EC CPNE workshop

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 26, 2006

Tom,

I think most people who have attended a workshop found it to be helpful, but there are definitely many students who have passed without attending one. It certainly sounds like you have the skills to do it.

medicrnohio, RN · Oct 1, 2006

I took the EC workshop and found it to be helpful. I think it helped to calm my nerves more than anything. I think that I probably could have passed without the workshop though.

anticoagulationurse · Oct 2, 2006

This is my first post since passing the CPNE just yesterday. I did not attend a workshop and I don't think it is necessary if you are intimately familiar with the Critical Elements in the CPNE study guide AND have LPN experience (I can't imagine passing without LPN experience). Gotta do it by the book though.

On a different post I had said I'd update everyone who is interested in how it went. I will do so later, when my brain and body are functioning normally again. IF they ever function noramlly again. I'm in shock, exhausted, depressed (even though I passed the darn thing), time-zone warped, relieved, sad, and generally messed up right now. 24 hours ago I passed the dreaded and indescribably horrible CPNE, 2878 miles away!!!!!! Praise be to the Lord God Almighty!

tgb3rn · Oct 5, 2006

Thank you for the responses, I think I will just study like heck and go for it. STILL waiting on test date!!!!! I may call Thursday just to check.

Thanks again

Tom

gstrahan · Oct 8, 2006

I took the CPNE in Feb of this year. Passed with no repeats. I went to CHE workshop in San Jose, California. There were several people there that had already been to the Excelsior workshop and said they did not feel they were prepared after taking it. They said it was crowded and many of the questions that were asked of the instructors were not answered because "That's not what we're here for" whatever that means. Read the reviews on at www.cheducation.com and you will find many people raving about how wonderful it was. It was a very intense 12 hours per day for 4 days. There is a huge classroom with stations and hospital beds set up just as you will find at the CPNE. She will not accept more students than she has epuipment to allow ample practice time. There were 15 or so people in the class when I took it. Everyone passed the first time. The average pass rate for the CPNE is around 66 percent. The cost is 500 dollars and as a student you can stay at the Holiday Inn Express for half price. I would definately recommend that workshop before the CPNE if you can possible afford it.

CAUTION: It is definately possible to pass the CPNE without taking a workshop but YOU WILL NOT PASS IF YOU DO NOT STUDY!!!! Everything that is expected of you is in the Study Guide. It is not enough to say, of course I can do an abdominal assessment or respiritory assessment, you have to do it including every step listed in the study guide and in many cases in the correct order. WHATEVER YOU DECIDE TO DO, DO NOT "WING IT"!!!

Good luck to you,

Gina, RN

BTW, I took my CPNE at Grady Memorial in Atlanta. Everyone was fair and sometimes even a little forgiving. Noone went out of their way to increase your stress level. It was a pretty good experience for us all. Six people tested, six people passed!!

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Oct 15, 2006

I went to a workshop put on by EC prior to my CPNE and I was VERY glad that I did. I thought it was money very well spent. Like medicrnohio, it calmed my nerves. I went when I was 98% ready to do my CPNE and the workshop helped me to get that last 2%.

It's great that you have wonderful skills--- just remember that the CPNE rules aren't necessarily like the ones that you live by in the real world. You have to play by their rules. I tested with a woman who did care plans for a living. She immediately failed her CPNE because she did her care planning how she does them--- not how EC wants them.

yvonnemuse, BSN, RN · Oct 15, 2006

Tom,

I passed the CPNE on the first try in March of this year. I did not attend any CPNE workshops(and yes these private workshops are put on by former students). What I did was to set up lab stations to mimic the exact ones in the carjack (aka study guide) I carved a wound from a piece of styrofoam and lined it with red and yellow clay to mimic a wound bed. I had IV bags that I added food coloring to to count drip rates accurately hanging in my dining room at all times.I had a heplock taped to a towel for the IV push section. The towel was absorbant. I had a tall plastic cup for my "sharps" and would follow through discarding the syringe appropriately every single time.Place ID bands on your stations so you get used to doing the check everytime. Incorporate as much into your daily work practice as you can.

I do recomment ECs careplanning conference. It put everything in perspective for me as far as what was expected and I got feedback from the EC staff on actual careplans and was able to review other students careplans, successful as well as mistakes.

Above all learn to control your nerves. Repeat to yourself that you are a calm confident nurse who is prepared. Be prepared! Smile and BREATHE.

Best of luck!

Yvonne

Message me with any questions

Drysolong · Nov 7, 2006

I took the CPNE in Feb of this year. Passed with no repeats. Gina, RN
BTW, I took my CPNE at Grady Memorial in Atlanta. Everyone was fair and sometimes even a little forgiving. Noone went out of their way to increase your stress level. It was a pretty good experience for us all. Six people tested, six people passed!!

I'm in the Atlanta area and some people warned me not to take CPNE at Grady because Grady has "difficult" patients (I guess meaning high acuity levels) These same people advised me (when I'm ready) to take the CPNE at SRMC. Evidently your experience with Grady was positive. Can you discuss your feelings about this? Thanks

Diahni · May 25, 2007

This is my first post since passing the CPNE just yesterday. I did not attend a workshop and I don't think it is necessary if you are intimately familiar with the Critical Elements in the CPNE study guide AND have LPN experience (I can't imagine passing without LPN experience). Gotta do it by the book though.
On a different post I had said I'd update everyone who is interested in how it went. I will do so later, when my brain and body are functioning normally again. IF they ever function noramlly again. I'm in shock, exhausted, depressed (even though I passed the darn thing), time-zone warped, relieved, sad, and generally messed up right now. 24 hours ago I passed the dreaded and indescribably horrible CPNE, 2878 miles away!!!!!! Praise be to the Lord God Almighty!

Oh, dear! Why did you have to travel so far? I would think the travel alone would be rough on your nerves. Congratulations!

Diahni

frsmitty · Dec 15, 2007

You should look into cpneworkshop.com. I took their workshop and I passed my first time. The only thing I would recomend is to make sure you call ahead for their student rates at the hotel. They do offer an awesome student rate but the hotel was booked up the first time I tried to go. It's right by the airport so there are a lot of people flying in there. The workshop was great though. I had heard great things about it (full lab and really intensive) In my opinion I wouldn't skip a workshop. I know they say you can do it on your own but it cost a lot less money to take one than the fail and have to pay of the cpne again.

Oh, even if you don't go with them, just sign up for their newsletter. It's a bunch of usefull info. Just sign up and get it then you can unsubscribe so you don't get email.s It's worth it.

dolphins84te · Feb 13, 2009

The CPNE tests your ability to take the CPNE. It does not test your ability to be a nurse or anything else. Hence, I think that the workshop helped me tremendously. However, I come from a paramedic background, so it's totally different/new for me.