I just had a question for all of you who have obtained your CCRN. First off, congrats! I've heard about how hard the test can be, and it certainly is a huge accomplishment. I am looking to go for mine, but I am confused about one of the requirements. I understand the acute care hours requirement of 1,750, however does this have to be within two years, or can I have aquired this amount in a year? It reads:
"Practice as a registered nurse is required for 1,750 hours in direct bedside care of acutely and/or critically ill patients during the 2-year period prior to application"
Does that mean I need to have been a nurse for two years?
I took it after 1.5 yrs in the ICU. Alot of questions are from the book material but the questions on drips and hemodynamics is easier learned on the job..
You definitely need to know hemodynamics. Do you have working knowledge of the normal and abnormal values of CVP, PAD, PAS, SVR, PCWP? What do they all mean? Do you know the most common ICU drugs and their side effects: Levo, Dopamine, Dobutamine, Milrinone, Nipride, Vaso, Cardizem, etc.? When would you choose Dobutamine over Dopamine? Why Nitro over Nipride? What's your experience with patients with DKA, HHNK, SAH, subdural hemorrhages, epidural hematomas, strokes, MIs, and everything in between? And I'm talking about when they are first coming into the hospital, not after a few days.
I've worked in a level 1 trauma hospital in the Cardiothoracic Surgery ICU for almost two years and I JUST now feel comfortable in taking the test. There have been nurses who have been here longer who have failed the exam.
So interpret it all as you wish but know that without prior working experience with all the above listed, it may be an uphill battle passing the exam. But good luck to us all!
AACN Website states, "The clinical setting [for CCRN candidates] may include, but is not limited to ICUs, CCUs, emergency departments, trauma units, interventional radiology/cardiology units, or critical care transport/light."
I know a ton of ER nurses that have pass the CCRN exam.
Yes because as you posted from the AACN site, the emergency department is listed/ considered a critical care unit. They deal with our critical patients first so of course they are considered critical care.
I will state this one more time. The only requirement to sit for the CCRN is 1750 hours caring for the acutely or critically ill patient. If there is a requirement for any specific practice requirement or having the required hours on a specific unit, please post a link
Having said this, I agree that without critical care experience, the test would likely be difficult, but not impossible, to pass.
The test wasn't that bad, but just remember when taking the test that 25 questions do not count. I've heard a rumor that the first 25 are the experimental questions, but I can't say for certain.
Buy Laura's book of questions and also I did the PASS CCRN cd with 1500 questions on it.
From what I've heard, there seems to be more prestige behind the CCRN as opposed to the PCCN. As a matter of fact, the last PCCN book I picked up was authored by CCRN nurses. Not ONE nurse author in that book was a PCCN. That strikes me quite peculiar.
SummitRN, BSN, RN
2 Articles; 1,567 Posts
So, ER is OK, but PCU and Tele are not.
Makes sense... I think ICU is counted for CEN.