Oct. 2006 Exam!

Claire_Fraser · Oct 12, 2006

I wrote it yesterday at UBC. It was terrible. Poorly worded. Didn't test nursing knowledge at all.

gchelak · Oct 12, 2006

i too took the test yesterday (in calgary).

i was apphaled at all of the specifics they wanted for some of the questions...stuff i learned 3 years ago in basic biology and has nothing to do with being a safe practicing nurse.:angryfire

and then there was a question that had a boy with a disease, blah, blah, blah... and later in the group of questions, the boy was suddenly "boys". :uhoh3: the fill in the blank was ridiculous too. it was hard to tell exactly what they wanted and there was specific questions about canadian web sites, etc...i was educated in the us, how am i suppose to know that?

the crne study guide and the readiness test were way easier than the test was (shouldn't it be the other way around??), but never had anything specific about canada and/or basic biology questions, etc so there was no "heads-up" for me.

at this point, it could go either way (pass/fail). if we don't get results until december (my nclex took 3 days for results), and god forbid i fail- the next test is not until june 6 because we can't enroll for the feb 7th test since we don't get results back until after that test's deadline (nov).

has anyone heard the pass rates for the new exam? i don't know how i am going to get through 8-12 weeks of this...it was hard enough to get through 3 days waiting for the nclex results in the us. :madface:

gail

X-treme · Oct 13, 2006

I wrote in Ontario.

I didn't find it 'too' bad. There was minimal on psych and maternity. Maybe 1 case study for psych and 3 for maternity. I found that there was alot of communication style questions for some reason. Alot of community.

The short answers were rather tough. You didn't really know what they wanted. I found the same thing in the CNRE prep guide. They never really give a clear explanation on what they wanted.

How many people wrote in your areas? Here in Ontario there were 5 cities. Of the 5, I know two centers had 25 people in each. So not that many.

I don't think it should take 8 weeks to get it back. A previous poster wrote in August and recevied hers in under 7 weeks. I overhead an individulator tell a student that she heard as early as 5 weeks, however, who knows with the short answers. It takes them FOREVER to grade it, who knows why.

Cross our fingers!

Good luck everyone.

IslandtrainedRN · Oct 23, 2006

I wrote the exam this past summer and even though it was difficult and stressful, looking back on it, I realize it was more nerves and self-doubt than anything else. Everyone in my graduating class THOUGHT they did terrible, but not one failed.

My instructors told my class that even though sometimes you think they are looking for far too much specific info, the reality is that if an answer is close and logical, they might mark it right. For example, one student answered "tit" where the correct answer was "nipple" and was given credit for the answer.

Also, it does take a painfully long time to get the results back, but that's because somebody has to read and determine a mark for every single written answer.

It sucks, but I guess it's the price Canadian nurses have to pay to ensure a high quality workforce.

You probably passed!

noworries · Oct 23, 2006

I didn't write the exam yet.. and won't for the next few years.. Just wondering though, is it possible to write before graduating from my program? or do i Have to graduate before I'm allowed/prepared to write the exam?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Oct 23, 2006

I didn't write the exam yet.. and won't for the next few years.. Just wondering though, is it possible to write before graduating from my program? or do i Have to graduate before I'm allowed/prepared to write the exam?

You can't even apply to write the CRNE until you're clearly going to graduate from your nursing program. The whole purpose of the exam is to ensure that the education nurses receive meets the needs of the public, our patients. It's one layer of protection for our patients, to guarantee that the nurse taking care of Mrs. Smith is competent to practice nursing. Nursing education is ongoing, and almost every province now has a Health Professions Act that requires all nurses to obtain and document continuing education, to evaluate our practice and remedy knowledge deficits, and to seek feedback from our peers and supervisors as to whether we're meeting that requirement. We aren't able to maintain our registration without it. Does that explain it for you?

gchelak · Nov 12, 2006

One month and counting (since the Oct 11 exam)...does it really take 12 weeks to get results? :uhoh3:

X-treme · Nov 12, 2006

One month and counting (since the Oct 11 exam)...does it really take 12 weeks to get results?

I was told by a manager from my local hospital that she called 2 weeks ago and the CNO told her to expect results within 4-6 weeks.

I'm nervous, but would really like them soon!

noworries · Dec 11, 2006

You can't even apply to write the CRNE until you're clearly going to graduate from your nursing program. The whole purpose of the exam is to ensure that the education nurses receive meets the needs of the public, our patients. It's one layer of protection for our patients, to guarantee that the nurse taking care of Mrs. Smith is competent to practice nursing. Nursing education is ongoing, and almost every province now has a Health Professions Act that requires all nurses to obtain and document continuing education, to evaluate our practice and remedy knowledge deficits, and to seek feedback from our peers and supervisors as to whether we're meeting that requirement. We aren't able to maintain our registration without it. Does that explain it for you?

Sorry Jan I don't think my earlier post was quite clear enough..

Say I graduate in June 2009.. is it possible for me to write the exam say.. 10 weeks before graduation? So once I graduate I can come out to work as a RN as opposed to a graduate nurse?

Or.. is this the typical route people go? It's just from what I 'hear' it seems that most students graduate and write their exams while working as a graduate nurse.

epg_pei · Dec 11, 2006

To be concise, no. There is no way to write the CRNE without having first graduated. It sounds like you're trying to fast-track the process, which is something many would like, but as it stands right now, it ain't gonna happen.

AudryC · Dec 22, 2006

Whew.. Finally the exam was over. It was difficult but I am glad that I dont have to worry anymore on what are the questions to be asked BUT it is the start of the agony........the agony of waiting for the result.
Anybody who took the exam? How did you find it? Hope I am not the only one who said it was difficult.

Hi there,

I am a nursing student from Quebec but I have this friend of mine who finished the Ottawa U and has to take the exam two times! Now she is happy and full nurse at Ottawa General Hospital (NICU). All this time she told me how difficult it is and how the questions are more or less not related at what you did during the school! So dont worry.. the exam is crzy hard one !!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so affraid because in QC I have to sustain the OSCE as well and the writting one is as "open questions" not multiple choices so... I am fricking out! I would like as well to find out how could I be able to work in US after I finish my school as well...

So good luck !!!!!!!!! and Merry Christmas

Audry