DON Certification Exam

RNPATL, DNP, RN · Jul 16, 2005

Hello friends:
I am planning to take the DON exam offered from NADONA soon. I have the study books and tapes, but was wondering if any of you out there have taken the test and have some words of wisdom to contribute.
Thanks
Monica in Florida

Hi Monica ... have you taken the exam yet? I am sorry for responding so late. I have had a number of friends take the exam. I am not really sure how they prepared, but they said the exam was pretty tough. I am sure with some prep, you will do fine. Hope all goes well with and please let us know how you did.

Monica RN,BSN · Aug 4, 2005

Hi Monica ... have you taken the exam yet? I am sorry for responding so late. I have had a number of friends take the exam. I am not really sure how they prepared, but they said the exam was pretty tough. I am sure with some prep, you will do fine. Hope all goes well with and please let us know how you did.

THANKS! I am tossing this question back out there for any one else who might have some input.

Thank-you

Monica RN,BSN · Aug 30, 2005

I decided to just take it and did not study.. i got 78.5 %. at least I passed. I had one more attempt and read the book then decided to redo it once again to get a better score report for my resume' etc. I got 85.5 second time around, and not a lot of prep. Test is a bit hard but not too bad. A lot of regulations and HR stuff, administration, and resident care Q's .

Thanks

Monica, RN, BSN, CDONA

danursern · Oct 1, 2005

I decided to just take it and did not study.. i got 78.5 %. at least I passed. I had one more attemot and read the book then decided to redo it once again to get a better score report for my resume' etc. I got 855 second time around, and not alot of prep. Test is a bit hard but not too bad. Alot of regulations and Hr stuuf, administration, and resident care Q's .
Thanks
Monica, RN, BSN, CDONA

I need to know what this test is? I am wanting step out of my floor nurse position and into management as a ADON or something. I am RN, what are the requirements?

Monica RN,BSN · Oct 24, 2005

I need to know what this test is? I am wanting step out of my floor nurse position and into management as a ADON or something. I am RN, what are the requirements?

Go to http://www.nadona.org for information

It is certification as a Director of nursing in Long term care administraton

danursern · Oct 24, 2005

What books did you get. I have been to the site and I bought the tapes, but books? Thanks

I am already having trouble with the calculations of staff ratio's. Who does this really? I do not see my DON doing it?

Darcy:uhoh3:

Monica RN,BSN · Oct 25, 2005

What books did you get. I have been to the site and I bought the tapes, but books? Thanks
I am already having trouble with the calculations of staff ratio's. Who does this really? I do not see my DON doing it?
Darcy:uhoh3:

Dacrcy:

They sell a study book and it is actually one that is useful after the test.

It is called the nursing adminitration manual for LTC by Health education network

Another great book is Handbook for Directors of nursing in LTC by Ethel l. Mitty.

Staffing ratios:

add up total number of nurses for the day x by 8 hours = # of nursing hours then divide by census to get FTE ratio

same for CNA's add up how many x by 8 hour (work day) = # of cna hours then divide by census to get FTE ratio

In FLorida we have to have at least 1.0 for nurses

and 2.6 for CNA's

I have a small LTC facility and our census is only 84 currently, so if I have 4 nurses on each shift I have 12 nurses in 24 hours x 8 hours each = 96 nursing hours and divide by 84 = 1.14 (over regulation)

If I have 10 CNA's on per shift, I have 30 in a 24 hour period, so 30 x 8 hours each = 240 CNA hours divided by 84 = 2.86 (over regulation)

Hope that helps.... There are other formulas, if you need to know any just ask.

Monica

danursern · Oct 25, 2005

This facility is probably about 84 and it use to be 120 they had to ship residents out we could not maintain. Now we have approx. 84 we have per 2 shifts 4 nurses, and night 3 nurses. Most nights we have 2 RN's which I have already commented on. We do not have a lot of CNA's. This company is failing slowly. They have 33 sites from state, and state is coming back in in November. I just started 2.5 months ago. I am not impressed, but what can you do. We have no ADON and only a DON. She is doing her best I guess?

We pay staff low wages. Have no paid holidays, no shift differential, benefits are terrible. No one wants to work there, and this means we have to use agency help. Some days and evenings agency is 80 percent of the staff. Why not when they can write it off as a tax break. So in the long run they get away with it. It is really sad and morale is low among the house staff. We feel cheated, but we can't do anything about it. The reason we are getting sited is because there is no continuity of care. :crying2:

Thanks for posting! Darcy

Dacrcy:
They sell a study book and it is actually one that is useful after the test.
It is called the nursing adminitration manual for LTC by Health education network
Another great book is Handbook for Directors of nursing in LTC by Ethel l. Mitty.
Staffing ratios:
add up total number of nurses for the day x by 8 hours = # of nursing hours then divide by census to get FTE ratio
same for CNA's add up how many x by 8 hour (work day) = # of cna hours then divide by census to get FTE ratio
In FLorida we have to have at least 1.0 for nurses
and 2.6 for CNA's
I have a small LTC facility and our census is only 84 currently, so if I have 4 nurses on each shift I have 12 nurses in 24 hours x 8 hours each = 96 nursing hours and divide by 84 = 1.14 (over regulation)
If I have 10 CNA's on per shift, I have 30 in a 24 hour period, so 30 x 8 hours each = 240 CNA hours divided by 84 = 2.86 (over regulation)
Hope that helps.... There are other formulas, if you need to know any just ask.
Monica