CNOR

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

After studying for two grueling weeks non-stop for the CNOR exam, I took it yesterday. AND PASSED!!! Just wanted to do a little happy dance and share with my e-colleagues the good news!:hpygrp:

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

Congrats!!! This is a very hard cert exam and it reflects your skills and OR knowledge. I first took the exam in 1984 and failed the first time! I retook it and passed and it was great. I renew in 2013 and this will be the last time I renew since I am so close to retiring.

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Specializes in Med-Surg;Rehab;Gerontology; Now OR.

Congratulations!!! Any tips? I'm thinking of taking the exam next year. What books did you use?

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Great job! hope to do the same soon! Ditto on the tips...

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:ancong!:

that's awesome!

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

CONGRATS!!!

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

First, thank you so much for the 'grats! It feels good to have that behind me now. Second, for those of you who wanted to know some tips, here goes:

1. It is a good idea to be a member of AORN so the exam is not so expensive. It is terribly expensive anyway...I think I paid $250 just for a slot.

2. DO NOT be roped into taking online courses. I took a practice test from the CCI website that was comprised of 50 questions. I paid $40 for the practice test. It was ridiculously easy and so I thought I had nothing to worry about. WRONG!

3. I studied the CNOR prep study guide that a friend of mine gave me. I think this guide is also expensive. I know that it is my own psychosis that made me so frustrated about this fact-but there were SO many grammatical errors in this guide that I lost sight of the content for a bit. I plan to write to AORN regarding this, because it really was atrocious. That being said, it did provide some reviewing about sterilization that I found the most helpful. When I had more questions or wanted to understand the various sterilization techniques further, I opened my Berry and Kohn's 10th edition of Operating Room Technique. That text provided the most information and I would have failed the exam had I not studied the sterilization process chapter in this book.

4. Surprisingly, the exam consisted mainly of physiology questions. There were a great many questions regarding the interpretation of ABGs. You also have to know your sterilization techniques COLD. If your hospital does not require you as a nurse to do IV sedation monitoring, STUDY IT. The only reason I passed this portion of the exam is because I had PACU experience and could remember.

5. This exam was by far the most brutal one I have ever taken. I consider myself a strong test taker, but this one took the wind out of my sails. It was much harder than NCLEX. My boss told me that when she took the exam back in the day, the questions would cut off like the NCLEX did. Not so anymore. It goes straight through all 200 questions. The exam administrators told me this from the get go, so I wasn't nervous when it didn't cut off. They give you 4 hours to complete the exam. I finished in 90 minutes. I was sure I had failed.

You have to remember your nursing diagnoses, but the scenarios provided are kinda obvious as to which answer you would choose. My advice would be to review the sterilization techniques, the appropriate times and heat for certain instruments, and which instruments need to be gassed or steamed. Study ABGs, and know the difference between respiratory and metabolic acid/alkalosis. The rest of the questions relate to what you do everyday. But definitely study for this exam. It is difficult, but attainable. Also keep in mind which nerves are compromised in various positions.

I hope this helps. I encourage y'all to take the exam. It puts you in a position of knowledge, and that is always a good thing to have.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

@Shodobe, Emeritus status is available to you when you are no longer active in the O.R. There is a one time fee and you may use CNOR(E) after your signature.

ebear, RN, CNOR(E) hahaha!

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.
@Shodobe, Emeritus status is available to you when you are no longer active in the O.R. There is a one time fee and you may use CNOR(E) after your signature.

ebear, RN, CNOR(E) hahaha!

Yes I know but I will still work a little in the OR. I just don't want to put out the money for renewal. It's a nice cert to have but most hospitals really don't recognize it the way they should.

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

I have found the CNOR to be regional in how accepted and recognized it is. Some places will put the CNOR before the BSN and some the BSN before the CNOR. Everywhere I have seen that advertises and has requirements beyond ASN/ADN will have BSN OR CNOR prefered......

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Specializes in Peri-Op.

Congrats Canesdukegirl......

I also agree with canesdukegirl. This is a very well rounded test for perioperative nurses. I did not study for it the way I should have but was lucky enough to have a background in scrub certification and sterilization tech certification for one side of it. Endoscopy/sedation/PACU experience for another side of it. Circulating for yet another side of it..... If you have not done any of these items beyond just circulating or scrubbing you should study hard. The test I took was heavy on sterilization process and lab results/values/response to them... I did pass it thank goodness. You would be suprised how many people fail this test, when I took it there were 3 others and they all failed.....

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Specializes in OR-ortho, neuro, trauma.

YAY CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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