Essentials of Critical Care Orientation via AACN online...

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.

Has anyone taken this course? It is the phase 1 portion, and phase 2 is a 12 week classroom course. Both are provided by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Phase I is tough, but very interesting, and a passing grade is 80%, and no less. :eek: Also, I'm on a short time-line d/t I have to be finished by March 23rd in order to start phase 2 on April 23rd [started the first of January].

Anyway, just wanted to chat with anyone that has been there & done that, i.e. ECCO course.

Thanks!

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Specializes in ICU, psych, corrections.

All of our new grads use ECCO. I was given 3 weeks (of several days each week) to complete ECCO (it must have been phase I) and finished before my time was up, allowing me to get out into the unit sooner, paired with my preceptor. ECCO got a bad rap among all the new grads, but I enjoyed it. Then again, I am very computer oriented and loved the modules/exams. I still use ECCO from time to time to refresh my memory. We are able to access it up to a year after we begin it, which leaves me until August of this year.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did....I learned a lot from it as well.

Melanie = )

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I did the ECCO as well, and I enjoyed it. The cardiac section seemed to take forever to get done but the rest went pretty quickly.

Missy

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
I did the ECCO as well, and I enjoyed it. The cardiac section seemed to take forever to get done but the rest went pretty quickly.

Missy

Missy,

Thanks for the encouragement, seriously. I mean, the Care of the Patient with CV Disorders module is very exhausting. Glad to know I can make up some time with the rest of the course.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
All of our new grads use ECCO. I was given 3 weeks (of several days each week) to complete ECCO (it must have been phase I) and finished before my time was up, allowing me to get out into the unit sooner, paired with my preceptor. ECCO got a bad rap among all the new grads, but I enjoyed it. Then again, I am very computer oriented and loved the modules/exams. I still use ECCO from time to time to refresh my memory. We are able to access it up to a year after we begin it, which leaves me until August of this year.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did....I learned a lot from it as well.

Melanie = )

Melanie,

Why did some of the new grads not like phase 1? I made a 77% on the CV module exam [1/26/06], so I have to do a retake. This time around I'm taking in-depth notes while viewing the CV lesson slides online. Seems to be sinking in better this time. I do have CCU & Tele experience, yet its been over 5 yrs. Guess I'm a little more rusty than I thought. :rolleyes:

I appreciate the input, ya'll!

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Does this cost anything? Or do you need to become a member of the AACN?

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Does this cost anything? Or do you need to become a member of the AACN?

Here is the direct link on cost specifics. The cost of the ECCO program is usually absorbed by the education department, or critical care unit within an organization under site license agreement with the AACN ECCO team.

Mine is being paid by the ancindextestr01c01thumb6fi.gif :)

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Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.

My job actually has all its new critical care nurses (whether new grad or experienced) take the ECCO course. I went through its first class back in June. I found that it wasn't bad. It took a little long.....I found they stretched it out too much. It lasted from 6/20 to 9/9. For the next group they cut it down to 8 weeks. I heard it was better. We also have access to it for a year. I hope you find it as helpful as I did, although you already have experience in the field already.

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
My job actually has all its new critical care nurses (whether new grad or experienced) take the ECCO course. I went through its first class back in June. I found that it wasn't bad. It took a little long.....I found they stretched it out too much. It lasted from 6/20 to 9/9. For the next group they cut it down to 8 weeks. I heard it was better. We also have access to it for a year. I hope you find it as helpful as I did, although you already have experience in the field already.

LadyT618 - From 6/20 to 9/9 did you take both Phase I [online] & Phase II [classroom]?

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Corvette Guy-

The Cardiovascular part took me like 25 hours at least...didn't pass the first time around on the test, but just looked at the stuff I did wrong and went back and was able to get the 80% or better...some of the modules will take you 2 hours max, even with the test...some more like 4 hours.... but the rest are all short and not too bad.

Missy(off to bed):zzzzz

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
Corvette Guy-

The Cardiovascular part took me like 25 hours at least...didn't pass the first time around on the test, but just looked at the stuff I did wrong and went back and was able to get the 80% or better...some of the modules will take you 2 hours max, even with the test...some more like 4 hours.... but the rest are all short and not too bad.

Missy(off to bed):zzzzz

Thanks for the info, which is a great relief. I was hoping since I've completed 30% of the course with just the CV portion that the other modules would be alot shorter.

:)

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Specializes in Neuro trauma ICU, Flight Nurse.

Yuck! Our institution uses it. Good information, but takes waaaaaay to long to finish.:o

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