Excelsior CPNE - Would you recommend a workshop?

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Specializes in Home Health, Community Health.

Hi everyone,

I am at the point where I am about eligible to register for the CPNE (should be mid-Dec). I know that it can take several months to be assigned a date and I am starting to think about my plan to prepare. I know that there a lot of good resources on line, but I was looking for some input or advice on how others prepared successfully.

On this site I have seen mentioned Sherri Taylor's workshops and as far as I can tell she is not affiliated with Excelsior College directly. I am also aware that Excelsior offers workshops. Any opinion on which to go with - Both seem quite expensive.

I hope to get a clinical in Albany and there is a workshop in Albany in early December. Is this too early to attend if my CPNE test date is not until spring? Does anyone know if you meet people who are involved with the CPNE during the workshop?

Thanks!! NurseBlondie :)

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Specializes in Surgery, Med/Surg/ICU, OB-Peds, Ophth.
Hi everyone,

I am at the point where I am about eligible to register for the CPNE (should be mid-Dec). I know that it can take several months to be assigned a date and I am starting to think about my plan to prepare. I know that there a lot of good resources on line, but I was looking for some input or advice on how others prepared successfully.

On this site I have seen mentioned Sherri Taylor's workshops and as far as I can tell she is not affiliated with Excelsior College directly. I am also aware that Excelsior offers workshops. Any opinion on which to go with - Both seem quite expensive.

I hope to get a clinical in Albany and there is a workshop in Albany in early December. Is this too early to attend if my CPNE test date is not until spring? Does anyone know if you meet people who are involved with the CPNE during the workshop?

Thanks!! NurseBlondie :)

There are quite a few of us at allnurses that have passed the CPNE recently with many different study methods :) Most of us are prepping for boards right now, so there is not much activity but I will offer my tips. My wait time for the CPNE was 4 months. After one practice care plan (from the EPN) I knew I wanted help with charting. I read through the study guide cover to cover twice. Made my mnemonics as I went along. I purchased a CPNE kit from a former student, and set up a lab in my spare bedroom, as well as a mock PCS station here too. I would take 1+ week to master my sim labs, some were faster than the others. I did 2 sim labs every day with only taking a couple of days off. I then began to do mock PCS with my kids being my practice patients. I used Rob's videos to get an idea of flow-but these are a dated; I used them basically for a model. I signed up for Tina Logan's care plan workshop online~~way more than just "care plans"; I have not "charted" in 15+ years, and I needed an overhaul. I did 2 months with Tina, and during my actual PCS one CE told me charting was beautiful :) CPNE is pass/fail but it sure is a confidence booster when they like what you have done! I did decide, rather last minute to do the EC Workshop. It was about 2 weeks prior to my CPNE and in the same city as my exam. I don't regret taking my workshop at all--I passed all my sims & pcs with no repeats. The workshop served for me as validation that I knew my stuff. I was able to ask all the questions I wanted and got ready answers, and enjoyed hearing questions from other students. Would I have passed without it? I can't say, but the confidence it gave me going into this sure didn't hurt ;) I have friends on this board that passed the CPNE with flying colors with no workshop at all. Good luck with your CPNE!

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Specializes in Home Health, Community Health.
There are quite a few of us at allnurses that have passed the CPNE recently with many different study methods :) Most of us are prepping for boards right now, so there is not much activity but I will offer my tips. My wait time for the CPNE was 4 months. After one practice care plan (from the EPN) I knew I wanted help with charting. I read through the study guide cover to cover twice. Made my mnemonics as I went along. I purchased a CPNE kit from a former student, and set up a lab in my spare bedroom, as well as a mock PCS station here too. I would take 1+ week to master my sim labs, some were faster than the others. I did 2 sim labs every day with only taking a couple of days off. I then began to do mock PCS with my kids being my practice patients. I used Rob's videos to get an idea of flow-but these are a dated; I used them basically for a model. I signed up for Tina Logan's care plan workshop online~~way more than just "care plans"; I have not "charted" in 15+ years, and I needed an overhaul. I did 2 months with Tina, and during my actual PCS one CE told me charting was beautiful :) CPNE is pass/fail but it sure is a confidence booster when they like what you have done! I did decide, rather last minute to do the EC Workshop. It was about 2 weeks prior to my CPNE and in the same city as my exam. I don't regret taking my workshop at all--I passed all my sims & pcs with no repeats. The workshop served for me as validation that I knew my stuff. I was able to ask all the questions I wanted and got ready answers, and enjoyed hearing questions from other students. Would I have passed without it? I can't say, but the confidence it gave me going into this sure didn't hurt ;) I have friends on this board that passed the CPNE with flying colors with no workshop at all. Good luck with your CPNE!

Thanks for all that info, Loops. It sounds like the Excelsior workshop is a good tool to use to ensure you know your stuff after studying. I'll probably wait to see if I can schedule it towards the end like you said that you did.

Good luck studying for the boards!! Congrats on passing the CPNE!!!

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