CMC/CSC Certification

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Anyone know much about these certifications offered by AACN? Are they worth it? I'm eligible to sit for both. It doesn't look like many people have these certifications. Anyone know of good study materials? I used Gaspararis's CDs to study for the CCRN and learned/reinforced a lot. If there is something good out there for CMC/CSC, I'd be interested even if I didn't decided to take the exams.

Thanks!

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Specializes in CTICU.

I have CCRN-CSC and will do CMC soon. Did it more for my own learning than anything, don't think it has necessarily helped me in my career. Definitely good to look that material over and refresh yourself. I didn't "study" per se for CSC as I worked in CTICU for many many years and just did a brief read of a few topics. CMC I will have to study more as have been out of CCU side for longer.

AACN have their own study materials. For CSC I read Bojar's cardiac surgery book.

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Specializes in CCRN-CSC.

Just took CSC. Cardiac Surgery Essentials for Critical Care Nursing was indispensable. Authors are Hardin and Kaplow. Cammy House-Fancher's review on med-ed was also very good. Use the test blueprint on AACN to guide your studying.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

Did CSC two years ago (not required for our job but the NP group I worked with at the time felt that collectively, it could strengthen our credentials). I didn't do a formal review or followed a self-study routine but skimmed through Betsy A. Finkelmeier's Cardiothoracic Surgical Nursing text. The book is no longer in print but there are old copies that can still be found. It helps a lot if you work in the ICU caring for the cardiothoracic surgery population.

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