Hello

suebird3 · May 30, 2006

welcome to allnurses.com! i moved your post to the crna forum, where you will be sure to get more responses.

good luck, and enjoy the site!

suebird

Faeriewand, ASN, RN · May 30, 2006

i just want to welcome you to this site! :)

skipaway · May 30, 2006

Welcome,

You'll find many CRNAs, SRNAs, and wanna-be SRNAs on this site. Just take your time and look around a bit. Congrats on being almost finished with school.

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · May 31, 2006

Awesome, welcome to the site!!!

Tranman · Jun 2, 2006

Julie, congrats on finishing up your CRNA program. Here's a tip. study Valley anesthesia review. It took me 3 months to look up and study every question in that Big Valley anesthesia review (the memory master). I also studied the old test questions. Ace my boards in a little over an hour! I've heard of a few exceptionally smart students pass the exam just studying those test questions. I think that this is a foolish decision. I do not recommend it and can't figure why anyone would go through all that schooling to just not study hard for the final exam. Or why anyone would take such a risk. Only way is if you're a friggin genious with a photographic memory. I have not met very many like this at all anywhere. good luck!!

JJRN · Jun 2, 2006

Tranman...where are these practice questions found?

rn29306 · Jun 2, 2006

Be very careful here....

Tranman · Jun 3, 2006

I can also confidently say I would've pass with flying colors either way. It may have realistically taken me an additional 30mins tops. Remember I said I studied for 3 months (4-5hrs/day) and did all 1000+ questions from the memory master. I researched and fully understood all of the concepts covered (at the time).

BTW for anyone who feels weird about this. The VAlley anesthesia review courses (that you can take for $$$$) also passes out similar test questions from years pass. No doubt, questions that aren't used anymore, but allow one to see what topics were covered, how in depth they are covered, and the critical thinking that is being tested. Of course these concepts and ideas are still being tested, just not the exact same questions. Basically all the questions seek that you not only know the answer, but why. Why is one answer better than another, when both are right, but one is better. This is why you can't just memorize stuff when you study in NA school or for your boards. You must know the reasons for your actions.

JJRN · Jun 3, 2006

Wow, it never occurred to me someone would be stupid enough to attempt to acquire such practice questions for the sole purpose of memorization and have faith that it is the current board questions. I was mostly interested in it being practice, and just that. Of greatest importance I was interested in the question type/format, rather than content. I know what content needs to be covered and that is pretty much EVERYTHING...not a bank of random questions. I did a short few minute search online and did not find anything useful...and I am not interested in preforming some exhaustive search as my time is better spent elsewhere.

Thanks anyway...

:monkeydance:

athomas91 · Jun 3, 2006

it was already stated...be very careful in this line of discussion... the AANA is already after valley - and 3 students last year were almost barred from ever being CRNA's for sharing such "questions..."

i did study valley - finished the sweat book - didn't finish memory master...and of course studied w/ friends..i finished in 43 minutes...and although i don't have my results yet (nearly 4 wks...) ... i have little doubt that i passed...

Tranman · Jun 5, 2006

Wow. I didn't knowthe AANA was after Valley anesthesia. I wonder how long Valley has been around. I'm guessing early 90's but not sure. I couldn't find that info on their website. Would also be interesting to know how many students have used their study materials to pass the certification. That is how many CRNAs is Valley responsible for helping pass the exam. If and when some of you get the valley info, most of the info comes in one huge binder. The information comprehensively covers the basics or foundational information of anesthesia in a concise and organized manner. It is the equivalent of reading all of an anesthesia text book. There is also another booklet called the memory master that has 1000+ questions that cover all the topics of anesthesia. These also come in the form of flash cards and cover the same material question for question as the memory master. The test questions in question comprise of only 2% of the info received from Valley. It's a packet of either actual old test questions or questions of similar nature. Anyways, if you try and answer these questions w/o studying, you'll find that you'll have a very difficult time coming up with the correct answers.

Just wanted to say that many many students use the Valley anesthesia materials and IMO it is the best prep course for the certification exam. BTW, I didn't take the course. I was given the materials from a senior classmate and saved myself $$$$. I actually got the materials early and started staying way in advance. The course is over 3-4 days (i think) and is very intensive covering much info very quickly. I prefer to study the materials in depth and at my leisure.

I hope this helps. My original intent was to not be controversial at all.