Post CCRN work experiences

[jedimasterr]

I am an ICU nurse with 1 and 1/4 years of experience who went right into the ICU after school. So far, my experience has been very positive and I attribute a lot of this to the open arms my unit has toward new grads who have a good attitude. I feel that I am a very conscientious nurse and that I do a good job, but I can also readily admit that support from my fellow workers is a big part of that. After surviving my first year as a new grad, I have made taking the CCRN exam one of my major goals to get done by the end of this year. From that groundwork, I have some questions for the more veteran nurses here.

For those that passed the test, regardless of time on the job, was your accomplishment acknowledged positively by your co-workers or was it seen as being showy? Related to that, did you feel that people expected you to be a "guru" who should be chock full of answers to everything and then roll their eyes at you if you didn't know something? Lastly, do you feel that studying for the exam improved your overall knowledge base to the point of making a permanent improvement in your practice?

And for anyone who would like to weigh in on this part with experience or wisdom, please do. Right now, I feel I do a good job at work for the reasons listed above, but at the same time I am keenly aware that there is an enormous amount that I don't know yet because I don't have experience. I don't take it for granted I will pass CCRN on the first try, but assuming I do, I am worried about how other co-workers with much more experience then me will look at me. At age forty, I feel like real experience is almost always better than book smarts and at my level of time as a nurse there isn't much I can do about my lack of experience. I do think studying for CCRN will help solidify some of the things I have seen so far but I know it's no substitute for experience.

Any thoughts on any of the above from the wise I have seen here would be most welcome :bowingpur

[Nacki, MSN, NP]

Hey Jedi. I haven't got my CCRN yet, I plan on taking it in May. In my experience people without their CCRN view the people with thier CCRN as "smart." I want to believe its because a lot of nurses do not want to pursue higher education after the ICU. I have also encountered several people who are content being a bedside ICU nurse and don't want to sit for the CCRN because their thinking is that they have been a nurse for x amt of years, they don't need to prove it by taking some "test."

[CraigB-RN, MSN, RN]

1st thing to do is stop worrying about what other people will think. Taking and passing should be verification to YOU of the knowledge you've obtained over the past year. It's not about them, it's about you. Study hard, and good luck.

[seanpdent, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN, NP]

1st thing to do is stop worrying about what other people will think. QUOTE]

I echo these sentiments. Taking and passing the CCRN is a 'personal' and 'professional' accomplishment that you should be proud of regardless of what others may or may not think.

I don't think you should view yourself any differently after you do pass your CCRN, but simply be proud that you've decided to further your knowledge and professional education.

Best of luck.