Well, I thought this thread might stick around a bit longer if the title was more obvious. So, I am posting my cpne experience here instead of "Anticoag nurse passed the cpne"... I'll start with general tips from my experience: I also have a very long journal recollection type thing (4 typed pages of my pcs experiences and a long 2 page recall of my sim labs). I really think they are too lengthy to post here, so if you would like, pm me and I will email them and please feel free to keep and pass on to others in the future.
CPNE Tips
Arrive at the location the day before and practice driving or bussing or getting yourself to the hospital.
Bring music that 1) pumps you up, 2) relaxes you and makes you happy. I did not bring music and really wished I had. It would have added to my feeling of having some sort of choices and autonomy, and would have helped distract me.
If you are traveling 3 time zones away like I did, consider practicing a week in advance getting up at "0230". I traveled from west to east coast and the time zone thing really messed me up badly. I was already a frazzled mess, let alone lack of sleep!
Bring bath salts and a tea-light candle to relax by.
Bring a small item that reminds you of home.
Come with a loved one. I thought I would be fine on my own but I was a wreck. It really would have helped having my husband along to hold me, coach me, and be around to listen to and distract me.
Trust your mnemonics. Do not stray from your grid. Keep your grid in viewable distance the entire time. I failed one pcs because I had no-where to set my grid but the windowsill and didn't look at it during respiratory management. I missed a critical element (coughing) I knew in my head (had a nagging feeling), but would have caught it if my grid were in sight! Check critical elements off as you complete them.
Do the implementation phase in phases. Leave the room for 15-20 minutes at least once to catch up on planning, thinking and documenting as you go.
Document on your grid as you go along and transfer to your pcs recording form later. Group patient care activities, and remember assessments and managements don't all have to be linear. Do bits and pieces as opportunities present.
Feed the patient questions that relate to your nursing dx. Example: for impaired comfort, ask the patient if they are stiff, sore or feeling grimy, etc. For impaired physical mobility, ask if they feel off balance when they walk or stand, or weakness, etc. Get them to tell you what nursing dx is appropriate to them.
Doing vitals twice is not necessary when you use machines for bp or spo2 or temp. This is according to my ce's.
Don't spend a lot of time in the planning phase. Just pick some sort of reasonable nursing dx and interventions quickly. You will have limited knowledge of the patient and you will probably have to revise any nursing dx and interventions anyway. Do your thing in implementation and then allow what you've already done to direct you in choosing a priority dx and interventions during the evaluation phase.
When you have a question about anything, ask the ce. The worst they can do is say they cannot answer the question or, maybe give you a partial answer that guides you in the right direction.
Be attuned to your ce's body language. They may inadvertently cue you into things you are missing!
If during implementation, the ce interrupts and asks, "have you completed the critical elements for blah blah assessment/management?” immediately say, "no, I would like to review my papers.” then, think madly and try to figure out why they asked you that. If they ask this, it may mean you are about to fail and you may have a chance to correct your mistake if you can figure out what you missed. They will not ask you this question if you are doing everything correctly.
During evaluation and documentation, check your grid against your pcs recording form at least 3 times before turning in. Make yourself a system for marking off your grid as you go and then as you document. One student my weekend failed a pcs for not documenting pain of 0, even though the ce and the student both knew she assessed the patient's pain at least 5 times during implementation. If it is not documented, it wasn't done.
Mark a line on the cup the patient is using if there is liquid in it, at the beginning of the implementation phase. This will help you accurately measure intake later.
Bring the mar into the room with you to document when you give meds. Saves time.
Keep a whole bunch of gloves in your pocket. Glove whenever you have doubt (touching washcloth, foley bag tubing, tray, etc.) even if you wouldn't in real life. Be sure to remove gloves if contaminated before touching something else in room, such as the curtain or bathroom doorknob, or your pen.
In planning phase, don't spend too much time with the kardex or the chart. You will learn so much more directly from the patient and it will save you time. You can always look something up later if needed. You don't need to know everything about the patient.
Smile at your ce, they really want you to succeed if you have any business succeeding.
Congrats on passing the worst test anyone can take... well almost, you still have to get thru NCLEX. I am usually very self confident as well and was also suprised to find myself a "nervous wreck" for the CPNE (and NCLEX). BUT - how about the trip home, knowing YOU PASSED! What a morale boost, huh? I remember feeling like I could conquer the world!
I don't necessarily agree tho about the CE asking "have you completed all the critical elements for blah, blah, blad" It's been 2 years for me, but if I recall - they asked me that question after everything? I could be mixed up - just don't want someone else to freak out if they are asked this, but yet sure they have completed all the steps. Otherwise, great advice. At least 80% of this test is stress management. Good for you!
They asked me that question after each PCS and I passed the first three in a row.
