How do you prepare for the CPRNE?

World Canada CRNE

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Hello fellow nurses/nursing students:

Hoping everyone is off to a good start this year. I wanted to ask you all for counsel on how to prepare for the RPN Exam (CPRNE).

Currently, I am in my last semester of the RPN program in Ontario. Being in the home stretch, I will be responsible for practicing with a preceptor who works full-time which means being in clinical roughly 40hrs/wk. In addition, I will also be accountable with preparing for 4 comprehensive tests, encompassing everything I learned in nursing school and also the provincial exam.

Despite having some depth of knowledge, skill and judgement on what I learned through out nursing school, I still feel there is a lot for me to review (everything beginning from my first semester).

My challenge is trying to figure out how to create a study schedule that allows me to review everything I've learned in the program within 15 weeks outside of my full-time clinical placement for these tests and importantly, the provincial exam.

The resources that were suggested by Faculty was the CPRNE Prep Guide and maybe one other NCLEX-PN Exam Review Textbook. I personally feel that this may not be enough - If it is, I would greatly appreciate your feedback on how to go about studying using these resources.

Your ideas and thoughts on how to effectively cover all this content on such a limited amount of time would greatly appreciated.

Thank you very much in advance.

Nursing ROCKS!!! I look forward to being a member of this heroic profession soon!

Sincerely,

Future_hero

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Specializes in NICU.

I am actually writing the CPNRE tomorrow!!

From what I've heard from those who have written, don't over study. If you've done well in the program, you will be OK. The exam is based on the basic knowledge needed for an RPN to enter practice, so a lot of it is common nursing knowledge.

That being said, I did buy the prep guide and went through it a few times. It does help in seeing how the test will be laid out. I also did the online predictor test which tells you the probability of you passing the exam.

Other than that, I read through my med-surg text book, and went through my case-study notes from school. I went to Mohawk College and all our work was case-study based, which is how the exam is laid out.

Good luck!

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Specializes in NICU.

Oh, and I started studying about 2 weeks before the exam...and I feel well prepared. I've gotten around 80% on the predictor tests. Whatever works for you, if you feel you need more time, by all means...but the advise given to me was don't over study.

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Thank you so much for all the feedback!!! I'll be sure to utilize your suggestions when preparing for the big dance. I'm so excited to hear you're writing!! May confidence in everything you've learned be your best friend tomorrow. From what I've read, I have no doubt you'll do great!!! Thank you again for the heads up and best of luck to you and those in your group tomorrow!

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It's not a difficult exam. But it is an exam that leaves you walking out of the room convinced that you might have passed.

The key is not to overthink the question. After it was over, my friends joked that if "wash your hands" was on the list of multiple choice answers, it was probably the correct one.

I would suggest that you review the area that you feel the weakest in. There is no rhyme or reason to how they select questions. The exam I wrote seemed to focus heavily on IV fluids and site condition. Someone who wrote three writings after me told me hers was heavy on peds!. So just determine your own weaknesses and go from there.

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It's not a difficult exam. But it is an exam that leaves you walking out of the room convinced that you might have passed.

The key is not to overthink the question. After it was over, my friends joked that if "wash your hands" was on the list of multiple choice answers, it was probably the correct one.

I would suggest that you review the area that you feel the weakest in. There is no rhyme or reason to how they select questions. The exam I wrote seemed to focus heavily on IV fluids and site condition. Someone who wrote three writings after me told me hers was heavy on peds!. So just determine your own weaknesses and go from there.

Thank you so much for your sharing your insight Fiona. That does sounds like a solid approach. I definitely do have a few areas that will require a thorough review and some others that will just require a refresher. I had my mindset on studying everything front to back from day one - I don't think it's possible. But weakest to strongest does sound realistic! I plan on making a list of all the areas in that order and spread them out across 15 weeks. Thank you again for sharing. Every little bit helps!

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VintagePN, how did the exam go? I already bought my book (yes, I am not even in nursing school yet....September) and I have been looking over the questions and answers in prep. Years off but still.

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Specializes in NICU.
VintagePN how did the exam go? I already bought my book (yes, I am not even in nursing school yet....September) and I have been looking over the questions and answers in prep. Years off but still.[/quote']

I thought it wasn't that bad...I took my time, carefully re read my answers and was done in. 2.5 hours. Some of my classmates said they barely had enough time to finish and found it very difficult (classmates who I consider to me better and smarter students than me!)...which wasn't the case for me. Makes me worry that maybe I didn't read things clear enough because everyone else seems really worried and I feel really confident! Like Fiona said I really didn't overthink questions and went with my gut.

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I thought it wasn't that bad...I took my time carefully re read my answers and was done in. 2.5 hours. Some of my classmates said they barely had enough time to finish and found it very difficult (classmates who I consider to me better and smarter students than me!)...which wasn't the case for me. Makes me worry that maybe I didn't read things clear enough because everyone else seems really worried and I feel really confident! Like Fiona said I really didn't overthink questions and went with my gut.[/quote']

Can you share your strategy how you prepared and preformed on the exam? I would like to know the secret behind how people go back and recheck EVERY SINGLE question while most struggle to JUST finish

PLEASE all the resources you used

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Specializes in NICU.
Can you share your strategy how you prepared and preformed on the exam? I would like to know the secret behind how people go back and recheck EVERY SINGLE question while most struggle to JUST finish PLEASE all the resources you used

Well, I did really well in the program so I guess I already had the knowledge. I didn't really study, I went through the exam prep guide once and did the online predictor tests once. That's all I really did.

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Well I did really well in the program so I guess I already had the knowledge. I didn't really study, I went through the exam prep guide once and did the online predictor tests once. That's all I really did.[/quote']

Okay thank you

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Can you share your strategy how you prepared and preformed on the exam? I would like to know the secret behind how people go back and recheck EVERY SINGLE question while most struggle to JUST finish

PLEASE all the resources you used

Aren't you a BSN holder?

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