Calling all CPNE testers!!

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Specializes in GI, Outpatient Surgery.

I know there are a bunch of us testing for the CPNE between now and the next two months. I wondered how the studying is going for everyone and what have yall been doing studywise? Hopefully we are all on the right track!!

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i just can't make myself study i am trying but i just get overwhelmed i know everyone else feels the same i just don't know my advisor told me to pick the patient on page95 and do the careplan and then compare it with the careplan in the book i did not see ineffective breathing pattern related to increased secretions where did they get that i did see weak cough. anyway i just don't know what to do to get started i did fine while i was doing the theory exams now i don't know what to do it is hard when you are alone. thanks for listening, alicia.

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Specializes in GI, Outpatient Surgery.

Hey girl! I KNOW the feeling! I test in about 4 wks and I am a huge procrastinator! I read thru the sg and took notes. Made my mneumonics to memorize. Now that I have those down I need to start working with my mock stations Ive made a home.

I went back and looked at that pt and ncp- it was pt jean kaufman in the sg right? Pretty sure they used ineff breathing pattern r/t..... since resp mgmt was assigned as was DB/C and IS teaching. The aeb pt you just kinda make up since its a fake pt or as in the cpne you havent seen them yet.

Does this make sense and help??

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

I passed CPNE in 2007 with no repeats. The BEST thing I did while preparing for the test was to time myself on everything. I could do every one of the of simulated labs in 5 minutes without being rushed. So, when I was testing, I could just relax and THINK knowing I had plenty of time to do my best. I didn't take more than 7 minutes in the labs and did them perfectly. Ditto in doing a care plan. Take a shirt and put a pillow in it and put some pants next to it. Pretend it is a patient and go through each of the 16 things you might have to do in a patient assignment and time yourself. You will find that it is easy to finish any of the patient assignments in 5 minutes if you really know your stuff. This will allow you to relax and stop worrying about the time so much.

Timing myself while I practiced helped me more than anything. The other thing that helped was having a song that really meant something to me and uplifted my spirits. I listened to that song every chance I got for 2 days before the CPNE and I hummed and sang that song in my head constantly between the assignments.

When you go take the CPNE, if you are doing well and others are not, you are going to get some ugly comments or you are going to get caught up in the pitty party to feel bad for them. I took my hubby with me and did not go out with the others. I think that was important too. It allowed me to focus on what I was there to do for ME. I was the only one that passed that weekend. The depression among the others was palpable. The ugly comments I got from them would have been difficult to take had I not been humming my song and being with my hubby as soon as the testing was over for the day. If you need a support person, do not make that person someone that is also taking the test. Take your own support person with you that is not testing.

I used the simulated lab kit and set it up on my porch. I took the care plan class-----I HIGHLY recommend this! I took the documentation class and I took the EC workshop. I would do one of the other workshops now if given the choice. There were too many people in the EC workshop.

Good luck. Also remember that this is "BEST PRACTICE" meaning they want you to do it by the book and not how you would do it in real life.

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Specializes in GI, Outpatient Surgery.
I passed CPNE in 2007 with no repeats. The BEST thing I did while preparing for the test was to time myself on everything. I could do every one of the of simulated labs in 5 minutes without being rushed. So, when I was testing, I could just relax and THINK knowing I had plenty of time to do my best. I didn't take more than 7 minutes in the labs and did them perfectly. Ditto in doing a care plan. Take a shirt and put a pillow in it and put some pants next to it. Pretend it is a patient and go through each of the 16 things you might have to do in a patient assignment and time yourself. You will find that it is easy to finish any of the patient assignments in 5 minutes if you really know your stuff. This will allow you to relax and stop worrying about the time so much.

Timing myself while I practiced helped me more than anything. The other thing that helped was having a song that really meant something to me and uplifted my spirits. I listened to that song every chance I got for 2 days before the CPNE and I hummed and sang that song in my head constantly between the assignments.

When you go take the CPNE, if you are doing well and others are not, you are going to get some ugly comments or you are going to get caught up in the pitty party to feel bad for them. I took my hubby with me and did not go out with the others. I think that was important too. It allowed me to focus on what I was there to do for ME. I was the only one that passed that weekend. The depression among the others was palpable. The ugly comments I got from them would have been difficult to take had I not been humming my song and being with my hubby as soon as the testing was over for the day. If you need a support person, do not make that person someone that is also taking the test. Take your own support person with you that is not testing.

