Pittfarm

What did you use for study resources?

Congratulations!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!! I am going for mine in February...my New Year's Resolution!

I'm going to take the test in February with the new format test. Anyone else taking the new test?

I am going to take the test in February. I had the same question as the previous poster. I'm understanding that the Pass CCRN book is not outdated and will still be a great resource then. I'm still trying to get a few resources together. I know when I passed the NCLEX what helped me was just doing constant questions and understanding the rationales.

My only worry is that I am taking it in February and that will be the new CCRN format. Will these study materials be outdated? I'm unsure what book to get here now....

Survivor08, you CRACK me up! Keep in touch. We WILL get there and thanks about the hint regarding the crash cart!!! Wendy

That is a great idea. I grid of tasks throughout your shift. I think I'll work on making something like that this weekend. I don't think its childish though because until it becomes 2nd nature to me, I just can't remember every single thing. Dual tasking is just not happening for me very efficiently! :) Thanks for your suggestion! Wendy

Sterren, I am SOOO glad that you posted this thread. I, too, am a new grad in ICU. I am in my 5th week of ICU orientation on the floor. I passed my NCLEX and went through 4 years of college, but feel like I know nothing! Yes, I know that I am exaggerating, but it is so frustrating to be forgetting so much during a shift. I will learn a new skill or procedure and then forget to do something that I've learned weeks ago and done many times already. I have done nothing that wasn't an easy fix, thank goodness, but it scares me everytime I have forgotten something. I have a wonderful preceptor and she is incredibly supportive and patient with me. My problem at this time seems to be time management. I have figured it out...as long as I don't take any breaks, don't eat lunch and work connected to a foley catheter, I am close to being on time.....Yes, you may laugh, but it is true. I was caught up the other day until I used the restroom and had a 1/2 hour lunch. That set me back hours it seemed! Ha! Ha! So time managment and clustering my tasks while in the patient's room seems to be where I need to improve. I'm thinking this will all come with time....I hope!!! Remember you are not alone though. I totally feel and understand your pain! We WILL get there!!! Let's both post on this thread 1 month from now and see how we feel compared to this, ok? Wendy

Congratulations!!! Way to go!! I take mine in July. Can you give me an idea of what you're referring to for a mcg/ml question? Math is my weak point and I'm practicing all I can. Thanks!

I hate to say it, but I didn't study. I had a hard last semester with 6 tests to include renal, MH, Peds., Maternity, Cardiac/Respiratry & Neuro and the next week we had the Hesi test. I studied like crazy for each one of those tests throughout the semester and did well. I used the Saunders CD for every test which helped. I can honestly say that the rationales that I read from the Saunders questions DID help me with the Hesi test! Good luck! Wendy

P.S. I noticed you are from CT also. I am graduating in June from Western Connecticut. How about you? Best of luck to you! Wendy

So I'm in good shape!!!!! YES!!!!! Thank you so much!!!! What a relief! Wendy

We took the Hesi Test yesterday for our graduating class. I scored a 960. I am not sure what that means. I do know that our teacher wanted us to originally score a 900 and at the least over 850, so I know that I did that, but I'd like to know where a 960 falls. Has anyone taken it? Thanks! Wendy

I do realize that there is a thread for PDAs here on this site, but what I've realized is that all of the responses that I am receiving are from nursing students and I really need to ask advice from new grads who are now out in practice. I will be starting my first job in ICU/Telemetry in June and have bought a new Palm TX. I was thinking of the Constellation nursing software, Tabers Dictionary and Fast Facts for the Adult Critical Care Patient. Can anyone tell me what has helped them in their first couple of years working? I don't want to get basics that I have moved passed already, but software that I can use and will grow into. Thanks so much! Wendy