Preparation for CRNE

Hey,

I read another post that you made, so what is the blueprint like? Is it worth the money to buy it?

Hi

I read your thread with interest, lucky you. Im trying to find some websites to give me an idea of what is in the exam as the book is very expensive. I have been triped up at the first hurdle as I dont have enough theory hours in my training although I have been qualified 4 years. Im 50 hours short, but Nova scotia want me to just pop over and take the 2 day competency exam then go back and do the CRNE. I am willing to have a go with you if you like but I have not been able to find any ideas what is in it so far. Its so frustating.

The CRNE exam is based on 194 competencies that are listed on the Canadian Nurses Association website.

I can help you out with a description of the exam blueprint if you like but I think that most of that information is on the web.

I have a website for IEN's but I do not have the CRNE pages built yet but I would be willing to post some information if you like.

Sure, I'd love to have a look at that blueprint. Any help would be most appreciated. Do you need my email address or anything?

Let's share it with everyone.

Organization of the exam

The breakdown of the multiple choice questions (about 300) on the Canadian Registered Nurse Exam is as follows

-40% per cent (120 questions) are presented as independent questions

-60% 180 (questions) are presented within case scenarios. Typically a case scenario gives a patient situation and then includes three to five questions.

If you are planning to write the CRNE in 2010 the plan is to have short answer questions re-introduced to the exam . These questions will be anywhere from 15-25% of the marks. A short answer question typically has a one to three word answer and can be worth anywhere from one to three marks.

The following are called contextual variables and represent the context of the questions:

Type of health care recipient:

individual = 40-50%

Family 25 = 30%

Group Population Community = 20-30%

Age and Lifespan

0-18 yrs = 20-30%

19-64 years = 54-70%

65-79 yrs = 12-20%

over 80 years 3-8%

Culture - exam does not test specific variables of individual practices linked to different cultures but does test the basics of cultural competency and questions are worded to measure awareness and sensitivity to diversity.

Health situations - exam questions test a cross section of health situations, sometimes with more than one health condition being in one question as the patient is viewed holistically. Health situations that reflect stable and unstable patient conditions will be tested.

Health care environment - it is assumed that nurses work in a number of different environments. The specific environment may not be specified (clinic, home, communities) as it is assumed that nursing practice can occur in any environment of setting where a nurse is engaged in the practice of nursing. This brings up the issue of community health nursing which is an entry level competency for nurses in Canada.

That is the structure and context of the exam but there is so much more to it that that. It is important to understand the level of critical thinking which is really about the taxonomy of the questions.

Go to the Canadian Nurses Association Website and look at the competencies. You will also need to know the Code of Ethics. Both are available on the web.

Anything else??

hi... have you applied already? hope you can help find me the link for the application.. many thanks in advance

hi... have you applied already? hope you can help find me the link for the application.. many thanks in advance

ou should be able to find it on the province's nursing website. Which province are you looking at for application?

I really think you do need at least one book - the CNA book is the closest to the exam itself. They also have an on-line readiness test that I think you should take a couple of weeks before you take the real thing.

It's a tricky little test, that will leave you feeling a failure - though most pass!!

I hope to take the exam this year just heard from Carna I need to do a sec assessment in obstetrics also, anybody out there had to do this. I really want to go but big risk if I fail due to current work climate I am 46 qualified for ten years mainly in A&E where do i look for prep exam thanks

Where are you living now? I have heard that it is possible to do SEC in London and this is something new

I am living in southern Ireland so going over to england would not be problem although I feel I would need to update on my obstetrics as I am a general trained nurse and not a midwife and only did obs in my training also my only exposure to paeds was in A&E. I am actually english and have considered going back to UK but really wanted to try Canada I think its just nerves !!

It is not really worth buying personally i think most of the stuff it contains is in the CNA book