PNCB CPNP-PC exam failed. Need guidance!

[NurseMeg13]

Hi everyone, I just took my PNP-PC exam through PNCB today and failed. I did the Barkley audio home review along with questions from the Pediatric Nurse Praftitiner Certification Review guide by Joanne Silbert-Flagg and Elizabeth D. Sloand.

I also took both pncb practice exams and 1 DRT practice exam from Barkley.

I felt pretty good going into the exam but the questions I guess were more in depth than I thought they’d be.

If anyone who has failed then passed or passed has any advice it would be appreciated. I’m feeling very disappointed and discourage and that I’ve let my family down as I had a job lined up and everything.

Thanks in advance.

[JJ L]

On 1/29/2020 at 1:08 AM, NPLady said:

Hi all,
out of nervousness and anxiety, I moved my exam up because I just wanted to be done with it. Thankfully, I passed! I nervously sat on all nurses and I hope I can provide you all in with info that I wish I could’ve read. Here’s all the info I have that I believed helped me

1) Silbert-Flagg PNP Cert Blue Book

2) 2 PNCB Module Exams

3) 1 Barkley DRT Exams

4) Quizlet “PNP Questions” and “PNCB questions” search.

In total, I probably studied for about 5 weeks. Typically 11 am to 3 or 4 pm each day. I read every single page of the Silbert-Flagg book. I completed all the questions and was sure to read each rationale. For the questions I got wrong in this book, I made a Word doc with answers/notes. I reviewed this running list daily** to help me keep track of the things I didn’t know.

2 weeks before my exam, I took a 1 PNCB module exam (and made a 48) and 1 Barkley DRT (and made a 70.) I didn’t purchase more Barkley practice exams because I was told from a mentor that they weren’t super useful. The week before my exam, I took another PNCB exam and made a 60. Some questions were similar to that on the actual exam but overall, the module questions on that PNCB practice exam were harder (to me). They were more important for me to read through their rationales and think as they think.

I went through large amounts of practice questions using quizlet. Search what I posted above and it’ll pull up so many good questions to review. I found that doing this helped me to see what I didn’t know. If I got a question wrong, I would go to word doc and make sure I added that note there. My document ended up Being 8/9 pages with some of the most crucial info that I kept getting wrong. Studying what I got wrong helped me soooooo much.

4 days before my exam, I redid questions from the Silbert-Flagg book. Questions that I still got wrong, I went back to reread that particular section. For me, that tended to be APRN issues, Cardio, and developmental milestones.

The test itself wasn’t awful after understanding what they were trying to get me to understand. I also took my time to read each question carefully. I realized that I knew the content but I had bad test taking skills (ie: assuming I knew what the question was asking, not paying attention to words like “not” and “except”, and not doing process of elimination for each q. When reading a Q, I talked through each answer to explain to myself why it couldn’t be that one. If I wasn’t sure why I eliminated a particular answer, that meant I needed to go back and review the section.

If anyone has any other Qs, let me know! Or you can private message me I really hope this helps

Very helpful. I agree. Knowing the exam thinking is important. Even I know the content but still can't get it right. Very stressful. Do you think do practice questions will be more helpful than review the content over and over again? Thanks

[Gateway]

On 11/10/2021 at 9:47 PM, gradstudent2017 said:

Hello,

Has anyone use Pocket Prep for practice questions? Not doing well on the practice test and was wondering should I just forfeit my money and pay for a later test day?

 

Thank you

Gradstudent2017:

I wish you the best as you prepare for the certification exam. I took the PC exam. 

You can always MOVE (reschedule) your test date - you may just have to pay some fee to do that. During this COVID-19 pandemic, the fee was waved when I was preparing to take my own test - (and I moved my date about 2 times or so) please check their website to confirm. 

As for test readiness, We also used pocket prep - along with other resources which I listed in my original posting - please find it in this thread. 

My suggestion is to find practice questions - the more, the better. I even used an OLD family practice medicine review book (did pedi questions only). Both PNCB modules were helpful as a GUIDE to what areas and how comprehensive you have to study those areas. If you are studying URI for instance, you have to know the signs and symptoms, what kind of diagnostics (labs, imaging (US vs X-Ray or other?) you will need, what "results" (positive or negative) mean, and how will you manage the patient (teaching vs what antibiotic or other medication you will need (if any) and what factors will affect your decision (antibiotics in the last month?). 

Please read through this thread, there have been wonderful resources shared here - I am sure you will find them useful. As with all TESTS, you will probably not feel fully ready, BUT be sure you cover ALL the topics in the PNCB - CONTENT OUTLINE:

https://www.pncb.org/cpnp-pc-exam-resources

Some of the other resources I used: 

https://pedclerk.uchicago.edu/

This VIDEO was VERY helpful for rashes which was always on my mind: 

ERBC 8 Pediatric Rashes - Youtube

Best wishes 

[nursingstudent2011]

If anyone has any suggestions before I sit for the PNP-PC exam this month, can you please email me at [email protected]     please and thank you!

 

Thank you!

[RNpeds123]

Did you find the retake was similar or completely different to the 1st test ?

[mmue455]

Hi All, 

I just failed the PNCB PNP boards. What should I do to prepare for the second time? Did those who took the test the second time around feel as though the topics were the same? Or was the second test totally different? 

Thank you all for the advice!

[RNpeds123]

I'm sorry to hear that.. I just failed my PNP AC and looking for the same answer ?

[mmue455]

I'm sorry to hear that too ? The exam was different than I had expected. But it was a majority of the same topics for me.. so wondering if the second exam will be focused on the same topics as the first exam. What did you use to study? I used the Silbert-Flagg book and BoardVitals. 

[RNpeds123]

There wasn't a lot for Acute Care but I did the NAPNAP review and StatPearls for questions. The review was helpful when I looked back at it after failing. I did it 3 months back and should've freshed it closer to the exam.. but I would love to know what to expect the next test. I'm afraid I will focus on the wrong stuff and fail again ?

[mmue455]

Does anyone have advice on the similarity of the exam taking it the second time around? Is the content similar?

[JJJennifer]

mmue455 said:

Does anyone have advice on the similarity of the exam taking it the second time around? Is the content similar?

I have got 1 or 2 same questions on my second time. 

[mmue455]

JJJennifer said:

I have got 1 or 2 same questions on my second time. 

Thanks for responding! Did you feel like the topics were mostly the same?/ the exam was primarily focused on derm/HEENT topics? or different than the first time.

[JJJennifer]

mmue455 said:

Thanks for responding! Did you feel like the topics were mostly the same?/ the exam was primarily focused on derm/HEENT topics? or different than the first time.

You are welcome.  The topics were similar,  which covered pretty much everything.  I don't think it only focused on certain areas.