I'm so happy to have found this wonderful nursing community. I'm not really sure where this question belongs. I am an LPN with six years experience. I can't seem to be able to pass the CPNE. I get extremely nervous and start shaking and I'm a complete mess. I have taken it twice and it's my last chance. Bad luck seems to follow me around. The first time I took it my fiance accidentally broke his leg as he took me in to my first day. It was upstate NY and he slipped on the ice. SO, I had to ship him off to the ER as I did my CPNE in the same hospital. Passed all the lab stations. Ran out of time on my first cps when they gave me a chatty patient then my second PCS my careplan was not measurable. Second time around in Georgia, I failed the lab stations, I ripped four different pairs of gloves while attempting to do my wound station six months pregnant with raynauds in a freezing room. I shook so bad. Failed at it both times. Passed my PCS's though.
I don't know what to do anymore. I know my stuff. I just can't seem to calm down. It's not like I can afford to keep throwing all this money out. I'm the primary bread winner in my house and its so hard for me to even come up with money. I have one more chance and I cannot blow it. All I need is my CPNE and Microbiology. Any advice would help. This time around should be easier because one I am not worried about loosing my job because they would not give me the weekend off and two because I'm not pregnant :) I've been to the workshops and my care plans are strong. I'm currently working nights in hospice so I get a lot of down time to study. Any advice would be so appreciated. Thanks so much =D
See my other post from today. Time yourself on everything. Once you understand that you have 3 times the time needed to get this done, it might help you relax more.
The Nerve factor can bite any of us and yes sometimes some of us need a little extra (med) help. But the more you know and the more you practice the less nervous you are. Just don't leave things to chance. Make sure you know all the critical elements for all the AOC's.... 'cause you never know what you could be assigned. Stay away for negativity of others while at the exam. Be ready to be flexible... and if you need a minute to breath take it. But most importanly.... Don't give up if it doesn't go smoothly.... Not everyone passes all the labs on Friday night and not everyone passes 3 PCS's in a row.
As the old saying goes.... It Aint's Over Until It's all the Way Over....
The Nerve factor can bite any of us and yes sometimes some of us need a little extra (med) help. But the more you know and the more you practice the less nervous you are. Just don't leave things to chance. Make sure you know all the critical elements for all the AOC's.... 'cause you never know what you could be assigned. Stay away for negativity of others while at the exam. Be ready to be flexible... and if you need a minute to breath take it. But most importanly.... Don't give up if it doesn't go smoothly.... Not everyone passes all the labs on Friday night and not everyone passes 3 PCS's in a row.
As the old saying goes.... It Aint's Over Until It's all the Way Over....
I completely agree!! I learned early on to stay away from reading the negatives.... too much unnecessary pressure.
Question for all- if you have as an intervention "Administer colace to pt as ordered" or any med, maybe a pain med, how for the eval phase do you decide it's effectiveness if you are possibly not there when the effects are felt/seen??
I saw all the feedback on taking an anti-anxiety med. So here is my story. I failed my CPNE almost a year ago. My anxiety was so bad at that CPNE, I couldn't eat or sleep the whole weekend. Needless to say the anxiety and stress that I put on myself, caused me to have a seizure 4 weeks later. I was a mess about failing. I had all kinds of tests done and they said it was stress induced. Physically I felt great, but I didn't realize the stress that I was putting on myself. So know I am on seizure meds and I was given a prescription for anxiety just to get me through my next CPNE. I have not taken one of the anti-anxiety pills, but I know I need to for the CPNE. I don't want another seizure, especially at the CPNE.
As an FYI if you give a prn to a pt at clinical you have to go back and reassess the effectiveness... no matter what...even if charting in the eval.
But for something like a colace that's a straight order.... not a good idea to use it as an interention in a care plan. Reason being ( and I think you figured this out even before you posted) is because you can't get the effectivness of it in 30 minutes.
rnwannabe12- I suggest you try out the antianxiety meds before you do clinical again... you may not be able to take them.... they may make you drowsie or loopie...and you don't want to find that out at cpne.
you are absolutely right. i am nervous about taking them, that is why i haven't yet. i will definitely try them way before taking the cpne.
i took the xanax during my day off. this was the first time i had ever taken a narcotic in my life. this was last year 1 month before my cpne. i took it again the following week during my day off to see if i get the same result. so i recommend taking it a couple times before the cpne.
you can take it now and see how your body reacts to it. good luck!
i took the xanax during my day off. this was the first time i had ever taken a narcotic in my life. this was last year 1 month before my cpne. i took it again the following week during my day off to see if i get the same result. so i recommend taking it a couple times before the cpne.
you can take it now and see how your body reacts to it. good luck!
that's what i'm doing right now. started with buspar but it made me so freaking dizzy i couldn't think straight. am trying 0.5 mg ativan now and it makes me a little dizzy. don't see a huge difference but haven't been under a huge amount of stress - just yet. a friend suggested happy camper but that just made me irritated. thinking about going back to the doc to try something else. i just need a major chill pill. now to find the right one!
Specializes in Surgery, Med/Surg/ICU, OB-Peds, Ophth.
That's what I'm doing right now. Started with Buspar but it made me so freaking dizzy I couldn't think straight. Am trying 0.5 mg Ativan now and it makes me a little dizzy. Don't see a huge difference but haven't been under a huge amount of stress - just yet. A friend suggested Happy Camper but that just made me irritated. Thinking about going back to the doc to try something else. I just need a major chill pill. Now to find the right one!
Has anyone tried Bach's Rescue Remedy oral spray? I got mine from whole foods Co-op, use it when my daughter competes, it helps some.
Mudwoman
374 Posts
See my other post from today. Time yourself on everything. Once you understand that you have 3 times the time needed to get this done, it might help you relax more.