No need for TCN expensive study guides

Nursing Students Indiana (ISU)

Published

i want to reiterate again-- there is no need to pay the college network money to buy their expensive study guides. if the isu nursing department is requiring challenge exams they must provide free study guides, once you register and start the process to take the 4 challenge exams. you can easily make your own study guides employing those free isu provided study guides as well as using a recent rn nclex comprehensive book for corresponding questions and their rationale. save your money for tuition.

only you can make the decision to enter into a contract to buy the expensive tcn study guides for the isu 4 challenge exams. however, the letter below, printed on isu letterhead is very misleading and potential students are following its advice--buying the expensive tcn study guides. this university sanctioned information is misleading and not necessary.

http://www.indstate.edu/nursing/pdfs/testing-program-docs/nursing-challenge-exam-instructions.pdf

isu college of nursing, health, and human services

nursing challenge exam instructions for lpn-bs distance students

to initiate the process for the four csm's (customized study materials) and nursing challenge exams, you will need to be completely admitted to the university and have a sid# (student id number). [true]

you purchase the four csm's from tcn (the college network 1-800-395-3276), but take the exams through isu on isu's blackboard website. [untrue & misleading - not necessary. save thousands of dollars by studying your own books and making your own studyguide]

the four challenge exams are n106, n224, n328, and n330. if you do not pass an exam on your first attempt, you will be required to show proof of purchase of the relevant csm from tcn

for the fall 2012 semester, all four exams (n106, n224, n328 and n330) will be required to be completed by the june 1, 2012 application deadline, so please give yourself time for exam retakes if not passed successfully.

nursing challenge exams for lpn-bs distance students:

1) nursing 106: mental health aspects of nursing (2 credit hours)

2) nursing 224: nursing care of adults (5 credit hours)

3) nursing 328: nursing care of the child and family (4 credit hours)

4) nursing 330: nursing care of the childbearing family (4 credit hours)

Thanks Lady, you're right there's no short cut. I'm just overwhelmed by the amount of reviewing I'm going to have to be doing! Have you taken the challenge exams already?

If you feel overwhelmed, make a plan and decide what you must do first, second, etc. Being overwhelmed is norm for nursing school. As someone on the gen nursing discussion board stated, "Welcome to the rat race; hope you like cheese."

Make a plan, stick to it, and take a day off for non-nursing things. Eat right, don't eat junk food, get exercise, and sleep. Realize that the 4 challenge exams are the easiest part of the program but you have control over this section--that is when, what, and how much you study. Once you are in the program, you have no control.

Oh, one more thing. The challenge exams are similar to the final exam for the class--so be prepared.

I will be graduating in September with my LPN and would like to take my 4 challenge exams this summer. Since I am studying for the NCLEX-PN, I am using a Saunders study guide and all of my ATI materials from school right now to prepare. Do you think these will most likely be adequate to prepare me for the exams?

Specializes in Pediatrics, chemical dependency & MH.

Hello,

I understand from reading this thread that a student doesn't have to purchase TCN study guides. However, are we required to use TCN to take the challenge exams? I'm confused on this. . .How exactly do we access the CSEs?

I have begun preparing for the TEAS, and scheduled my test date. After 8/10, I will focus on the four CSEs in order to appy by November 1st for Spring/2013. Can anyone share how difficult the CSE exams were? I have already ordered my RN-CLEX exam prep books, and started reviewing.

I love this site! I just got done working 52 hours this past week (I'm a peds nurse) and I'm finally able to chill. I feel good about deciding to progress myself by starting this new journey from LPN to BSN. I applied to ISU, requested my transcripts, scheduled my TEAS with ATI, ordered my TEAS manual and practice assessment.

Thanks for all the great help offered here at allnurses! I appreciate your personal insights about your own experiences with ISU!

Leslie

hello i am new to this site. i have compleated both NUR 106 and NUR 330. i unfortunatly failed NUR 228, so im feelinga bit discouraged

***edited per site ToS****

LadyinScrub,

Thank you for your post. I wonder if you know how long from registering for each exam to taking exam I am allowed. Because if I can get that free study guide when I register for each exam, then I cannot study until I register for the exam. Am I right?

LadyinScrub,

Thank you for your post. I wonder if you know how long from registering for each exam to taking exam I am allowed. Because if I can get that free study guide when I register for each exam, then I cannot study until I register for the exam. Am I right?

It should not take long. Once you contact the nursinng department, they have to authorize you to take the exam. Then, they give you the name of the person in admissions to pay the challenge exam fee. Once it is paid, that person calls the nursing dept back and relays the info that you have paid. After that, you should be able to get the study guides.

I have bought the study guides off eBay, however they are older ones. Has anyone recently taken the 4 CSM's ? How close are the study guides to the test? Any current information would be helpful.

Hey Guys,

I have been told by a few people this week on here that Sonoma State pulled out from the program and therefore CA will no longer be able to provide this program for us. I was gonna do this next year but now its under review to be closed. They are saying that if another CA college doesnt step in, we cant do this program. All students already accepted will be able to finish, but no more applications will be accepted from here on out till further notice or at all.

Im hoping this goes away so us CA students can do a LVN-BSN route.

Hi you guys,

this i my first post and wow you guyrs are all so helpful! Thank you!

I am currently applied to the LPN-BSN program at ISU and finished passing CSMs for mental and obstetrics.

But I failed the peds so I had to purchase the TCN module. Should I purchase the Med Surg one too?

Do you think these modules help at all? I'm really scared I won't pass the peds one again and not pass Med Surg either and the deadline for the Spring2013 is November 1st 2012! Beyond that I'm done with everything and they even recieved my apps saying they are still waiting for proof of those two CSMs.

How should I study? Any tips anyone?

Thanks for listening~

Hello all, am new to all these.. first am working on the four challenge exams are n106, n224, n328, and n330 ... i signed up today with TCN... and what am hearing about them is not encouraging.. pls i need help.

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