CPNE in 9 days!!!!!!!!

Okay, I know there are many of you who have taken the CPNE and some who have taken it in Madison. I will be testing Dec. 3 - 5 in Madison. I know my critical elements like the back of my hand. Any last minute words of wisdom for me?

Hi My name is Tonya. I am an LPN. I have received information about the ADN distance learning program. I am now starting with RUE because they are endorsed by Va, MD and all other states. Is this the one you went through. From what I have heard and seen about them, they have the best reputation. How long did it take you. I am getting ready to work at a county jail here in Va. Does anyone know about the PHYAmerica govt. contract benefits. The pay is decent. I only have 6 months med/surg oncology experience, But I dislike the people i worked with. they treat rns and lpns very different. any and all advice welcome. COngratulations!!!!!:balloons:

Okay, I know there are many of you who have taken the CPNE and some who have taken it in Madison. I will be testing Dec. 3 - 5 in Madison. I know my critical elements like the back of my hand. Any last minute words of wisdom for me?

I can't give you any words of wisdom but I can say GO... KICK SOME BUTT IN MADISON

I hear that knowing the CE's is more than half the battle, you'll be fine if you keep your stress level down.

Good Luck and please let us know how you make out.

Just remain CALM... pretend you've done this all your life.. pretend you're showing a student how it is to be done.. pretend you're not one bit nervous.. pretend, pretend, pretend !!!

Use your grid... highlight your PCS's so you don't miss one ! Leave plenty of thime after the actual PCS to write it all down on the care plan part.. don't cut yourself short.

YOU GO !!!

Wish you all the best ! :) :balloons: :)

Congratulations! Lucky you! You will have to let us know how it goes. I'm hoping to take my CPNE this spring if I decide to go through with Excelsior and am willing to travel across the country if I have to so I can get the best testing site. Let us know how you like it!

:balloons: :wink2: :balloons:

I know you will pass!!!!! Thanks for being a great study buddy!

LPNtoRN: Just a little warning...I seriously doubt you will be able to take the CPNE this spring. They are scheduling into April at most locations right now! You also have wait time when applying, wait time for updates to your student file after exams, and wait time for graduation. I would say if you aren't registered already, a year would be a more real time frame. The nursing exams aren't a total piece of cake either. Good luck getting started should you decide this route.

Kim

Congratulations! Lucky you! You will have to let us know how it goes. I'm hoping to take my CPNE this spring if I decide to go through with Excelsior and am willing to travel across the country if I have to so I can get the best testing site. Let us know how you like it!

:balloons: :wink2: :balloons:

Good luck Medicrnohio. You will do just great....knowing the critical elements is one of the most important things. Just stay calm as much as possible. I was a total mess after each PCS....it was a little overwhelming, but I made it and you will too.

I've heard really good things about Madison.

Good Luck,

Good luck to you!!!!! I know you can do it!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep a clear head, a strong mind, remember all of your CEs, and say them ALOUD if you need to! As soon as the instructor hands you your assignment, turn it over, and jot your CEs down so you don't miss a step. You can put it on the bedside table, (not the bed), and READ from it, as you perform them. If you are unsure about any vitals, I&O, or anything else, ask the instructor!!! Don't be afraid of them. They are there to help you PASS. Keep a good attitude! Don't listen to all the advice from the other students. You have prepared, be trusting in yourself. And look to your higher power for some guidance. It made me feel better. Let me know how things go.... an Excelsior college graduate, Laura. Oh, and if I can do it, so can you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It has been done.

PS- If you make mistakes, we are human, don't beat yourself up. Move on, don't dwell on the mishaps. RELAX!!! Friday night after the lab, take a bath, do what you do to relax. Sat, after the PCS, go shopping, site seeing, whatever... :)

I know you will pass!!!!! Thanks for being a great study buddy!

LPNtoRN: Just a little warning...I seriously doubt you will be able to take the CPNE this spring. They are scheduling into April at most locations right now! You also have wait time when applying, wait time for updates to your student file after exams, and wait time for graduation. I would say if you aren't registered already, a year would be a more real time frame. The nursing exams aren't a total piece of cake either. Good luck getting started should you decide this route.

Kim

The times can vary, depending on where you are going to test. Someone willing to travel can probably get in faster than someone who can only test at one site. I say give it 3-4 months. I took mine four months after signing up.

The times can be quicker if you are willing to travel and get on a wait list. I believe LPNtoRN was talking about the entire program...all nursing exams and CPNE since she hasn't enrolled yet. I would think this would be difficult to accomplish all those exams and prepare for and take the CPNE by spring...this was what I was referring to. The CPNE could take only 3-4 months to get into but for most the entire program takes a bit longer. I mention this so as to have a realistic view of it. Some people can do it in 5-6 months but the majority of people take 10-12 months for entire completion.

Kim

The times can vary, depending on where you are going to test. Someone willing to travel can probably get in faster than someone who can only test at one site. I say give it 3-4 months. I took mine four months after signing up.

Okay, I know there are many of you who have taken the CPNE and some who have taken it in Madison. I will be testing Dec. 3 - 5 in Madison. I know my critical elements like the back of my hand. Any last minute words of wisdom for me?

1. Take plenty of pens and pencils with you. It doesn't matter if you don't need them. I put mine in a big ziploc baggie.

