OCN Review advice please!

anc33 · Nov 21, 2008

I took the course and thought it was the biggest waste of money. It is basically just the book regurgitated into power point form. It does have quizzes but I recommend the core curriculum study guide instead. Good luck.

LUVONCRN · Nov 23, 2008

I used the Core curriculm study guide and I found that helpful. I also had a disk that was study questions that I found helpful. I did take a review course but it really wasnt helpful. I found that just doing the questions was helpful. Good Luck!

LikesToSwim · Nov 27, 2008

I would jump right into the questions, and don't get stressed if you don't remember (or even understand) every little detail. What worked for me was to go through the OCN Core Curriculum Study Guide (the scary book with all the multiple-choice questions in it.) What I did was just start at the front of the book and start answering questions, even if I was guessing. I am impatient, and found that I worked best with immediate feedback-- so I'd do 10-20 questions, and then look up the answers-- and continue until I was done with all the questions in that chapter. If I bombed, I would open up my other book-- the Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing (4th edition) and read that chapter quickly. Then I moved on to the next group of questions (or the next chapter). I spent a lot of time on oncologic emergencies because I did poorly on my review questions (even though I thought I knew them). Towards the end of my review, I was just so tired of questions that I just stopped. Before that point, I did a few chapters a night. I started studying 2 weeks before the test. If I had to do it again, I'd probably start a month before the exam and spread it out a little more to avoid burnout. I thought the test was hard, but fair-- no surprises-- I felt prepared by doing questions, and found that I learned more by reading why answers were wrong than by trying to read the outline format of Core Curriculum.

Sammi15 · Dec 5, 2008

I would jump right into the questions, and don't get stressed if you don't remember (or even understand) every little detail. What worked for me was to go through the OCN Core Curriculum Study Guide (the scary book with all the multiple-choice questions in it.) What I did was just start at the front of the book and start answering questions, even if I was guessing. I am impatient, and found that I worked best with immediate feedback-- so I'd do 10-20 questions, and then look up the answers-- and continue until I was done with all the questions in that chapter. If I bombed, I would open up my other book-- the Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing (4th edition) and read that chapter quickly. Then I moved on to the next group of questions (or the next chapter). I spent a lot of time on oncologic emergencies because I did poorly on my review questions (even though I thought I knew them). Towards the end of my review, I was just so tired of questions that I just stopped. Before that point, I did a few chapters a night. I started studying 2 weeks before the test. If I had to do it again, I'd probably start a month before the exam and spread it out a little more to avoid burnout. I thought the test was hard, but fair-- no surprises-- I felt prepared by doing questions, and found that I learned more by reading why answers were wrong than by trying to read the outline format of Core Curriculum.

OMG! I study the same way as you. I also study the NCLEX the same way too b/c I'm too impatient to go through 1000+ pages in the review book & I passed the board with 75 questions. I plan to take my OCN in Jun -> Aug 2009. I have to wait b/c I haven't met my minimum requirement to take the OCN exam. So, I'm really taking my time to study.

By the way, did you pass the OCN exam?

LikesToSwim · Dec 8, 2008

Yep, I passed!

globalRN · Dec 14, 2008

use the Oncology Nursing Review CD with 1000+ questions. (by brownstone?)

Just keep reviewing until u are getting 95-100%.

I am sure u will be ready for OCN exam then.

That is how I passed AOCNP.

shortlittleRN · May 28, 2009

I will be taking the OCN exam for the first time in May 2009. Any advice on preparing for this exam?! Books to buy? or review courses?
Has anyone taken the ONS Online OCN Review Course?? If so, was it helpful? It's based off of Core Curriculum for Oncology Nursing (4th ed.).

I took the test today and failed. That was a hard test. Harder than the Nclex. I needed a 55 to pass, and scored 54. Talk about close.

In retrospect, I should have started studying sooner. I used the Core Curriculum book and study guide. Started reading the book a month ago and crammed the study guide questions during the last week. Not a good plan for passing.

janellewhalen · May 29, 2009

I took the test today and failed. That was a hard test. Harder than the Nclex. I needed a 55 to pass, and scored 54. Talk about close.
In retrospect, I should have started studying sooner. I used the Core Curriculum book and study guide. Started reading the book a month ago and crammed the study guide questions during the last week. Not a good plan for passing.

So sorry that you got that close!! I took the test today and didn't pass either. Got a 50. It was definitely a difficult test. I feel I would've done better if I'd just practiced more questions. That's how I passed the NCLEX. I got caught up studying the Core curriculum book and, like you, didn't practice questions til a week before.

Thank you all for the advice! I haven't been on this forum in months...probably would've helped if I'd came back and read all this advice a couple months ago!!

RNFL0724 · May 30, 2009

Any advice on the AOCNP?? I plan on taking it later this year... hopefully September/October. What was everyone's thoughts on it, for those who have taken it??

Any help is greatly appreciated!

chiapet · May 30, 2009

I agree with ANC33....I signed up for the review course and did a couple of the modules, but it was basically just reading the same information as the book, but online. Some of the 'activities' involved printing blank tables and filling them in with, for example, types of pain meds, what they are used for etc. I would have liked the opportunity to take online tests repeatedly -- not just a pre-test and then two attempts at the post test. I never finished the course -- so lost that money.

What did help me was the study guide with test questions on each area of the test blueprint. That is all I used, and I passed the exam this morning!

anc33 · May 31, 2009

The study guide was definitely the most helpful thing. I started reviewing 2 months before the test. In general the questions were very similar. Maybe slightly easier than the book. I felt like most of my questions were heme onc related which initially made me panic since I am solid tumor kinda girl. However, the book prepared me well and I reached level 4 all but 2 of the subsections. I am sure that if you start prepping a little earlier you will pass with flying colors.