Hospice certification exam

RN4ustat, BSN, RN · Sep 11, 2006

Have you found any online resources?? If so, where did you find them?? I have the core curriculum and study guide but I am struggling with the core curriculum as I find it very dry. I am very nervous about the test this weekend.........hope I will do well and good luck to you!!

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 11, 2006

I'm taking the CHPN exam this weekend as well. I'm not a hospice nurse, but I do some occasional palliative care at work and I've studied pretty hard for it. Good luck, guys! I hope we all do well.

Donamy · Sep 12, 2006

Well from what I saw on a website it is 150 mult choice questions but the med conversions are kickin my tale. I am taking it in New Orleans and feel really good about everything except med conversion. uh thought that is why I had Dr's . good luck to you all. Anyone else takiong it in N.O. ??

Katillac, RN · Sep 12, 2006

I know that learning the conversions is a monster. But when you want to get a med ordered for your patient, you have so much more credibility when you can quickly give the logic of what you're asking for from the MD. Or at least that's the way it's worked for me. Not too long ago, I got a call from one of them asking me to quickly consult with a conversion. He was spot on, but the dose was high so he hesitated. Also, these guys are not always familiar with the meds we use a lot, and we have seen many mistakes made that the CHPN curriculum helped us catch.

I've studied for lots of tests in my time that loaded my head with useless info. The CHPN test was not one of them.

And remember that when you first start the test you can "download" (from your head) onto paper a quick version of your conversion table, and get it off your mind until you have a question on it. Same goes for where which CAs met where. Also, the test will have a certain number of questions on each content area, so even if you have a brain cramp and totally miss the med questions, you'll still do OK overall if you do well on the other parts of the test.

Good luck to you!

rosemadder · Sep 12, 2006

What med conversion charts are ya'll using? I've seen so many different ones...the ones our pharmacy uses is not what our medical director uses. Can someone send me theirs? I know they are all close but is there one specifically for the test?

nurselearner · Sep 13, 2006

Where on the website are the 150 multi choice questions?? Can you post the link?

Can't find them.

Donamy · Sep 15, 2006

Where on the website are the 150 multi choice questions?? Can you post the link?
Can't find them.

They are not on the web. That is what I found in the HPNA website explaining what the test was about . The study guide has awesome questions and learning material.

Muzicone · Sep 15, 2006

What is the name of your study guide? I am going to test next time. I have done hopsice going on 5 years now and want the certification. Thank you.

nurselearner · Sep 17, 2006

For those who took the exam yesterday- What did you think? For those who have taken it before - was it different?

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 17, 2006

I thought it was challenging, but I'm not a hospice nurse, so I didn't expect to breeze through it. Seemed like there were runs of easy questions, followed by very hard ones. I guess we'll find out in ~ 5 wks!

hcan · Sep 18, 2006

Holy shmoley! I thought I knew a lot about hospice, and I studied whatever I knew to study, but even so, it was an uncomfortable exam! There is a whole buttload of stuff I don't know! It's like I brought my little microcosm of hospice knowledge and needed to know about the macrocosm! Even so, it was a good experience. I love working with the dying, and everything I can learn about easing their symptoms and helping the families cope with the care puts me a step ahead. Even if I didn't pass the exam, it opened my eyes to what hospice can do. Although...a mighty expensive lesson!!!