Cpen

Specialties Emergency

Published

Specializes in ED.

Have any of you signed up for this new exam yet? If so, what study resources did you use? Has anyone actually taken the exam? Can't remember when in January they were offering the first one. I plan to take it mid summer or so...after they have road tested it for a few months! Looking for study resources.

Ours is not specifically a peds ER, but we sure get plenty of kids. I think this certification would be beneficial. My hospital, of course, will not recognize this certification any more than they do my CEN, but I still think it is worth it for ME. I won't be working at this hospital forever...

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Specializes in Trauma/ED.

Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse??? I haven't heard of this cert. is it also done by ENA?

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Yes, it is a new exam offered by the BCEN. The beta testing of the exam was completed not too long ago and it is now being offered in addition to the CEN, CFRN, & CTRN.

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Specializes in ED.

Would LOVE to hear from someone who has taken this exam. I know it's early on, but hundreds have taken it already. Anxious to hear opinions of it and what was used as study resources.

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Specializes in ER, Pedi ER, Newborn Nursery/NICU, DI.

The only test offered so far was the beta exam this fall. It sold out in ten minutes or something like that. The tests was designed thru the ENA and Pediatric Nursing Certification board. Testing starts Jan. 21 per the website. There are two really good books you can use to study: ENA - Core Curriculum for Pediatric Emergency Nursing & Mosby's Comprehensive Emergency Care. I obtained my CPN in June of 2007 and plan on taking this test this summer as well. If anyone has taken it...details would be great.

http://www.pncb.org/ptistore/control/exams/cpen/index

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Specializes in ER/Peds ER.

I'm one of the 'lucky' RNs who passed the Certified Pediatric Emergency Nurse (CPEN) beta exam last October, 2008. There were only 200 RNs admitted/qualified to take the exam (don't know how many passed, though). Finally, a certification exam solely for Peds ED RNs. Before, I had to take the ANCC-Peds Nursing exam and the CEN, just to get certified for Peds and ER.

Anyway, if you have the current Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) manual, the ENA-Core Curriculum for Pediatric Emergency Nursing, & Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) provider manual, you'll be fine. Most/Majority of the questions were taken from those books, plus your 'stock knowledge' & work experience/cases. I had my ENPC recert a couple of months before the exam, so, it really helped me. Just study what's given on the outline provided by the BCEN & PNCB. I didn't take any review courses, though there were already available ones by independent reviewers. Since the focus of the exam is only pediatrics, it's not as hard as CEN, where it's very broad and many disease entities. Don't forget to read on legal issues, eg. EMTALA.

I hope these feedbacks will help those who want to take the exam.

GOOD LUCK!

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I was one of the unlucky nurses that did not pass the cpen. I have studied all the information that people suggested to me, but still did not pass. The wording was confusing and I am one of the very many people out there that have test anxiety. Any suggestions out there for those who are nervous about test taking. Thanks.

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Specializes in ER/Peds ER.

I'm sorry to hear that... People say a little anxiety is good during the exam. When I took the CPEN, I was very nervous, too, that I went to the restroom several times. When I sat down and started filling out my personal info, my nerves started to calm down.. Of course, I took several deep breaths then I began answering the test questions.

Actually, CEN is far more difficult for me than CPEN. The ENA Peds Emergency Nsg Core Curriculum, ENPC Provider Manual, TNCC Provider Manual (Peds components) PALS are good resource materials. I never read/touched anything except these books. The CPEN content outline served as my guideline.

There are review courses available now, probably you want to invest on that.

Good luck!

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