CNS review course

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Hello to all.

Does anyone know of a review course for CNS certification or for that matter, books or materials of any kind that I could study to prepare myself ? I have just a couple of months to go and then I graduate and will be applying for the test shortly thereafter. I will be concentrating my efforts on MED./SURG. just to keep it general and then I can always specialize and move on from there. I value any professional comments or suggestions and look foward to hearing from you.

Greg 06

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Hi Greg and congrats.. I graduate May 13th. I purchased the general CNS tapes from the ANCC website but haven't listened to them yet. Unsure what else I will look at...what have you heard about the test? The folks that took it in Dec said it is very general, not clinically oriented at all.

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I have heard the same, very general. Tell me if the tapes help you and I may do the same, at least I know where to begin my search.

Regards.

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Can anybody provide me with feedback regarding the online review courses the ANCC offers for adult or gero CNS exams? If so, did you find any specific course better than the others.

Thanks

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I did the review tapes from ANCC and passed easily. I took the exam in July 06 and at that time, there were some clinical questions but most of it was theory, the nursing process and very abstract concepts. Good luck.

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Specializes in Hospice/Pall. Care, LTC, Psych, Cardiac.

trauma: I looked on ANCC's website and found no trace of review tapes for any exam. I will be taking the Adult health CNS exam in about 2 years, and I only found a review course (either live or online) that pertains to that test. Do you have any idea if these tapes may be available for sale elsewhere? I used tapes while driving to/from work and school to study for my ANCC psych cert. a few years ago. This was great, as I was able to maximize my time management by studying/reviewing while driving. Any feedback you have would be appreciated.

To everyone else who may be reading: like ginurse7, I too am interested in any feedback that could be given regarding the ANCC review courses. Were they helpful? Which format did you perceive to be more helpful/beneficial - live or online? Thanks in advance for your responses.

Mark

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

After I took the test in July 06, I know they changed the content. Maybe contacting ANCC directly?

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Does anyone know how Fitzgerald review cd's and book compare to the ANCC exam? Or Amelie Hollier's certification prep exam book?

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Specializes in Hospice/Pall. Care, LTC, Psych, Cardiac.

It looks like Fitzgerald and Hollier are only geared toward NPs. I suspect they would not be particularly helpful for CNS certification preparation.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I never found any formal review materials except what the ANCC had - so that is what I bought.

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Specializes in Hospice/Palliative, psych, some ICU.

HospicePalliativeRN -- I also just finished my Adult Health / Med-Surg CNS courses and work in hospice / palliative care as well. I plan to take the certification exam within a month or two. Have you now taken the certification exam? If so, what resource materials (if any) did you use? What did you think of the test?

Thanks,

David

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Specializes in Hospice/Pall. Care, LTC, Psych, Cardiac.

david,

i am still in grad school - will be done in 1 1/2 years. so, unfortunately, i don't have any lived-experience advice for you. which certification exam are you planning to take - ancc adult health exam? achpn exam? both?

to my disappointment, i found out that i will not be eligible to sit for the achpn exam after graduation because i will not have a "[color=#231f20]master's or higher degree in nursing from an advanced practice palliative care accredited education program providing both a didactic component and a minimum of 500 hours of supervised advanced practice specifically in palliative care in the year prior to applying to take the examination." this excerpt was taken verbatim from the nbchpn handbook. i spent a few days communicating back & forth with the board and with my program dean to see if there was any way around this, but to no avail. just something to be aware of...

[color=#231f20]if you are taking the ancc adult health cns exam, we are both in the same boat re: trying to find exam preparation materials/courses. i'm not so sure that i want to take this exam, as i perceive (and might be wrong) that it is intended more for candidates who have a strong med/surg background and will be working in the acute hospital setting as cnss. although this may be right up your alley, i'm hoping that the general cns exam will be available through ancc by the time i graduate. if it is i will take that exam initially, obtain "[color=#231f20]500 hours of post-master's advanced practice in providing palliative care" (once again verbatim from the nbchpn handbook), and then take the achpn exam. however, i do want to be prepared to take the adult health exam if the general cns exam is not ready in 2010.

[color=#231f20]i'm always excited to find other colleagues who are/will be practicing as apns in hospice/palliative care. feel free to keep in touch, if you would like to do so. best of luck in your exam preparation - would love to hear some feedback re: how the exam(s) went for you.

[color=#231f20]mark

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