Med/Surg Certification

[WeirdNurseKelly, BSN, RN]

Hey everyone! It has been several years since I have been on the site and even posted anything. It is great to be back!! I have been a nurse now for almost 7 years. I did some time in ICF, ALF, home health and in a clinic but now I have found my dream job!!! I work for our local VA hospital. I started out in a position that was not in direct patient care, it was my in to the VA system (I just LOVE taking care of our veterans).

Anyways, I am now working on a med/surg floor, have been for 10 months and I am looking to become certified. I have just a few more months before I meet the hours requirement. The only other requirement I need is the 30 hours of med/surg CEU's. I was wondering, I am a little frugal, if anyone knew of where I could get these CEU's for either free or close to free and what would you recommend me using as a study guide? The reference list has 22 books on it, EEP!

Can someone point me in the right direction? I have a few connections at work as well, I like to use as many resources as possible when it comes to things like this. I like to have options.

Oh, I took the practice quiz and did horrible which totally freaked me out and saddened me to think that I could possibly fail a test I would pay nearly 400 bucks to take.

Thanks for all of your help and support,

Kelly

[AJJKRN]

Not to rain on your parade but I'm pretty sure you have to have been working two full years in Med-Surg to test.

Honestly if you become a member of AMSN then you can get free CEU's and track them on their website as well. Membership also decreases the cost to take the CMSRN and it costs even less if a retake is needed.

You can go through the ANCC and get the RN-BC (I think that's the title anyways) but it costs more and didn't have the same allure for me when I got my CMSRN.

[WeirdNurseKelly, BSN, RN]

You are right. I totally read that incorrectly. I read it as having to be a licensed RN for 2 years, not for 2 years in the specialty :'(

Bummer because I would love to test for it now. I guess it wont hurt to start preparing for it now. I believe if I join a certain organization there are scholarships for the cost of the test (12 are given away yearly) but you have to be a member for a year prior to applying.

Like I said, I still have 20 hours of med/surg CEU's I need to complete. So I have a ways to go. I think I am going to go the CMSRN route. I did send an email out to the employee who keeps track of all the certified nurses here.

Thanks,

Kelly