CCRN test: how bad is it really?

dfk, RN, CRNA · Dec 12, 2005

hey slic, try looking around various websites under a broad search for ccrn questions.. luck might be available on ebay.. even amazon and bn.com might have some old review questions (make sure there's rationale with 'em tho).. also, i found a cd-rom with a ton of questions. mo-media.com/ccrn, certcorp.org and ccrn-cen-central.com come to mind.. good luck.

christianRN · Dec 31, 2005

SO glad to add my opinion since I took (AND PASSED!!:) the CCRN yesterday for the first time. PASS CCRN is the best book, and the CD is great for practice. IT seemed like some of the questions were identical. Know your lab values forwards and backwards, so you can easily eliminate some of the answers.

I'm still in shock that I actually passed after 6 mos of preparation!

sprtnbsblplya · Sep 23, 2009

Just got back from taking the CCRN this morning, it wasn't that bad.

The little green book by Vonfrolio with 1200 Q&A review had much harder questions in it than the actual test, which is what made it such a good review.

Definitely know your cardiac through and through, know every med, all the vessels, every pressure involved in the Swan monitoring, differentiate shock states, cards was definitely the hardest. After that, the renal & electrolytes questions were occasionally challenging. All the other sections, pulmonary, neuro, GI, etc seemed rather straightforward.

And this is all coming from someone who graduated nursing school 16 months ago and only has 14 months in ICU. If I can pass it, people with more experience can do it.

allnurses Guide · Sep 26, 2009

As someone with >10yrs experience, I didn't find it hard. I did do considerably better on cardiac/resp areas that i have most experience in though! GI section wasn't great for me, it's definitely not my thing. If you study and do practice questions, it's easily doable.

NurseKitten, MSN, RN · Sep 27, 2009

Pass CCRN is a good reference book, and if you end up going to CRNA school, it will save your a$$!

Love,

Nurse Kitten, CCRN, Student Nurse Anesthetist

Manurse715 · Sep 29, 2009

dorimar said:
I joined this site, because I was hoping to find more sample questions. It is very diffiuclt to find them on line. I suppose i will have to spend more money. I just appliled to take it.

Get "Pass CCRN!" from amazon.com. It has a DVD with 1000+ questions. I used it. I passed. Try it!

sunnycalifRN · Nov 19, 2009

farmerrl said:
I have to take the CCRN exam in the next few months. I've been preparing for this off and on for a few years but am still only getting in the 60% range in the AACN core review book. I am now in a charge nurse position and my manager wants all of us to be CCRN certified. Has anyone taken this recently?

I took a review course that was offered by Med-Ed and it was excellent. I bought the Pass CCRN book but it's ridiculous, too much information . . . the CDROM is good, tho.

Took the test in Sept and passed! You've got way more experience than I do, you'll pass easily.

WindwardOahuRN, RN · Nov 20, 2009

Used to be tougher with a much lower passing rate.

Honestly, I don't know anyone who's taken it in the past couple of years and failed. Fifteen years ago I knew quite a few that took it and failed. I truly have been a bit amazed at some of the nurses who have passed the exam recently. It's had me wondering just what was going on with that formerly horrendously difficult exam. Someone here mentioned a while ago that the reason was because the study guides were just so darn wonderful now. I don't know---are they selling the actual test questions in their study guides?

IMHO it's because some of the focus has been shifted from science to "synergy," regrettably. At the risk of insulting some CCRN certification holders (including myself, LOL) I'd say that the test has been dumbed down.

Again---looks good on your CV and it's what employers want. Take the rest of it (including the self-lauding praises from AACN) with a grain of salt.

Study what they tell you to study and you should pass.

reisling · Dec 4, 2009

I studied using the Pass CCRN. I just kept going over the questions. Some of the questions on the CCRN are VERY similiar to the ones on the Pass CCRN CD .Good Luck. It was easier than I thought it would be.

vecoroniumlady · Jul 27, 2010

oh yeah i did it! i took it twice but i made it.. the first try i only got 85 score, passing is 89, i was about to puke when i saw my score. as soon as i got home i called aacn to reapply, after 2 weeks i took it again. I passed! i didnt read any lecture, i used the robin dennison cd and videos of Laura GAsparis and somebody name cummy ARNP- she is my finale dvd awesome lecturer and direct to the point.. so again, i didnt read those overwhelming books.. i studied for 2 months, maybe 6 hours a week.. so Goodluck to you all..

Chisca, RN · Aug 4, 2010

WindwardOahuRN said:
IMHO it's because some of the focus has been shifted from science to "synergy," regrettably. At the risk of insulting some CCRN certification holders (including myself, LOL) I'd say that the test has been dumbed down.

That's because it's an 80/20 split with 80 precent being clinical judgement and 20 percent being the "synergy" kool-aid. I think the AACN corporation (operative word here being corporation) figured they'd make more money that way. I have absolutely no idea what "synergy" is other than an abuse of the english language.

Hoozdo, ADN · Aug 5, 2010

Chisca said:
That's because it's an 80/20 split with 80 precent being clinical judgement and 20 percent being the "synergy" kool-aid. I think the AACN corporation (operative word here being corporation) figured they'd make more money that way. I have absolutely no idea what "synergy" is other than an abuse of the english language.

I define synergy as just plain common sense!