ANCC Medical Surgical Certification

Specialties Med-Surg

Published

I've been a med/surg nurse for 2 years and excited I became eligible to sit for certification. Unfortunately, there are little study resources for this exam. My employer offers a 2day certification prep course, but I couldn't reserve a seat because it filled up fast. So I was left to study on my own.

The text I used is Lippincott's Review for Medical Surgical Nursing Certification, by Lippincott, 5th Edition. I read the entire text and took the practice exams. I also found some questions on amazon for $10.

The day of the exam, I felt very well prepared and confident. However, after the first 10 questions, I was dumbfounded. The questions are difficult and concrete. You must know nursing content. It's hard to isolate/deduce answer options, Some questions provided answers that seemed all wrong, while other questions provided answers that seemed all right! I didn't feel prepared and for the next two hours, I felt despair. I was going to fail and felt humiliation and pity creeping in.

The exam is 3.5 hours. 175 questions. ( I completed the exam in 2 hours) You are allowed to revisit the entire exam as much as you like so I went back to review about 75 questions (the questions I felt I guessed

After I submitted the exam, you're given the option of completing a survey ( you bet I vented my frustration on this survey. ) I walked to the front reception to get my results. To my shock, I passed. I felt faint and euphoric.

Moral of the story, I don't believe a two day course will prepare you for this exam, you must review nursing content. Take as many practice questions as humanely possible. Read the text I recommended.

I've earned my stripes, I am RN-BC !!! (Registered Nurse - Board Certified)

P.S. This exam is 100x harder than NCLEX

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HI there, thank you for your review of this. I am thinking of sitting for the CMSRN exam via the AMSN and I am having trouble finding any tips on which books resources to use to study. I wonder what the difference is between the certifications. My current employer recommends the one I am planning to do, but I don't know much about it. Off to research!

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I've been a med/surg nurse for 2 years and excited I became eligible to sit for certification. Unfortunately, there are little study resources for this exam. My employer offers a 2day certification prep course, but I couldn't reserve a seat because it filled up fast. So I was left to study on my own.

The text I used is Lippincott's Review for Medical Surgical Nursing Certification, by Lippincott, 5th Edition. I read the entire text and took the practice exams. I also found some questions on amazon for $10.

The day of the exam, I felt very well prepared and confident. However, after the first 10 questions, I was dumbfounded. The questions are difficult and concrete. You must know nursing content. It's hard to isolate/deduce answer options, Some questions provided answers that seemed all wrong, while other questions provided answers that seemed all right! I didn't feel prepared and for the next two hours, I felt despair. I was going to fail and felt humiliation and pity creeping in.

The exam is 3.5 hours. 175 questions. ( I completed the exam in 2 hours) You are allowed to revisit the entire exam as much as you like so I went back to review about 75 questions (the questions I felt I guessed

After I submitted the exam, you're given the option of completing a survey ( you bet I vented my frustration on this survey. ) I walked to the front reception to get my results. To my shock, I passed. I felt faint and euphoric.

Moral of the story, I don't believe a two day course will prepare you for this exam, you must review nursing content. Take as many practice questions as humanely possible. Read the text I recommended.

I've earned my stripes, I am RN-BC !!! (Registered Nurse - Board Certified)

P.S. This exam is 100x harder than NCLEX

Many at my work including me, felt like we failed. Some of the questions were plain odd and only having experience could one answer the question. I was shocked. I had fifteen questions I left blank and went back to and I used critical thinking and reduction, lol!

You can bet your bippers I'm going to keep my contact hours adequate. No way will I take that test again.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
HI there, thank you for your review of this. I am thinking of sitting for the CMSRN exam via the AMSN and I am having trouble finding any tips on which books resources to use to study. I wonder what the difference is between the certifications. My current employer recommends the one I am planning to do, but I don't know much about it. Off to research!

Amsn has books on their website. I slat recommend the book with study questions.

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Unfortunately their study questions from the AMSN site are on backorder. Ugh.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Amazon?

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The text I recommended above is really good. Well written and easy to understand. I felt the experience made me a better nurse :-)

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It would be great if they gave you the answers at the end so you can see what you got wrong… I guess I'll never know..lol

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This is the book recommended by the ANCC and on their website. I orderd it. I hope it helps me. I plan to study for a good 2 mo. My husband in school so I figured I might as well be doing something too. Plus we get a raise at work.

[COLOR=#ff007f][h=1]Medical-Surgical Nursing Review Manual - 3rd Edition[/h]

List Price: $114 plus S&H

[COLOR=#0066cc]PURCHASE BOOK NOW[/COLOR]

November 2011

By Nancy Batchelor, MSN, RN-BC, CNS; Paula Gillman, MSN, RN-C, ANP-BC, GNP-BC; Jeanine Goodin, MSN, RN-BC, CNRN; Deborah Jane Schwytzer, MSN, RN-BC, CEN; Jo Nell Wells, PhD, RN-BC, OCN; and Eileen M. Werdman, MSN, RN-BC, CNS

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Hi All,

I have been considering taking this exam for the last 3 years. I have my review books, and the CDs and DVD's...I just don't know if it is worth it other than personal pride. Any thoughts from the group? I need to make up my mind and poop or get off the pot. Any thoughts? I have 13 years MS experience. I am hungry for education but my life is to full for formal education online or otherwise...would this be a good way to scratch that itch?

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I just ordered the ANCC book from RN-BC in Med/Surg. I plan to study for a few months on and off.

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I just took this exam on Januay 22,2015 and PASSED! I agree with everything you said. "The questions are very cut and dry... Very concrete either you know it or you don't" I am usually a fast test taker, but this test I was down to the last 20 min and then I reviewed it and turned it in.

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