CPNE prep overwhelmed!!!

Nursing Students Excelsior

Published

I have just become eligible for CPNE. My application has been accepted and I am in scheduling. I have started looking over the CPNE guide (19th ed) I have just started looking over the Excelsior message board. I am feeling very overwhelmed with all the studying I need to do. Does anyone have any advice on where to begin? Thanks in advance for your help!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I recommend starting by reading your CPNE study guide cover to cover, all the way through, every page. Then you'll want to focus on section 4, which is where the critical elements live. :) Also, if you're on Facebook, there is a fantastic CPNE group -- just search for "Let's Conquer the CPNE Beast Together." There are plenty of members there who are just starting CPNE prep. The EC message board sort of fizzled when they changed the format ... it's a shame.

Don't consider the entire CPNE right now; I told someone recently that would be like trying to eat the whole cow vs. enjoying a nice steak. :) Break it into manageable portions and you'll be fine. But first, get that study guide printed (Kinkos and similar places will do it for less than $50, usually) and read the entire thing, every page, every line. So much great info in the study guide! Congrats on getting to this point!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in geriatrics, hospice, private duty.

Definitely get the guide printed and bound and read through it cover-to-cover first thing. Don't try to memorize it yet, just read it to get familiar with it. It helped me to keep Unit V in a separate binder and tab it off further (dividers between Section A, B, C etc.).

I broke the CPNE down in to four areas:

Labs + PIE (Planning, Interventions, Evaluation)

I set up a lab immediately and went through all my lab stations every day. You will fumble through them at first. Don't get discouraged. You will get better.

I knew that planning was my weakest area and intervention was my strongest, so I started with Planning and focused on it, all the while practicing my labs and studying the study guide. I tried to read the guide at least once a month every month.

I also highly recommend keeping a notebook and jotting down questions. You can submit your questions through the message center. I would read the study guide at least twice before starting to submit questions though, because most of your questions will be answered in the study guide.

Youtube is also a great resource for brushing up on basic nursing skills; just keep your critical elements in mind while watching the videos.

I also found the flash cards that the school sells to be invaluable! Just not the audio ones, lol.

Someone here suggested a small dry erase board to practice writing your grids and they were spot on....

But first, read the study guide :yeah:

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Lunah and tnmarie thank you! I have joined the facebook group. I think I will set up my lab sim and "patient" tomorow after work and start practicing. I think I just saw all 588 pages and was overwhelmed. Taking it one page at a time is much more sensible way of doing it. But at 1am it got a little overwhelming! I will get a dry erase board and I read in another post to laminate my worksheets. THanks for the advice!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Someone here suggested a small dry erase board to practice writing your grids and they were spot on....

Yeah, that was me... I used a paper-sized one during my CPNE prep. I still have that whiteboard, but I definitely prefer to use it for my grocery list of needs - it's on my fridge. Lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Grocery shopping sounds a lot less stressful than the CPNE!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in geriatrics, hospice, private duty.

I also find the dry erase board is coming in really handy with my math as well! And I'd rather grocery shop than do grids or math :-D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Rehab.

I organized the CPNE guide this way: bought a hanging file folder from Target that is open on the top and easy to get in and out of, printed the CPNE study guide, then I split it up like this, putting each section into its own hanging folder:

(also within each section I subdivided them with paperclips/staples as needed)

1. Overview : from the start - pg. 80

2. Planning/Impleplementation/Overriding AOC

3. Required Areas of Care ( I added Mobility (overriding), here so I was sure to look at it more)

4. Selected Areas of Care

5. Selected Aeras of Care (cont )

6. Evaluation Phase

7. Lab stations

8. Blank forms (I laminated these) and the Index (to the whole study guide)

9. PCS grading tool

Now I can just grab out what I want to study and not have to see the whole guide out, this has made my stress level more manageable . :yes: I did label the index with what folder I had each section in, too ... so I wouldn't have to hunt for a particular page, it took me a day to get it organized but it works great for me.

Hang in there, this is the last hurdle !!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Revenue Integrity, Rehab, RAC Auditor.

I understand I got totally overwhelmed when I applied for CPNE finally decided I had to break it down or I would just dissolve in a puddle of tears. :wideyed: So I started with reading the CPNE study guide all the way through - then kept out Section 4 and highlighted and tabbed areas I wanted to review.

Then I started with labs - got a swim noodle I cut up and used for body parts (arm for IV push, taped 2 together for thigh to give IM injection, one for arm for IV drip and one with navel drawn on it for sub q injection) and set up each lab and practiced one every day. I laminated the sheets used for the labs and wrote on them each time so I got so used to it I could do it in my sleep and sometimes I think I did!!

After I felt comfortable with labs - a few weeks, I then started on Care Plans. I took Sherri Taylor's workshop online and each week she sent 2 care plan scenarios we had to write care plans for and send back to her. Seriously never thought I would figure them out but within a few months I could write them without the Mosby's book!! But trust me I used that book during my CPNE!! :yes:

Finally started working CPNE scenarios, I had a whole list that I cut up and put in a bowl and would pick one each day and work all the way through, write care plan, do grid, assessments and write documentation.

Also kept a dry erase board next to my chair and practiced my grids while watching TV each night. Also read all I could on allnurses-searched CPNE and read every post - found some great info great ideas!

By breaking it all down I learned each step and at then end all came together. Passed CPNE and now I am an RN!!!

Good Luck and if you have any questions just ask-we are all here to help!! :nurse:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You should check out Rob's CPNE. I bought his study DVD and workbook and it made everything else just clicked and made sense then! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Who is Rob? I have heard of the Sheri Taylor workshop, not Rob though.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Who is Rob? I have heard of the Sheri Taylor workshop not Rob though.[/quote']

Don't know his last name but he went through the cpne the first time and bombed and came up with his own way to study. Loved his study methods. Has videos and easy to memorize mnemonics. http://Www.robscpne.com

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment