Soozul

Hi & thanks. I test next week in GA., 3rd & final attempt. Still studying after all this time. I started trying to pass CPNE Aug last year. I took a prep course in IN. but still failed. But the requirements changed last fall & were differant from what I had learned @ the CPNE prep class. Anything else U can offer is appreciated. I really thought I had passed last time until the CA came to talk to me. I was devaSTATED. tHANKJS.

Some excellent explainations here, all I agree c. Care is about the PT first, spouse, family, etc. come after. Keep in mind, staff are thinking of your spouse' needs. Also, we all have to remember HIPPA, HIPPA.

I have a test date but haven't committed yet. Took 3 months & a week to hear, FYI. Advise for U? I have failed twice, I don't have any secrets to pass. I'm just going to prepare the best I can, under my circumstances, pray & hope I pass this time. I thought I would pass last time, felt very prepared but didn't. It is very hard & very stressful. I've read on here in past some think it is easy---I STRONGLY disagree. Hardest thing I ever did! .I have noticed old school nurses like myself don't do as well as the younger ones.Sometimes it's something I just didn't know to include/ study for. Just getting there is stressful, considering I drive down to GA., 6 lane traffic, big city. I'm from the country, don't like the city or do things there. I dread the WHOLE p rocess. However, the day's coming & by then I will be ready!

Thanks everyone. I have already applied for the 3rd/final test, pd. on card. Am reading ,thinking on what some of you have said.

This is a new idea I can use. I copied your response. I'm adding, it is so nice to get ideas from someone who doesn't even know me.Of course, I am still emotional & would hug anyone who gave my situation a care. Thanks!

Yes & thank U so much! I did use a grid. I know critical elements well, have mneumonics memorized.I took a workshop last year & learned that. My mistakes were 1. used "assess pain on a 0-10 numeric pain scale" for an intervention on acute pain. They said I couldn't do that. I now know that was in the 18th study guide revision book- somehow eluded me. 2. I charted "Auscultated bowel sounds X all 4 quadrants." Fail. I omitted positive. Which years ago I have written many times. I was taught to chart simply for the clinical. Didn't occur to me to be more descriptive. My technique in rooms is always good.Labs do well. It's the charting 2 times now that has cost me. I focused primarily on studying that for the test but.... I appreciate anyone of U responding. I will probably try 1 last time, I am just so very down right now. It has only been 2 days ago. I had a 5 hour drive home & had to tell my family I failed again. It's almost devasting. Thanks all.

Hello, I have took & failed the CPNE twice. Lots of preparation. Workshop in IN , purchased additional cards this time.I did well- 2 mistakes- but that still fails me.Paperwork is where I failed.I WAS positive, felt very prepared. And thet weren't mean this time like in WIS. last time. I am 50. This is very hard on me & my family.This process has actually aged me. I have 2 boys under 16. Everyone suffers when I am away . Haven't decided my next move. Any advise from others?

I'm going to add, it is obvious that this is done very differently in differant states, etc. I appreciate everyones input regarding their experiences. Some posting here are getting rude."Incorrect?" I wrote what I've seen. The main importance should be the pts. needs.

Where I work, the pt. is already in hospital, usually for an extended period. Then when it's time for discharge or the pt. condition is decided to be terminal, some can stay & become "hospice".Family first agrees to it & the pt. must meet whatever criteria necessary after a consult c hospice staff. The same nurses do the care which is minimal & meet the families' needs & requests. The actual hospice nurse is employed somewhere else & rounds once a day. Our hospital uses the same hospice facility on all pts. I guess they contract c them for a period. This is FYI, not saying I agree c it. As mentioned earlier, I believe hospice SHOULD still be @ home-that's why it was created. Family want to participate in last days care but want the extra help & assurance that a hospice nurse in the home provides. The family can stay, eat, sleep near the pt. s worry of rules, intrusions, privacy, etc. At home it is as the pt. & family want. In hospital, not so. I have felt like I intruded on private family moments when the pt. was near death & hospice on our floor.Sometimes there are lots of family issues going on that are none of our business.

