I passed CCRN!

[kimmini]

I passed CCRN today! Yay!! Honestly, I can't believe I passed because it was pretty damn hard.. Not to discourage any of you out there who is planning to take the test but... yes.. It was hard. I almost screamed at the test center after I got my result saying that I got over hundred questions right. LOL

Anyway I wanna share my experience about the exam. Many of the thread I found here before I took the test was kind of outdated at least few years old and the test plan just got updated(?) as of October 2015.

I studied with Laura Gasparis DVD and PASS CCRN question banks. Very good study material and I highly recommend the DVD. Even though the DVD I used is like 10 years old (I think) it really helps by focusing on what will actually present on the test. PASS CCRN questions were great. I was keep practicing with "exam mode" and only downside of it was that I was keep getting falsely high score as I practice more and more. Because, I was answering questions from the memory not even looking at the questions since some of the questions are repetitive as you practice over and over again.

I believe I got slammed with many of those 25-unscored questions in the beginning. And I panicked and panicked question after question. I could not figure out what answer is and some of them I couldn't even understand what question is asking for. So I bookmarked many of the first 30-40 questions (the test let you bookmark the questions so that you can come back later to answer). My advice to you is do not panic! The questions that you know the answers will show up soon. Just keep your coolness and focus. It took me the whole three hours (minus one minute) to complete the test. And I think it was because I wasted my time in the beginning of my test by panicking and thinking in my head there is no way I am gonna pass this test and worrying about how much it is gonna cost to retake it. LOL But toward the end of the test some of the answers were very obvious and I did not even have to read the whole thing to find out the right answer. But overall questions are not long meaning they do not elaborate the situations; only few data will present to you. So, do not make any assumption or make up your own scenario.

Question bank that I used to prepare for the test was kind of heavy on heart sounds like murmurs, s3, s4. I made flash cards and memorized it until the last minute I stepped into the test center. I don't think I can recall questions on heart sounds. Maybe one? two? You need to know your cardiac meds obviously. I saw a lot of questions with Nipride and dobutamin and ACEI. Know your MEDS like what kind of combination of meds will you use with certain type of situation and why? What does it do on your pre and afterload kind of questions. You need to know your skin/integumentary too like pressure ulcer or deep tissue injury. I also saw some questions about HIT, DIC, ITP. Don't underestimate behavioral/psych and ethical practice part. I got a question about Maslow's hierarchy question. I was like what?

To sum up it was a hard test but it was doable. I am so relived now and proud of myself! I only have one year of ICU experience (Previously I was med-surg nurse). So, if I did it you can do it too. Happy studying ! :)

[MLB4]

Congratulations!!!!

[LG1137]

Congrats, kimmini, way to go! Thanks for sharing too!

[WIBound]

Congrats!!

70% of first time test takers pass. I have a few friends who did not pass the first go round and they were pretty good nurses.

[DTdaRN]

Congrats!!! How long did you study?

[GaMommy81]

Congratulations! This information is helpful!

[GaMommy81]

Thank you so much for this post kimmini!! I took the CCRN today and I passed! I am so excited! The whole time I was taking the test your words kept replaying in my head. "Don't panic. The questions to the answers you know will show up soon." I had to keep telling myself that during the exam because it was hard. I had taken the exam before and did not pass so I was really psyched up about doing well. Most of all I feel relieved that the test is over and I don't have to study for it anymore. I can continue to put into practice the content of the exam and keep soaring to new heights. I feel like I am walking on air right now!! Thank you again!

[CaliLoveRN]

Congrats! I started ICU a few months ago and plan to take it in about a year or so. Laura Gasparis is hilarious! I have her study guide, too. Enjoy your free time, now that the studying is over! Have you taken the TCAR course? If so, how was it? I plan on taking that next month. :)