OCN 2017, insight

Specialties Oncology

Published

Hello my fellow oncology nurses! I took my OCN exam this past week ... and I PASSED! If there is anyone out there who's preparing for their exam looking for direction or insight, here it is!

RESOURCES I USED

  • OCN EXAM BLUEPRINT .. I had a copy EVERYWHERE! In my binder, on my desk, on my wall directly in front of my desk, and my fridge :wtf: I used this to study faithfully!
  • Core Curriculum Textbook and Study Guide (Purple Book) .. I went section by section in the textbook and then answered the questions in the study guide book. There were A LOT of select-all-that-apply questions in the study guide, there WERE NONE on the OCN exam. Honestly, I did not like the textbook but I sucked it up and used it.
  • OCN SECRETS book ... I ordered this book from Amazon. SAVE YOUR MONEY! :)
  • OCN Practice Questions book from Amazon .. this booklet had two 165-question tests with GREAT rationales! Get this, thank me later!
  • ONCC Practice tests A, B, and C ... I purchased the bundle from the website and used these practice test two days before the OCN exam. Really close to the structure of the OCN exam itself!
  • I attended a 2-day OCN Review and a 2-day Chemo/Bio therapy class about three months apart.

THE OCN EXAM ... (of course, I can't give too much information/questions away)

  • First thing first, the security clearance is kind of ... extreme!
  • Honestly, I WAS NOT prepared to take a 165-question test (I was lucky to have 90-ish on NCLEX)! I was only taking 50 practice questions at a time to prepare for this exam (bad idea, PREPARE YOURSELF)!
  • You can mark questions and return to them later, this is good and bad. I nearly marked 80 questions ... and honestly I only changed 5 answers among that 80.
  • KNOW YOUR MEDS! KNOW YOUR MEDS! Does this sound familiar from NCLEX? Yea, KNOW YOUR MEDS! Many of the meds were fairly "frequently used" .. maybe 2 I hadn't seen before! of course, generic names :nailbiting:
  • It seemed like there was a question from every sub-category of the divided sections on the blueprint. LOOK AT YOUR BLUEPRINT :)
  • I finished my test in about 1.5 hours so I was convinced I failed. After clicking submit my score DID NOT pop up so of course I was panicky because I thought I would see the screen :( thankfully, after sitting to get the print out ... I PASSED!

Screening, Carcinogenesis, Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, Symptom Management, Oncological Emergencies, Psych, professional .... IT'S ALL THERE! Don't think "oh I won't get any of that" YES, yes you will! I was sure I wouldn't get any clinical trials ... yea right! I was wrong! ANC :yes:

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.

Thank you for your insight.

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Specializes in Hospice + Palliative.

congratulations!!

where did you take the chemo/bio 2 day class?

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How long did you study for?

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Where do u get the blue print for exam you mentioned? Where did you find practice tests? Did you study more content than questions?

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I'm testing in a few days and did not purchase the extra ONCC questions. Do you think I should?

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Have you passed your test yet?

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Specializes in oncology, MS/tele/stepdown.

I'm about to start torturing myself with this.. is anyone else?

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Specializes in Urgent Care, Oncology.
I'm about to start torturing myself with this.. is anyone else?

Yeah, me!

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Thanks for your suggestions. Like you, I dislike the purple "core curriculum" and all the select all that apple questions the the study guide. My colleagues that have taken the exam said they used a CD with lots of practice questions, but none of them can produce this CD. Do you know if there is such a thing? I've googled everything I can think of and can't find ANY electronic resources like this.

Good of luck to everyone studying! I'm so intimidated by this test.

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I'm preparing to test next week for my OCN. I have been using the ONS online review classes and the purple Core Curriculum Study questions. I am averaging in the 60-70% range on my practice tests and am worried it is not going to be enough to pass. How were other people testing prior to the exam?

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