2. Keep a cool head. If you can use self-calming and/or self-centering techniques, that's good.

3. Talk to your patient in your PCS. If you explain everything to your patient, you are also explaining everything to your CE. It makes their job easier, which helps you in the long run. Interestingly, it also makes you a better nurse. You may not need any extra good will, but if you do, this can buy you a lot.

4. Take a couple of highlighters. Use them for the stuff on the Kardex they will give you and immediately highlight the corresponding portion where you will write your progress notes. That way, you cannot possibly overlook anything.

5. Note how they tell you to take the pulse. I overlooked "apical" and failed a PCS.

6. Do not listen--not one WORD--to anyone who fails a PCS. Your stress level is so high you will take what they say like a lesson, whether you realize it or not. (That's how I was in enough of a rush to do a radial instead of an apical--because the girl who had had the same CE the PCS before--and failed--had run out of time on her vitals.)

7. Good idea to be able to do all four of the labs before you go, as well as how to do the CE's, not just be able to rattle them off.

8. Get the phone number of someone here who has taken the CPNE before. You may not need it, but if you hit a bump, this is someone you can talk to who understands. I had a wonderful person give me her number, and I have in turn given mine to maybe 10 others since then. It makes a difference--like emotional insurance.

9. Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. Say why you are washing them, even it if is obvious. You can even be talking to yourself about it. (Think of your CE as an extension of yourself--).

10. Never, ever pick anything up off the floor (or anyplace else that isn't "clean") without using a glove or some other method of returning it to "clean" status. Never. Ever.

I'm sure you will do fine. Good luck and let us know as soon as you finish how you did!

The times can be quicker if you are willing to travel and get on a wait list. I believe LPNtoRN was talking about the entire program...all nursing exams and CPNE since she hasn't enrolled yet. I would think this would be difficult to accomplish all those exams and prepare for and take the CPNE by spring...this was what I was referring to. The CPNE could take only 3-4 months to get into but for most the entire program takes a bit longer. I mention this so as to have a realistic view of it. Some people can do it in 5-6 months but the majority of people take 10-12 months for entire completion.

Kim

Well, that is 10-12 months for someone just starting out. I have most all the pre-requisites (except A&P which I'm scheduled to take December 23 and I also took NC I a few weeks ago). I'll be able to finish as fast as I can afford to pay to take the tests, which I figure will be two a month.

I've been shopping for my books on eBay, built up my study library and I'm rearing to go.

Applied to EC, sent in my college transcripts and nursing license and application fee a couple of weeks ago and am just waiting for my acceptance letter so I can go ahead and sig up for NC 3 (I'm expecting they will waive NC 2 so I won't have to take that).

So when I get the acceptance letter I'm going to go as fast as I can. What excitement!

I'll do whatever it takes to see that I get through the CPNE before summer. At least get my first try at it (I hope I don't have to take it twice but realize it is a possibility). Yes, I can fly across the country if I have to. I just want to get finished. I'm not the type who likes to play tiddely winks.

Well, that is 10-12 months for someone just starting out. I have most all the pre-requisites (except A&P which I'm scheduled to take December 23 and I also took NC I a few weeks ago). I'll be able to finish as fast as I can afford to pay to take the tests, which I figure will be two a month.

I've been shopping for my books on eBay, built up my study library and I'm rearing to go.

Applied to EC, sent in my college transcripts and nursing license and application fee a couple of weeks ago and am just waiting for my acceptance letter so I can go ahead and sig up for NC 3 (I'm expecting they will waive NC 2 so I won't have to take that).

So when I get the acceptance letter I'm going to go as fast as I can. What excitement!

I'll do whatever it takes to see that I get through the CPNE before summer. At least get my first try at it (I hope I don't have to take it twice but realize it is a possibility). Yes, I can fly across the country if I have to. I just want to get finished. I'm not the type who likes to play tiddely winks.

Kudos to you for your enthusiasm, though. I think it probably has helped you get a good sense of what it's about and how to make the system work best for you and your goals, to read posts of people here. I know it helped me a lot too.

I would suggest that while you are waiting permission to start taking the rest of your tests, you might join the yahoo group nontradnurses and check out the notes collected for the various exams. Collect those on your own hard drive (or print them out if that works for you), and then you can begin to prepare for all the exams. That way, when you are ready to take each exam itself, all you have to do is review.

Also, although you may feel very confident, and you may be right about your predicted succes on exams, it's uncannily easy to have a bad day or be sick and unable to reschedule without losing your entire exam fee (oh, yes), or get a fast case of the heebie-jeebies and not make a passing grade on an exam. If that happens, you have to wait something like 90 days to retake it, which, if it is your last month of before registering for the CPNE (can't do that until you have completed every last one of the academic exams), will slow you up considerably.

Thinking ahead about the CPNE is good--fewer surprises that way. The odds are very good that you will make it in your first attempt. You seem like you prepare very thoroughly. When the time comes, remember that once you have registered for the CPNE, that's when you start making very friendly weekly calls to each of the RPAC's (regional performance assessment centers)--I think there are, like five, including the one you have chosen as your first choice, so that your name is at the top of their list when a cancellation comes.

Plan on taking EC's three day refresher course on careplanning and skills too. They call it CPNE and Skills workshops. Incredibly valuable.

Good luck and welcome to the EC fold! (I never doubted for a moment that you would do anything else.... :) )