1750 hours for CCRN exam?

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I know that we have to have 1750 hours in order to take CCRN exam. My question is, do the orientation hours that we go through count towards the 1750 hours? We go through a 3 month orientation process and we are technically providing bedside care in a critical care environment. A lot of new grads and I are wanting to take the CCRN exam as soon as possible and want to know if those hours count or not. It would really make a difference between having an additional 600 hours that would count toward our total.

Thanks for y'all's responses.

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Specializes in ICU.

The AACN doesn't require actual hours verification, as far as proving how many hours you have. They require you to supply the email address of a person who can verify that you've worked there the required number of hours. Those are really two different things. You just have need someone to vouch for you, not a direct paper trail.

I hear you can get audited and lose your certification if you gained it under false pretenses, but it doesn't seem like they do a super-thorough checking to make sure you are eligible.

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It's up to your supervisor really, since it's their e-mail address you're providing. My supervisor has no problem with counting orientation hours towards it.

I haven't heard of anyone getting audited for any of the exams.

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I got audited. The audit is basically a sheet of paper your manager or director signs which you'll mail back with a copy of your nursing license.

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Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.

According to the handbook, hours during orientation count if you are the primary caregiver for the pt (basically, if you're taking the team instead of just observing). This is because in some places orientation can last as long as a year, while you're still giving full pt care.

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Specializes in ICU.

As delphine22 said above, it depends on whether you are the primary provider for the patients. In my opinion, if you're doing all the charting, passing the meds, etc. with a preceptor watching over you, then you are the primary provider. If the preceptor is doing the majority of the work, then it doesn't count as CCRN experience, but the time-requirement seems somewhat open to interpretation to me. I would ensure that the person you select as your voucher will verify that you indeed have the experience that claim to have.

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Specializes in GI Surgery Step-down.

Hi everyone.

I am starting to work GI surgery step-down at big teaching hospital. I wonder if I can apply ccrn after complete to hours. Some people saying step down rn can apply since its critical care. Some others saying it's not eligible for ccrn but I can take progressive care certification. Anyone know about it?

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Specializes in MICU - CCRN, IR, Vascular Surgery.
Hi everyone.

I am starting to work GI surgery step-down at big teaching hospital. I wonder if I can apply ccrn after complete to hours. Some people saying step down rn can apply since its critical care. Some others saying it's not eligible for ccrn but I can take progressive care certification. Anyone know about it?

I'm not sure if you could do CCRN, but you should definitely be able to do PCCN on stepdown at least.

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Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.
Hi everyone.

I am starting to work GI surgery step-down at big teaching hospital. I wonder if I can apply ccrn after complete to hours. Some people saying step down rn can apply since its critical care. Some others saying it's not eligible for ccrn but I can take progressive care certification. Anyone know about it?

I've worked 2 years PCU and just started in the MICU. I'm sitting for my CCRN shortly. A few nurses (in person and on AN) tried to tell me that I couldn't sit for the CCRN because my experience wasn't critical care. But the handbook says "acutely or critically ill."

So I called AACN. The person on the phone told me, "we don't care where you work, since different acuity can be found on all units. We just care if you can pass the test." So there you have it. Call for yourself if you like, they are very friendly on the phone.

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Specializes in GI Surgery Step-down.

Thank u for information. But in order to sit for exam, they have to approve first the hours we worked ? Am I right?

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Specializes in Quality, Cardiac Stepdown, MICU.

Not technically. You sign a statement that you have worked the correct number of hours -- and I would not lie on this, don't sit for the exam if you've been working as a nurse 3 months, but in less than a year you should have acquired those hours if you were working full time.

If you are audited, you have a coworker confirm that you have worked that number of hours. But again -- you only need to prove you worked the number of hours, and your paystub should confirm this. (And they should not have been orientation hours where you were not the primary caregiver.) They don't care which unit you were on.

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