Specializes in icu, dr office, med surg, day surg,.
i passed the CPNE after the third time... i felt like such a freak for having to take it 3 times, but the first one i walked out of, 2nd one the nerves just got to me, less than the first time though and the third i had to pass because it was the wall of opportunity that i ran in to. i had to do it.... now that i look back and read others experiences.
1. control your anxiety... you have too.
2. AGREE- watch your CE.... they do give you hints, time and they want to see you succeed. i do believe that they were required every time to ask if you have completed blah blah blah. so dont let that scare ya.
laughing i would also suggest BREATH and dont get frustrated enough to walk out... it is too expensive, but if you do... use that as part of your practice it will help next time.
RESULTS- i aced the NCLEX (which i thought was easy because of having taken the excelsior test) they are very simuliar. i am now an RN in the medical intensive care, making more money than i thought that i would. and the best thing is it is all over
Thought I would clarify on the "Have you completed all the critical elements..." thing. Yes, they did ask me this at the END of each PCS, but the only time they asked me DURING a specific area of care in the PCS was when I had forgotten a critical element and was about to fail because of it. They have to ask at the conclusion of the PCS, but I suspect that during the PCS she would have said nothing if I was right on track with that checklist she kept looking at. That's the way the rest of the PCS's worked for me, so that's what I am basing that on. Don't mean to be misleading.
Congrats to so many of you on PASSING the evil beast! Job well done.
I have posted this in other threads and will here as well. I will also say that this is only my own opinion of the CPNE and how it was for me.
The CPNE was not that difficult to me. It WAS very stressfull as it should have been. This is a test to prove that you are ready to be an RN. You did not have to go to a traditional school, or to clinicals. There was no one there to judge you all through school except yourself and your grades. This is it, the only thing between you and the title RN--I do not count the NCLEX--is easy if you made it through excelsior. IT SHOULD BE STRESSFULL.
I believe it all has to do with your skill level as it is in your everyday working conditions. If you are an EMT, RT, LPN that has only worked in LTC/Clinic/office, or anything other than an LPN working in medsurg, it will not be all that easy.
If you are any of the above: STUDY LIKE CRAZY. Take a workshop or even 2 of them. Buy the skills bag, flash cards, DVD and anything else that may help in any way.
If you are similar to myself, LPN, IV certified--I do IVP and drips every day, I work medsurg in a rural 26 bed hospital and used all my skills every day. I graduated LPN school about 3 years ago now so all that was still fresh up there as well.--If this applies to you--buy the skills bag with wound and nothing else. All you need is the EC study guide and this.
I did not do the grid thing, I went to a workshop and left after the 1st day because it wasn't doing me any good. I passed them all with no repeats in Amarillo, TX. Even had a 17MO ped with a parent that spoke no english and was assigned pt teaching to mother on safety, WOW that was fun:uhoh3: :trout: .
YOU can do this, study as it applies to you. It isn't possible to overstudy it anyway. Good luck.
can I write my mneumonics on my paperwork that I am bringing into pts room?
Once the PCS starts, you can write them down from memory. In other words, you can't bring a cheat sheet that you prepared in advance, but if it helps you to write them out before you go in the room, you can do that.
I took the CPNE in June 2001 at Madison. The examiners were great and so happy for the students that passed. Out of 6, 4 passed. The 2 that failed were not prepared- one had not even read the CPNE study guide!!I agree with other posts here- you have to know the Critical Elements inside out, have a system to memorize them and learn to control your stress. I would not have passed without the use of the GRID. I wrote mine down during the planning phase and checked off each CE as it was done. I passed all 3 PCS's, but failed one lab Friday night. Had to repeat that on Sat. What a nerve wrecker!! My whole CPNE hinged on that - but I did it! I have a few study helps passed on from several sources I can EM to anyone interested. When I was preparing, there was the old Studybuddies site- which is now dissolved- it was great to have all that support. I believe you can still join chats through Excelsior for CPNE and tests. I went to Excelsiors weekend CPNE practice seminar- it is a great help and well worth the cost. The CPNE is hard, very stressful, but you can do it with lots of practice and belief in yourself!
I test April 27, My wife says I am crazy but I live 3 hours away from the Ohio test hospital and was thinking of making a road trip out there to case out the premises and maybe decrease my anxiety a little on the big day. Has anyone tested in Ohio? How are the instructors..I mean do they act like they care if you pass or fail?
i passed the CPNE after the third time... i felt like such a freak for having to take it 3 times, but the first one i walked out of, 2nd one the nerves just got to me, less than the first time though and the third i had to pass because it was the wall of opportunity that i ran in to. i had to do it.... now that i look back and read others experiences. 
Dixiecup
659 Posts
They asked me that question after each PCS and I passed the first three in a row.