ccrn

RNforrest · Jul 13, 2014

Iceyv3,

I used the Laura G DVD's and practice questions found on the AACN website. The DVDs were very entertaining and worth the time. It was heavily on swan and hemodynamics and several gas interpretations. Be very comfortable with those. Other than that I think you will be fine. It is not as bad as people make it out to be.

iceyv3 · Jul 13, 2014

Thank you.

I'll probably buy the DVDs in the next few days.

Congrats on your achievement. I can't wait to have that :)

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Jul 14, 2014

The Lara Gasparis Vonfrolio DVD's were very helpful. She also has a 1000 question databank with detailed answers given for rationales in a book you can order off of her website.

You can sign up for a two day CCRN review class.

Most of the review classes will basically tell you what is going to be on the exam. i.e. x amt of questions for cardiac, questions on hyper trophy, etc.

When I decided to take the CCRN exam, I signed up to take the exam, scheduled my test date for the very last day of the allotted 90 day window, procrastinated for a month and a half, freaked out and then really started studying for the remaining month and a half.

I passed. ~ and there were a lot of resources out there that helped make me successful.

Good luck on your CCRN.

jrshim · Feb 20, 2015

I used the Laura Gasparis videos (which someone forwarded me - like I was going to pay $200+ for that? LOL), PASS CCRN, and AACN certification and core review for High Acuity and Critical Care. I studied for a week and I have major ADD...as in, finish 10 questions and then go eat, watch TV, and then come back, so honestly the hardest thing for me was actually sitting down to review what I'd pretty much learned in nursing school and practicing questions. I've had friends take it after studying 3-5 days, so I thought a week was a pretty liberal amount of time.

The videos were great to listen to and she does a great job of keeping your attention with funny commentaries and stories. Her lectures were the foundation for my study notes, which I added to by putting gaps of information I pulled from answering practice questions.

Pass CCRN: I bombed my first practice test...like 89/150, but, then again, I just couldn't take it seriously when I had my favorite TV show on. Anyways, the test bank is awesome for just reviewing everything (albeit, some of the highly specific questions are dumb and would never be asked on the CCRN). Towards the end, I was scoring in the 130s/150. I also did all the cardio, pulmonary, neuro, and professional caring/ethics questions - so that's 70% of the exam. Make sure you understand the rationales, otherwise you're just memorizing answers and that won't help you on the exam. For questions I didn't understand, I used the actual book as a reference to clarify. Most people skip the professional caring/ethics questions - WRONG! While it's seemingly the most easiest section, it's also 20% of the CCRN (25 scored questions out of the 125) and you might F-it up if you go in blind. The CCRN wants you to answer a certain way with these questions and once you see them on the actual exam, they're a breeze.

As for the AACN certification/core review book, it only has 3 exams in the actual book and like 50 more questions on the CD (including the 3 exams). The rationales are great and really meant to make sure you understand the question. Also, these questions were a bit harder, so don't be surprised if you don't do as hot. I didn't even bother scoring myself; I just plowed through the questions the day before to get a better idea of the exam style. Compared to PASS CCRN, the questions in this book were more direct and mimicked the actual CCRN. Actually, I saw a few questions that were pretty much the same on the CCRN from this book/CD.

Don't be afraid of the exam. The test isn't made to confuse you. Just take a few days off and take a methodical approach in tackling it.

francoml, ASN, RN · Mar 13, 2015

I thought the PassCCRN practice test where harder than the actual test. If you can consistantly pass those, even by the smallest margin, then just schedule your exam already! You will do fine! Look at it this way, if you pass HELL YA! if you fail then you gained a lot of insight and probably learned a lot of useful things along the way, pay for it again and test again soon. I don't know anyone who has failed more than once if they actually took it seriously and put in some good study time. You will do great just do it! ......and like the local vendors walking around on the beach in Mexico say, its only money Americano :)

buspar · Apr 9, 2015

I used the Laura Gasparis videos (which someone forwarded me - like I was going to pay $200+ for that? LOL), PASS CCRN, and AACN certification and core review for High Acuity and Critical Care. I studied for a week and I have major ADD...as in, finish 10 questions and then go eat, watch TV, and then come back, so honestly the hardest thing for me was actually sitting down to review what I'd pretty much learned in nursing school and practicing questions. I've had friends take it after studying 3-5 days, so I thought a week was a pretty liberal amount of time.
The videos were great to listen to and she does a great job of keeping your attention with funny commentaries and stories. Her lectures were the foundation for my study notes, which I added to by putting gaps of information I pulled from answering practice questions.
Pass CCRN: I bombed my first practice test...like 89/150, but, then again, I just couldn't take it seriously when I had my favorite TV show on. Anyways, the test bank is awesome for just reviewing everything (albeit, some of the highly specific questions are dumb and would never be asked on the CCRN). Towards the end, I was scoring in the 130s/150. I also did all the cardio, pulmonary, neuro, and professional caring/ethics questions - so that's 70% of the exam. Make sure you understand the rationales, otherwise you're just memorizing answers and that won't help you on the exam. For questions I didn't understand, I used the actual book as a reference to clarify. Most people skip the professional caring/ethics questions - WRONG! While it's seemingly the most easiest section, it's also 20% of the CCRN (25 scored questions out of the 125) and you might F-it up if you go in blind. The CCRN wants you to answer a certain way with these questions and once you see them on the actual exam, they're a breeze.
As for the AACN certification/core review book, it only has 3 exams in the actual book and like 50 more questions on the CD (including the 3 exams). The rationales are great and really meant to make sure you understand the question. Also, these questions were a bit harder, so don't be surprised if you don't do as hot. I didn't even bother scoring myself; I just plowed through the questions the day before to get a better idea of the exam style. Compared to PASS CCRN, the questions in this book were more direct and mimicked the actual CCRN. Actually, I saw a few questions that were pretty much the same on the CCRN from this book/CD.
Don't be afraid of the exam. The test isn't made to confuse you. Just take a few days off and take a methodical approach in tackling it.

Thank you for sharing your experience. I just sent you a PM, would you please check it? TIA!

**LaurelRN, MSN · Apr 12, 2015

I did the Laura Gasparis DVD's and questions from her book. I did them nonstop for 3 weeks, had been in ICU 1 year and passed. It depends on alot of things. Are you a good test taker? Do you critically think well? The worst you can do is have to take it again...