Hospice pts. NEVER have tele- comfort care only. I have never heard of hospice care in the unit either.

In response to Needshaldol, I also do these things- part of being a conscientious nurse.I always call family c a turn of status or events (not hospice pts,) but in this situation, the nurse probably thought the family didn't want to be there or they'd been, c her being hospice.I don't know that I would have called family under those circumstances. We call the hospice nurse who is off-site when the pt. passes. Where I work, family overflow in a situation like this.They usually do most of the care which is basically being c the pt. Some don't even like the nurse coming in.

In light of what I've seen in my years of nursing, hospice should have never become an option in hospitals. Hospice was created for pts. to get nursing care AT HOME around familiar surroundings & FAMILY. That whole concept is missed these days.I know it started in hospitals due to more days of insurance coverage that way but the pt. gets cheated. In a hospital, if pt. becomes "hospice" that means a step-down in care given & time spent in the room by staff, not more as some here seem to think. Hospice is comfort care only so interventions are few.It is probably much better in the home setting as it originated because there the pt. & family get the staffs undivided attention as they should. That won't happen on a busy hospital floor. And forget familiar surroundings which are a comfort to a dying pt. & more conveniant for family.The post Oct 4th says family were called- where were they?? Seems they failed the pt. also. It is all very sad, but again, hospice should be @ home- none of this would have happened.

Oh, & it is required. Not a courtesy.

People that have run all PM want to give report & clock out. Some still have charting to do. It's just not nice to hold up & interrupt the nurse trying to give report. You could give them a dose of their own medicine, see how they like it!

Actually the tests are 3 hours, 160-180 questions. I usually need the whole 3 hours. Finished the A & P early (guess cause I was familiar c material from working so long in it) by 20 " but looked back over stuff I was unsure about.

I drive 115 miles 1 way to test.So what, that's less than driving to class a bunch of times. My last test cost $345. just weeks ago.Plus books if you buy them.The only on-line test is Info. Literacy unless you take EC English on-line- $975.

There are many variaNCES TO COST. dOEs YOUR WORK PAY A %? That helps.Also, whether you have to buy or borrow study materials? Used or new? If you buy all new stuff & get all resources, it will be real expensive.I.m gessing but probably between 10,000-15,000.I hear the final clinical is very high, goes ^ every year. There is also a clinical prep some nurses go to that is expensive but I,m waiting till I get there (if I do ) to investigate that.They have payment plans which is what I will do if needed Soozul

Thanks for all replys! I had only partial English credit to start c. So I am on 8th course/test, + art & English-1 credit needed- then I am into the 6 nursing courses I have to take. Have had 2 major life events hold ^ my progress. I usually study late into PM on 3 off nights.

thanks! sounds alot like me.

Thanks!! I just wanna pass, don't care if it's a C.I test about every 6 weeks - 2 months x when I had surgery to remove tumor & my Dad died- I had to stop a while to get my mind right to continue.

I use Chancelor study guides & CLEP test books purchased from Amazon. com. So far that's all I needed, also c Taber's book & work resources.I don't get to study too much some weeks- depends on what is going on @ home.

Also Micro & A & P is hardest. Don't be too confident till youv'e finished them. I am on Micro & it's HARD!

Although I learn stuff reading posts, some replys are very discouraging for me. How do you go so fast??Do you have kids, work full-time, have sickness yourself, aging parents that have to have assistance with things, 1 parent wound ^ dying after 1 1/2 yr. CA illness? I also had surgery myself few months ago. I keep @ it, but has took me already close to year & half & I haven't got to the nursing courses yet!Some of you must have more opportunities than me & the girls I know @ work that have went through the Excelsior program. Only 1 I know went very fast-less than a year to finish but she had prior credits.Maybe it's cause I'm 45+???

Thanks for ALL the info!

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