I used the simulated lab kit and set it up on my porch. I took the care plan class-----I HIGHLY recommend this! I took the documentation class and I took the EC workshop. I would do one of the other workshops now if given the choice. There were too many people in the EC workshop.

Good luck. Also remember that this is "BEST PRACTICE" meaning they want you to do it by the book and not how you would do it in real life.

How ridiculous to get nasty comments during that! That blows me away that ppl would act like that!! I agree, though it will be hard for me,, but I plan to focus on my $3000 Im spending!! Thanks mudwoman!!

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i just can't make myself study i am trying but i just get overwhelmed i know everyone else feels the same i just don't know my advisor told me to pick the patient on page95 and do the careplan and then compare it with the careplan in the book i did not see ineffective breathing pattern related to increased secretions where did they get that i did see weak cough. anyway i just don't know what to do to get started i did fine while i was doing the theory exams now i don't know what to do it is hard when you are alone. thanks for listening, alicia.

i know the feeling, i test in sept. and i some days i question if i am going to be prepared... good luck... which you could meet up with beachie and i to practice :)

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

Some of the ugly comments were "you are just the star princess here this weekend---aren't you?". "This is not fair; I'm just as good as you are, but they passed you and failed me". "Well, aren't you just so special". Lots of crying. Lots of cursing. Lots of bad-mouthing the CE's.

Everyone went out on Sat night together except for me. I went out with my husband and didn't think about the CPNE----a great break. Only 2 people were having problems come the end of Saturday. It appeared that all but one would most likely pass. All five of those people bombed on Sunday. I think they talked and the negative feelings just took over. The 3 that were on the down hill slide failed over stupid stuff----2 of them for patient safety.

$3000 and a lot of stress causes people to be their worst when all their hopes and dreams for the weekend are crushed. They need someone to lash out at to relieve all that emotion. If you have done well, you are the target as well as the CE's.

Stay positive and don't buy in to the negative energy.

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Specializes in GI, Outpatient Surgery.

I could understand feeling that way maybe, but definitely not something I would ever say. I would hate to ruin it for someone else.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I could understand feeling that way maybe, but definitely not something I would ever say. I would hate to ruin it for someone else.

This is why I have always recommended people stick to themselves during the CPNE weekend. I didn't hang out with my co-testers at all, and this is why. I'm sure they were (and are) very nice people, but sometimes stress really does bring out the worst in people.

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Specializes in GI, Outpatient Surgery.
This is why I have always recommended people stick to themselves during the CPNE weekend. I didn't hang out with my co-testers at all, and this is why. I'm sure they were (and are) very nice people, but sometimes stress really does bring out the worst in people.

Lunah!.... If I had a nickel for everytime I have said lately "Lunah said..... I think I'm going to do that." Gelling for a min to think, keeping to myself, etc...

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

LOL. You give me far too much credit, but thank you. We'll make some "WWLD?" wristbands. :D

I just totally went into survival mode during the CPNE. Didn't even take my husband -- didn't want him to be bored in the hotel, or worry about him being bored, etc. Told him this was a journey I had to make alone, haha. But it was kind of true -- no one can really make this journey with you.

Which brings me to another point: everyone, please do NOT judge a test site by how many people pass or fail there. Sometimes there are spectacular weekends during which everyone passes; then there are the epic weekends when no one passes. There are so many variables we can never consider (student mix, their prep, their experience, their attitudes, etc.), which is why it is pointless to think that your site might potentially be a tough place to pass based on others' experiences. Take their experiences for the nuts and bolts -- where the sinks are in the room, size of the facility, good hotel location, etc. -- and leave the rest behind, or just as a mental footnote. You guys have been studying so hard, and I'm so proud of all of you!! I know you can do this.

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

Lunah is so right! You all have been preparing and you need to believe in yourself. Many, many, many of us have done this and you can too!!!:up: Stay focused on YOU and what you have to do to pass. This is YOUR CPNE and no one elses.

Lunah needed to go this alone, and I needed to have someone that I loved and trusted to be there with me. Figure out what it right for you. Everyone is different.

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