[KatieBell]

Originally Posted by NativeSundance

I took and passed CEN last September. The test is challenging and has a high fail rate, but is IS worth the effort!

I bought Laura Vonfrolio's DVD's and also MedEd. I can honestly say that Dr. Laura's DVD's were very entertaining and interesting, but they are OUTDATED! Many things have changed in our happy world of nursing since those DVD's were made. Nonetheless, I did brush up on things I hadn't thought much about lately and it was helpful in my overall practice and probably helpful on the exam.

The MedEd CEN review was EXCELLENT and CURRENT. It has the most recent CEN changes and the speaker was informed and engaging. I bought the new CD ROM version and still use it to review things from time to time. They have a pass guarantee with a purchase of the program. Using this program, I got a score of 139 out of 150 questions. Missed 11 of them. 25 questions on the exam are trial questions and there is no way to distinguish them from the rest of the questions so you really have to give every question your best effort. 175 questions and 180 minutes to take the exam. Roughly 1 minute per question.

I also bought the newest version of the ENA Core Curriculum and leafed through it, but didn't embrace it totally. Bought the ENA CEN Review, which was a little dated, and used that heavily. Also went online to the ENA site and took their practice tests (175 questions each, I think) that were included in the cost of the review book. You get 3 tries with each of those two tests. All of it was just review and practice. Worked out well enough for me in the end though!

My hospital does not recognize CEN certification so for me it was a matter of doing it for the personal satisfaction of acheiving this goal. There was no pay raise involved nor was the cost of the review programs a covered expense. I spent roughly $1000.00 in study resources and exam fees to reach this goal and I do not regret it.

Good luck to all of you who are studying for this exam!!!

Thanks for this information! I've been using the ENA core curriculum, but as it is in outline form its a little hard to get "into" Will be getting the ENA book, apparently there is some problem there, and will also be ordering MedEd stuff, since you recommended it, I was wondering aboutit before....

Hopefully will test in the next three months.

[92mxmom]

So what's everyone been up to? No replies to this thread in a while.

I have worked through Lippincotts book and I am currently reading Emergency Nursing Secrets. It's not advertised as a CEN review but I really like the way it is set up. As I stated before, it was recommended by a nurse who teaches a CEN review class.

Speaking of the class, I am going to one this weekend. I'll let yall know how it goes.

Someone gave me a copy of Laura's CD's. A lot of good info but I can see where some may be outdated. And considering I have no trauma experience...I'm concerned that a lot of what I am hearing for the 1st time may not be correct. But I do like the way she explains the patho in a simplified, easy to understand way!

Got the ENA review book but haven't cracked it yet!

[KatieBell]

Waiting to get to my new travel assignment to order the Med-Ed disks, will be listening to them in the car to and from work...

92mxmom, if you have no trauma experience, I highly recommend getting the TNCC book and goinig through it, it will get you through I imagine most questions about managing trauma on the CEN... (COurse what do I know, I will test ether on this assignment or the next depending on how my study goes. Lucky you, living near where there s a class!

[deeDawntee]

Hey Katiebell,
Thanks for reviving the thread. I have been at a standstill, except for reviewing Dr Laura's DVD's as I have been waiting for the ENA site to get through their difficulties. I am about to order some study materials and I thank you for your recommendations. Oh, I just looked and it appears that the ENA 'marketplace' is up and running again. I will be taking TNCC for the first time this month.

I have a question, did or do any of you have a "lab day" through your facility where you work on live animals? (The residents do this and basically we are there to learn as observers.) Apparently, it all about cardiac arrest where of course the sheep ultimately die. The nurses also have the chance to work on rabbits, starting IV's in their ears etc. When I expressed the fact that I can't imagine myself watching or doing any of those things, I was met with downright hostility at times. Everyone says how much they learned....etc. I think those images would haunt me for life. Any input?

[92mxmom]

Thanks Katiebell. I just took TNCC in Feb, ENPC last year so I'm feeling a little better but there is still so much that we just don't do in our ED!

On my way out the door to class!

[deeDawntee]

THanks 92mxmom for revivng the thread, I just ordered a TNCC book through Amazon and Lipincotts review book. Thanks for reinspiring me!

[KatieBell]

Never had a skills day with sheep or rabbits. We have started IO catheters on Chicken bones, not live chickens.
Seems to me if a nurse is unable to start an IV, then they might need to go spend a day putting them in at day surgery, rather than putting them into rabbit ears. Eeek.
Our residents dont do this either.

[92mxmom]

Well I just took the CEN review course this weekend! Talk about information overload! But the instructors have been doing this course for several years and they claim a ??93% or 97% pass rate (can't remember which).

It was a lot of good review! Now I just need to keep reviewing it! They did reiterate the importance of knowing normal lab values, rhythms/blocks, ABG's.

I have gotten a copy of the Laura CD's and have listened though them once. Some of it is outdated but the A&P review is good.

Another good book I have seen and would like to get is Emergency Medicine Blueprints. Good for us skimmers who don't like to do a lot of reading!

Keep on studying guys!

[JessicRN]

Hi I have taken the CEN exam twice now and due to do it a third time. I believe it is only 175 questions now and 150 count (phew). It is a really tough exam you really have to know your stuff but unlike the nclex it is black and white the only thing is the answers are unbelievably picky. I used the Laura Gasparis DVD from years ago and attended her course the last time I wrote the exam and little has changed. The bad part is some of the things she says still contradict with the CEN review book so beware. I am not saying she is wrong only the questions still say trauma? give lactated ringers. (ie giving lactated ringers to a trauma patient with a liver Laceration is a bad thing according to her.) The great part is you don't have to write the test every 8 years once you have taken it , at a special location now you can do it on line.

[JessicRN]

not sure if anyone knows of this but see
pearlsreview.com the cen and nclex I used on this site and passed both first try now I have to rewrite the cen exam the great thing about this site is you can use it to study acls,pals etc not to mention get your prerequisites for places like florida and texas. It is up to date as they update it regularly. The other great thing about it is you can keep it for an entire year so when you are done with the exam if you complete all the CEU's they will get you the 75 credits you need to take after the four years are up (it is called CENRO)