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 Tele, ER, ICU, CSU.

hi,everyone. i am also studying for the ccrn. i am desperately looking to buy used ccrn prep course by david woodruff. if anyone has this and wants to sell, please let me know asap.

thanks :)

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Specializes in MICU.

I just passed it today by the skin of my teeth. :specs: Four more wrong questions and I would not have passed. I have exactly two years experience as a nurse, all of it in a MICU. This is for what it's worth.

I bought Woodruff's package back in April of 07, and passively listened to the CD's while going to work or when I went to the gym.

Pros: This is an excellent critical care course and was an awesome resource for me after leaving orientation. The lectures are a decent length and are great for listening to while driving or while at the gym. It helped me create a knowledge base that allowed me to tightly focus in a two day prep class later on.

Cons: by itself, I don't think this would have been enough to get me through coupled with my lack of experience. Despite being a great base of knowledge, I'm not sure this succinctly covered what is on the test. In some cases it was more info than needed while at times being less then needed. For an experienced nurse, there are probably better resources.

In june, I bought the CCRN study book, 5th edition by Ahrens, Prentice and Kleinpell. I mostly bought it for the questions, though I did read some of the content.

Pros: Good format that allows you to study more in depth or focus on what will be on the test. The authors seem to have a good feel for what will be on the test and put at blurb before each block of content that tells you whether what you are about to read is testable or not. Several questions were verbatim to the test.

Cons: Not many that I see other than it is a little pricey. I plan to read more from here to broaden my knowledge base.

In October, I took a two day prep class that was paid for by our hospital. From what I heard from others, many of these two day prep deals are very on the money at least with respect to very tightly focusing in on what is likely to be on the test. This was probably the most helpful, but without experience or without some other knowledge base builder like the Woodruff course, it probably would not have done much for me. These classes seem designed for someone who has decent knowledge and needs direction on what is most important. I wish I had taken the test right after this class as I felt pretty confident then.

Lastly, I bought the 13 buck practice question book directly from AACN. This was very helpful for just sitting down and getting in the groove of answering questions. Like the Ahrens book, some questions here were verbatim.

In hindsight, I think that if I did the Woodruff course as recommended, took a two day prep shortly thereafter and used the AACN question book, that probably would have done it. Despite all the prep, I felt that I was flat out guessing on maybe 30% of the test. What was most difficult about the test was that they frequently ask you to diagnose something by the MOST obscure finding rather than something common. Even though the two day prep didn't cover everything, it really helped me zero in on the general areas that were important and this was invaluable. With just my experience at two years, I could not have passed this test.

Hope that helps someone.

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Specializes in Tele, ER, ICU, CSU.

Are you finished with the CCRN? I am looking to buy David Woodruff's course.

Thanks

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like i said in the other thread--you DONT NEED TO BUY ANYTHING ELSE.

1. pass CCRN! question CD - available on ebay cheap. harder than the actual CCRN exam, will make your brain explode.

2. Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio CCRN Exam Cram DVDs - worth every penny.

these will make you LEARN the stuff. review them repeatedly then sharpen with the question CD.

the CCRN exam is peanuts compared to the passCCRN! cd; there are some psychosocial and family-issues questions that make the CCRN easy. those questions should "pad" you but do not rely on them. know your material.

Cardiac is 50 questions (30%)--CONCENTRATE on this. the questions are FREAKING HARD--most of them are hemodynamics/drugs to give. know your cardiac medications (i never knew milrinone would turn up!). make sure you know and can analyze multiple drugs and their multiple effects (one will lower afterload, one will lower preload, one will increase cardiac output, one will slow diastole for coronary filling, etc...).

a question will have multiple drugs for each letter answer and you need to analyze what will happen with all of them running.

after the cardiac part the rest of the exam is easy as pie (if you've trained with gasparis and the passCCRN cd).

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello Everyone:

Just checking in.....I think I was asleep during 12 lead EKGs and reciprocal changes discussion....ha ha ha......

I will be taking the CCRN first week of March. Eeek!!

I wish everyone good study habits.

athena

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Specializes in Author/Business Coach.

Took the CCRN today and.....I PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in MICU.

Congrats! It's a great feeling to walk out of that test site with the passing paper in hand!

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Specializes in Travel Nursing, ICU, tele, etc.
took the ccrn today and.....i passed!!!!!!!!!!!!

:yeah::yeah::yeah: :bowingpur:bowingpur:bowingpur

congratulations!! way to gooooooo!!!!!

whooooo hoooooo!!!!!!!!! yyyyaaaaayyyyy!!!!

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Specializes in CT ICU, OR, Orthopedic.

Congrats! Do you find out right away?

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hey wonderful NurseCutie!

GOOD FOR YOU.....

Ugh, I am taking it in a few weeks and I have already started with the melena (sigh).....

athena

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Specializes in med surg, ccu, icu, nursg home, md offic.

I took the test a few months back and passed on the first try. Used the "Pass CCRN" book and CD. Test was not nearly as hard as everyone said it was. Maybe I overstudied . good luck

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Specializes in Cardiac/Med Surg.

info on the pccn exam would be wonderful if anyone is studying for that.

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