CCRN test: how bad is it really?

Chisca, RN · Aug 7, 2010

Hoozdo said:
I define synergy as just plain common sense!

From the AACN website as an example of "synergy".

"If the gestalt of a patient were stable, but unpredictable,

minimally resilient and vulnerable, the primary

competencies of the nurse would be centered on clinical

judgment and caring practices (which includes vigilance).

Alternatively, if the gestalt of a patient were vulnerable,

unable to participate in decision making and care, and

inadequate resource availability, the primary competencies

of the nurse would focus on advocacy and moral agency,

collaboration and systems thinking."

CrufflerJJ, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Aug 13, 2010

Chisca said:
"If the gestalt of a patient were stable, but unpredictable,
minimally resilient and vulnerable, the primary
competencies of the nurse would be centered on clinical
judgment and caring practices (which includes vigilance).
Alternatively, if the gestalt of a patient were vulnerable,
unable to participate in decision making and care, and
inadequate resource availability, the primary competencies
of the nurse would focus on advocacy and moral agency,
collaboration and systems thinking."

Ummm...yeah. What they said. I think.

Being a Reformed New Age Traditionalist, I prefer to focus my Chi towards my karmic chakra, saying multiple affirmations so that it will meld with my patient's gestalt, thereby impinging a universality onto the joint bonding (NOT :eek:bondage:eek:!) experience. It's sort of an "itness vs thatness" multifactorial cross-generation multicultural dichotomy babblespeak paradigm.

In other words, I'll do things and stuff...stuff and things...then go home at the end of my shift, hopefully keeping my pt alive in the process (and I'll also hopefully learn something neat along the way).

shix1980 · Sep 16, 2010

Vecoronium lady,

I sent you a private message. I took the CCRN yesterday 9/15 and failed! I also got an 85 and passing score is 89, yuck! I had to sit down at the testing place after i saw my results, thought i was going to pass out! Was/still very discouraged, but today i woke up with a new attitude. I am planning to call AACN and apply to take it again while everything is still fresh in my mind.

Could you please tell me if the questions you got the second time around are similar????? How did you prepare differently the second time around???

Thanks!

Sad girl

vecoroniumlady · Sep 17, 2010

Hi there,

Keep the positive attitude. Just like you I also got frustrated the moment I received the result. But I didnt give up, as soon as I got home I called aacn. The question the second time are almost thesame. What I did is just keep on answering the pass ccrn cd everyday. I answer 100 question everyday for 2 weeks... And when u go back there, it will be piece of cake. U can do it.. Am positive. Keep studyng.. R u planning to go for crna? Am starting on january 2011. Am excited. Ull get ther. Be patient and believe that u can do it.

vecoroniumlady · Sep 17, 2010

hi shix,

i just got your private message. for some reason i cannot reply you back. I do understand how you feel, 85 score is almost there. maybe you answer too fast just like i did. so keep on answering that cd. and ask for 3 days off from work and listen to laura gasparis (seriously, dont sleep ).. the second take will be easy...and positive that you will make it.. believe in your goals and dont let other petty reason drag you down... i will be starting the CRNA program soon. am glad that 2 school accepted me and i got into the school of my choice... keep me updated..

shix1980 · Sep 17, 2010

Vecoroniumlady,

Thanks for the reply! I have listened to laura gasparis cd and know it inside out. I also took notes so i have all teh content. Pass ccrn cd questions are much harder and hopefully that will give me an edge on teh exam.

P.S I really wanted to know whether you got similar questions the second time around???? I had a lot of questions about ALI (acute lung injury). Let me know about the similar questions.

Congratulations on getting into crna school. I have already interviewed at one place that did not require ccrn, now just waiting for the letter in a couple of weeks :) If you dont mind me asking, what schools were you accepted in? I wish you all the best and thanks again ofr the reply.

Shix.

shix1980 · Sep 18, 2010

Vecoroniumlady,

Thanks for the reply! Its weird that your last reply to me posted before my message to you! I will keep on doing those questions, and i know i can do this, is just that its de-heartening after failing! I know it should be easier the second time around because i will have kinda similar questions, bad thing is what if i second guess myself? What if am like, 'maybe i should not have picked this answer the first time around? I wish they used to give you the answers for the questions after you're done then you would know which questions were right or wrong!

Thanks again for your help.

Shix.

ucdmc · Sep 21, 2010

I took the exam 5 months ago and failed- my score was 86 passing score was 89! Im taking it again in a week. Any tips??? Pls!! im desperate!!!

RNFELICITY · Oct 10, 2010

AmiK25 said:
I took it last fall and didn't really think it was that bad. I bought the Pass CCRN book and studied only the Cd-Rom that came with it (the book is way too detailed) for about 1-2 weeks. Just brush up on shock states and swan numbers and you will be fine. I was really nervous b/c I kept hearing how hard it was but I only missed 6 questions!

I did exactly the same thing when I took my test over a year ago. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. It is not a piece of cake, but if you put some effort into it, you will do just fine.

RN.sdavis · Dec 9, 2011

Hey Everyone,

I just wanted to give my 2cents worth regarding studying for the CCRN.

I have been in the Cardiac ICU for a little udner 2 years, and have decided to take the CCRN. This is how I prepared for the examination: I went onto the AACN's website and got the list of body systems and disease processes that will be on the exam (it is easy to find on their website under Adults CCRN- "prepare to take your exam". I basically went down the list, learning EVERYTHING I could about each disease process and abnormalities (and Normal limits). I studied from the Dennison book, PASS CCRN, and from my old clinical Critical Care book (Thelan's Critical Care Nursing, Diagnosis and Management by Urden, Stacy, and Lough). I took the PASS CCRN CD questions until I knew the answers by-heart. (which gave me false positive results when I was getting high 80's, 90's on the CD)...The CD, however, was by far, a VERY useful tool.

I also bought Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio's book, "Critical Care Examination Review, 4th Edition. It was only 50 dollars on Amazon.com. It purley has questions, 1200 of them.... with rationales. This book was my favorite to learn from. I only wish it had a CD.. oh well....

I proabably studied for about 1 months before I took the test. I also paid the 50 dollars for the AACN's SAE test they promote on their website. It was worth it, and mimicks the real test- with the same computer screen lay-out and everything. I took this practice the day before I took the real test- I wanted to see an accurate representation of how I would REALLY do... I even tried to mimic the environment, (No music playing, turned off my phone, etc).

Anyway, I took the test, and I passed. I got 102 questions correct= 82% I'll take it!!!! The questions in the PASS CCRN CD and all the practice tests I took were BY FAR harder than the actual test questions.. Don't get me wrong, there are some tricky questions.. but I don't think they were as difficult as the real-deal. I hope this helps! Good luck! You can do it!