CNE Exam

ProfessorD · Oct 30, 2017

I took and passed the CNE exam today!!

journey51# · Dec 2, 2017

Hello,

Update, unfortunately, I was unsuccessful on the exam :-( I missed by 11 questions, and the last 12-15 I literally marked whatever as I was running out of time. I couldn't believe I didn't pace myself well at all, and 3 hours was more than enough, so maybe I just second guessed too much. I am not certain if I would have passed if I didn't have to rush or not. I can't say that I could have read or prepared any better with Billings and Halstead, Mometrix, NLN study guide, and the Billings webinar from Nurse Tim. Maybe, for the first time I experienced test anxiety as I realized my time was nearly up. Considering trying again in the future.

ProfessorD · Dec 3, 2017

I am sorry to hear this. The exam is definitely difficult and I agree that your method of studying including all of the pertinent information needed for the exam. I definitely think you should retake the exam.

journey51# · Dec 3, 2017

Thank you,

Perhaps in the summer. I'll definitely practice my time management and this is something I stress to my students. Now, I have to take my own advice :-) I believe next time around, I'll just focus on the Billings book as priority over the other study methods. I don't believe the others helped me as much.

ProfessorD · Dec 3, 2017

I definitely agree that's the main resource along with the practice questions

ReneDRN · Dec 4, 2017

Congratulations

ProfessorD · Dec 4, 2017

Thank you

woodsyny, MSN · Dec 24, 2017

Awesome! What did you feel helped you prepare most for this exam? Want to take it. How long did you study for it before you took it?

baby_tae · Dec 30, 2017

What resources helped you the most?

AtomicWoman · Jan 6, 2018

I am wading through Billings right now. It's kind of dry and I keep nodding off. :) I plan to take the NLN practice test next week. Anyone use Mometrix, and was it helpful?

AtomicWoman · Jan 17, 2018

Update: I took the exam yesterday and passed with a comfortable margin on the first try. Yay! I do not have an MSN in Nursing Ed, nor any other degree in education, so I took it under "Option B". My thoughts:

1. Exam is very tough. As tough as other people said it would be. In some ways, tougher than my NP boards, mainly because the NP boards tend to be very concrete and also because I had a great NP program. :) I was definitely sweating the CNE exam. Anyone who doesn't pass it on the first try should not feel bad!

2. SAE Form "A" was very helpful in diagnosing areas I needed to study more. I wish I had done it earlier in my studying process. I found SAE Form "B" to be too easy, but that is just my opinion. For me, the more review questions I can do, the better. READ THE RATIONALES CAREFULLY and understand them! Focus not only on the questions you get wrong, but the ones you get right, too. Know why they are right.

3. I did an in-person review course. It was helpful in laying out the roadmap for what I needed to do, but a 1-day course is necessarily going to be superficial. It is NOT enough to take a review course as prep for the exam.

4. Most helpful resource was Billings and Halstead. I know it's dry and I know I sound like everyone else, but you seriously need to study that book and take notes as you go along. There are a lot of important "nuggets", and the book does not always emphasize how important they are.

5. NLN Manual/Caputi was least helpful. Entirely too superficial.

6. Wittmann-Price review manual was helpful and text is laid-out much better than Billings and Halstead, but no way is it the "only book you need to pass the CNE exam". And their review questions weren't so great and filled with errors. (I didn't get the app for that reason, after reading reviews of it on iTunes.)

7. Definitely pace yourself. If you haven't completed 50 questions at the 1 hour mark, you need to step it up if you are going to finish all 150 questions in 3 hours. There's a handy "Time" button at the bottom of the computer screen that tells you how much time you have left.

I took the review course and studied intensely for about 10 days. I "cleared the deck" by getting ahead with my lectures and other school work so that I could concentrate on studying for 10 days. For me, that really paid off. But that is how I work, and you may need a different method.

If you are short on cash and your institution won't pay for a review course, the most cost-effective way to study is to read the NLN blueprint in the Candidates' manual, do at least SAE Form "A" ($59 for NLN members) and study, study, study Halstead and Billings -- take notes, make flashcards, do audiotapes, or whatever works for you.

Good luck to everyone!

ProfessorD · Jan 17, 2018

I feel like the Billings and Halstead was the most helpful resource. I studied in depth a good 6 weeks in between working and school