CRNE and NCLEX

Hi there.

I am nurse from the U.S. I have recently moved to Canada because I married my Canadian husband (marriage takes somes sacrificing, I guess).

I recently took the CRNE in February 2007, like you (I'll spare you the negative comments I have about it, BUT you may have already read my comments a few posts back). Unlike the CRNE there alot of prep courses out there for the NCLEX. The NCLEX is different than the CRNE in that it actually tests nursing knowledge. However, like the CRNE, it can seem very ambiguous if you don't know test taking strategies. Some have the opinion that the NCLEX asked alot of "management" questions, that is, questions only management should have to know. I disagree with this opinion. I find that though the NCLEX may come off this way, it wants to tests your ability to apply the knowledge you learned in nursing school. They don't want to you to spit back what you have memorized but more of what you UNDERSTAND!. That being said, an example might be. If you were a pediatric nurse floating to a medical floor, what patient would you most likely be assigned to. Asthma patient. Postop total mastectomy patient. Total hip replacement patient. or ESRD patient. You would choose asthma patients because as a pediatric nurse you would be most familiar with this disease process. There are also questions regarding a patient with a certain disease that needs to be placed in a room. Who would he/she be placed in a room with. Of course you would choose the patient with a disease either similar to the patient in question or with a patient that would not be vulnerable to the patient in question in any way.

Prep books I recommend:

Saunders. because it really does a great job reviewing material learned in nursing school in case you need to refresh your memory on some points. Use this book as well as CD ROM to help you with specific disease processes as well as medications (important to know medications!)

I took a Kaplan course and I found that the questions on Kaplan were similar to the types of questions you will see on the test. Use this book as well as the CD ROM to help you get familiar with the types of questions you will be asked.

Most importantly. Remember that you know more than you think you do. Trust your instincts. The great the thing about the NCLEX is its computerized, once you choose an answer and hit ENTER "YOU CANNOT GO BACK." It tends to scew you up anyway if you do so I think it works to most people's advantage.

If you want more in depth and up to date NCLEX discussions. There is a message board here on allnurses that discusses just that, all about NCLEX. It may answer other questions you may have. Go to NURSING STUDENT FORUM and then to NCLEX DISCUSSION FORUM.

I hope that helped. If you have any other questions let me know.

good luck!!!

I concur with Caroline. Kaplan is very good. I highly recommend it if you're interested in taking the NCLEX.

I have a question tho. I want to the the CRNE but I'm not sure which study guide i should purchase, mosby or lippincott? I used lippincott's as well to study for nclex and found it extremely beneficial.

Can any canadian nurses who have recently taken CRNE help me decide on my purchase. Are there free online resources with sample CRNE type questions online that you can recommend? From your experience and speaking with others in your field, what book was most helpful to them as a study guide besides those already recommended on CNA website?

This is an old thread. If you do a search there are more recent threads in the Canadian forum on the CRNE