crisis care nurse

[PurpleViolet]

Good evening all,

I recently started in a new position as a crisis care nurse after 8 yrs of med/surg,rehab,ltc,agency,homecare,corrections.Im excited to learn more about hospice as this is my passion.Im interested in getting my hopsice cert.My job has given me the info to register.Im thinking of taking the test in Dec giving myself time to study.(so if anyone has the study guide/core curriculum to lend or sell please let me know.I would be interested) If anyone has any helpful hints for a newbie please advise and thank you in advance for your time! I have enjoyed reading all the posts on this forum.

[PurpleViolet]

please disregard-.(so if anyone has the study guide/core curriculum to lend or sell please let me know.I would be interested) I didnt realize that was not allowd to post.I do apologize.Look foward to reading any replies.

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

Welcome to hospice nursing! The HPNA website has all the info you need regarding certifications and study materials. Their addres is: http://hpna.org/

It's been almost 5 years since I took the test and I've got to recertify by December. I don't think I would have been prepared to test right after starting hospice. I found there were many questions not covered in the material that you were supposed to know. I remember several questions about billing, pain managemnet, disease processes, certifications and recertifications, and appropriateness to name a few. This was for the LPN (CHPLN) test. Wishing you the best!

[ErinS, BSN, RN]

I believe it is recommended you have 2 years of experience prior to taking the certification test. You should also look into whether your employer would pay for it. Having been in hospice for 3 years now, it is a steep learning curve that first year, and I would definitely wait a year before you take the test. Having said that, I have not taken the certification test myself.

We just had our Joint Commision survey, and the surveyor I was talking to has taken several certifications and she felt the hospice was harder than anything else she had taken (I believe she said she was also diabetes, wound care, and critical care certified).