’s that would need to be done. if the student was successful at pcs’s 1 and 2 on saturday and then successful with pcs 3 on sunday morning the student is out of there by 11:00 am or noon. if the student was unsuccessful with 1 of the pcs on saturday (1 adult “or” 1 peds) it is done as pcs #4 after pcs 3 on sunday and the student will be finished at approx 2pm on sunday. if a student has to repeat 2 pcs’s ( 1 adult “and” 1 peds) it is completed as pcs #5 and it will last approximately until 5pm on sunday.

to all students preparing and going to clinical….

clinical is like a war with several battles

not all students win all the battles of clinical.

each lab and pcs’s are the battles…. so focus on 1 at a time

what matters is that you are successful at winning the war

good luck!

nursetaminator · Oct 19, 2011

That was an excellent cliff notes version of how the CPNE weekend will go t-lo!!!