Anyone else studying for CCRN exam?

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  1. I have or would like to get my CCRN certification: (you may select more than one)

    • 851
      Yes
    • 17
      No
    • 365
      If yes: I get some kind of financial reward or incentive to achieve and maintain certification.
    • 331
      If yes: There is no financial reward or incentive at my institution for CCRN certification.
    • 360
      If yes: I have or can have CCRN on my name badge or there is other forms of acknowledgement.
    • 291
      If yes: I find the certification has empowered my practice and would encourage others to pursue it.
    • 13
      If yes: It really hasn't been worth the work and I would discourage others from pursuing it.
    • 5
      If no: I don't have the certification and feel no need or have had negative experiences.
    • 53
      If no: I would like to pursue it, but have had difficulty getting motivated.
    • 12
      I am undecided.

379 members have participated

Is there anyone else out there who is currently studying for the CCRN exam and would like to start a thread as perhaps a study and support group? I have just applied for the exam and have not yet set a date, but about in 3 months is when I will be taking it. I would love to be in communication with others in the same boat! I hope there is at least one other nurse out there! Thanks!

deeDawntee

Specializes in CCU,ICU, Hemodialysis.

I don't believe any time studying to be a better nurse is overdone. I am preparing to take the exam in September. Congratulations to you and all of your coworkers that passed.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

All right TLT RN!! Thanks for letting us know that you are in the process of taking studying for the CCRN. Please use us as much as you want and if you feel comfortable please tell us a little about yourself!

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Specializes in ER/ICU/PACU/ Nurse Anesthetist.
You might be right. I felt terible while I was taking the exam. I always had two answers that were correct and trying to decide which one was the best answer was a slight struggle. Ended up going to bathroom twice because of stress ( oopppss not what you think it is, but to wash my face with cold water. My face get hot, flushed when I think that the exam is hard. )

This was my experience too! It was always two good answers on the CMC. With CCRN, the right answer was much more obvious.

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Specializes in ER/ICU/PACU/ Nurse Anesthetist.
I don't believe any time studying to be a better nurse is overdone. I am preparing to take the exam in September. Congratulations to you and all of your coworkers that passed.

Good luck and keep us posted!

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Specializes in SICU, CCU, MCU, peds, physician's office.

I am getting so frustrated! My practice test scores are going DOWN! :banghead: I still have about a month before I take the CCRN, but this is so discouraging.Did this happen to anyone else and what did you do? I have the Pass CCRN book, Vonfrolio DVDs, and CCRN test prep CDs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in ER/ICU/PACU/ Nurse Anesthetist.
I am getting so frustrated! My practice test scores are going DOWN! :banghead: I still have about a month before I take the CCRN, but this is so discouraging.Did this happen to anyone else and what did you do? I have the Pass CCRN book, Vonfrolio DVDs, and CCRN test prep CDs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You may be over-analyzing things; take a break from the practice tests and just listen to Gasparis for a few days, review weak areas, then try another test. :up:

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Specializes in ER/Critical Care.

Can anyone tell me what all comes with the Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio review packs?

I am trying to decide between the DVD's and the audio CD's. I'm thinking the DVD's will give me something more to focus on as I will be able to look at something while hearing, but I feel like the CD's will be more practical and I can listen to them even while driving or working out (and all the computers in the house have CD capability, but only one has DVD capability). But I'm wondering if the CD's come with anything that I can follow along with when I am sitting down to study (like a booklet or slides or something)?

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
I am getting so frustrated! My practice test scores are going DOWN! :banghead: I still have about a month before I take the CCRN, but this is so discouraging.Did this happen to anyone else and what did you do? I have the Pass CCRN book, Vonfrolio DVDs, and CCRN test prep CDs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

How far down is down? If you are still above 75%, or so, you will be fine. I love this metaphor: you can't play tennis with your eyes on the scoreboard. Just keep yourself focused on what keeps you excited to learn. This process isn't just about passing a test. I believe, you should feel empowered every day by it. You have plenty of time to retain all the information you need for passing, I promise! Turn this around and use this as a time to see yourself as already succeeding, as already having the certification. See yourself as the committed, competent, excellent nurse that I know you already are.

I'm sorry that it took a couple of days for me to answer your post, I've had a tough stretch!

Hang in there...you can do it.:yeah::yeah::yeah:

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
Can anyone tell me what all comes with the Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio review packs?

I am trying to decide between the DVD's and the audio CD's. I'm thinking the DVD's will give me something more to focus on as I will be able to look at something while hearing, but I feel like the CD's will be more practical and I can listen to them even while driving or working out (and all the computers in the house have CD capability, but only one has DVD capability). But I'm wondering if the CD's come with anything that I can follow along with when I am sitting down to study (like a booklet or slides or something)?

Hi iheartcardiac!! Thanks for posting on the thread!! You know, the course doesn't really follow any course. The course does come with a book of pearls (which is great) but not a comprehensive overall review in and of itself. I think it is really up to you. She does have some images that she uses, like a slide show, and she uses a wipe board. So perhaps that is useful. What do other people think?

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Specializes in SICU, CCU, MCU, peds, physician's office.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I changed the way I am studying to see if it would help and it has. Instead of doing a full practice test each night I am rotating between certain section practice tests (i.e. respiratory, cardiac, multisystem) each day. I listen that section on the CD and watch that section on the DVD and then take the practice tests to find my weakness in that area and concentrate on reading that section in the review books. About a week or so before I take the test I am going to do the full practice tests each night and then see how well I am doing at that point. I think I was just trying to "build Rome in a day" so to speak. I can actually reschedul for a later date if I feel I need more time, but I hope I won't need that. I pomise I am going to hang in there until I have the certification in hand.

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.

excellent advice jen!!!

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Hey cardiac nurse:

I have both. I know it sounds like a lot but I first bought the audio CD's the first time that I took the exam (I have renewed 2 times by exam, 2 times by CEU) but then I bought the DVD and I learned a lot from that too. I would probably say that the audio CD is more practical for the reasons that you stated. It is easy to pop in the CD player in the car or at workouts. I have listened to it over and over and over. I think that is the key....repeating it over and over. It drills it into your head. I have her book too, to do the practice questions. Of course, you also need to review AACN's Core Curriculum book as the exam is from that.

I have to say that I am a nerd....I have the Pass CCRN book and the AACN's CCRN review course as well. They all give a different experience. The reason I like the AACN's version is that is has a lot of patho, whereas, Gasparis is down and dirty info. You know what I mean?

I like the Pass CCRN book just because it is cool....but it is pretty hard in some places.

Whichever one you choose, just remember what the other posters stated...Rome wasn't built in a day....take your time and keep repeating the lessons.

I gave myself 4 months before the exam to practice each week for 4 hours. I set it aside and did it. No more and no less....that way I could concentrate on it and then go about my life.

Good luck to you!

Chris

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