OCN Exam ?'s

Specialties Oncology

Published

Specializes in Oncology/BMT.

Hello everyone!

I am planning on taking the OCN exam next summer (2010). I recently purchased the Core Curriculum book & study guide and have been utilizing it in my preparation. A few questions for anyone who has taken the exam...

1. What resources did you use for studying? (books, review courses, etc.)

2. What areas did you feel made up the bulk of the test, such as supportive care or symptom management?

3. Do you have any suggestions for study strategies?

My experience has been all outpatient, mostly hem/onc & BMT with very little solid tumors. Anyone that was in the same boat???

Specializes in Oncology.

Hey there.

I just took the exam last week and passed! I took about 3 months to study first by reading the core curriculum book one chapter at a time and then by following up with the study guide questions. As i went along in the book i would take notes. If you study the book and do the study guide questions you should be fine.

There is also another book called Oncology Nursing Review (Jones and Bartlett Series in Oncology). It has tons of questions and i used the 3rd edition but there is a 4th one out just recently. I made copies of the answers from all the chapters and then put them aside. I went through all the questions and then referred to the answers and made notes and highlighted important points. This way i wasnt wasting time typing all those questions and answers. I did do that with the ONS study guide :)

Sounds like a lot of work but it did work for me. My nursing manager was also kind enough to give me time off to study for the exam. Good luck and just do as many questions as you can.

Hey there.

I just took the exam last week and passed! I took about 3 months to study first by reading the core curriculum book one chapter at a time and then by following up with the study guide questions. As i went along in the book i would take notes. If you study the book and do the study guide questions you should be fine.

There is also another book called Oncology Nursing Review (Jones and Bartlett Series in Oncology). It has tons of questions and i used the 3rd edition but there is a 4th one out just recently. I made copies of the answers from all the chapters and then put them aside. I went through all the questions and then referred to the answers and made notes and highlighted important points. This way i wasnt wasting time typing all those questions and answers. I did do that with the ONS study guide :)

Sounds like a lot of work but it did work for me. My nursing manager was also kind enough to give me time off to study for the exam. Good luck and just do as many questions as you can.

Hi

Thank you for your information.would you please tell "core curriculum book" isbn #?Is this isbn-10:0721603599 ,Saunders ,4 edition?please advice it?

Specializes in Oncology.

Hey! Here's a link to Amazon where you can purchase the core curriculum + study guide + another study guide for a lower price. Make sure your nurse educator does not already have this as sometimes you can borrow the study materials :) Kavi

http://www.amazon.com/Study-Guide-Curriculum-Oncology-Nursing/dp/0721603599/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259853969&sr=8-2

Ask your friendly drug rep if they have any study guides for you. My one tip of advice is, yes, it's an Oncology Certification Exam but it's still a NURSING exam. Remember- read the questions carefully, unless it's a specific drug, side effect, path, etc, they are looking for basic nursing answers. I had a real tough time when I tried to study.... I did it haphazardly.

Best of luck!!!

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