jdlunger1

Hi Ali, We have very similar methods to studying I think. I bought the Barkley review and did it in December just to get my feet wet with ANCC prep. I graduated this May and the past 6 weeks have gone through the official ANCC exam prep book. The first part of June I purchased the 10 PMHNP exams from anccprep.com as well as the 150 official ANCC questions which gives you two tests. I've taken 7 anccprep tests the lowest I got was a 350, highest 400 although my average is 375. They really like their legal and ethical questions don't they! Sheesh. The Barkley review and the ANCC review book doesn't go into the detail the anccprep makes it seem like we need. The official ANCC practice questions were tough! I got a 49% on the first set and a 65% on the second. This was discouraging to me as well, but as someone posted I too have heard that the actual exam questions are not as challenging as the review questions. I think what helped me change my score 16 percentage points from exam 1 to 2 was making flashcards around every question and they rationales given, SLOWING down and reading each question carefully; finding the stem and then eliminating bad choices leaving only the right. Then plug the choice back into the question to make sure it fits. I take my exam in a few weeks, hope everyone else does well. Congrats to all the PMHNP graduates of 2014 lets go change lives! If anyone would like to contact me further I can be reached at xxxxxxxxxxx

Just finished up my first year of Psych NP school in Ohio. My school really emphasizes talk therapy and learning those skills more so than the meds. I guess it depends on what you want. Also with grad school it seems like what you put in is what you get out. Reading and re-reading texts, using supplemental texts as well is very helpful. I love school, I love my NP clinicals so far. This is the right fit for me, I just need lots of practice solidifying the skills.

Hi j9eRN, I had applied September 2011 and received admission status In March of 2012. I started the Family Psych and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Program that fall. Nothing real special about my application. 3.2 BSN Cum. GPA. 1 year medical/surgical experience. Had some undergraduate teaching experience but probably insignificant to my admission. No GRE required which was and is nice. My graduation year will be spring 2014. There are 10 of us in my class. I am not sure how many are in other classes. And many students are part time and so every 4 month graduation cycle there is always a few new psych NPs graduating it seems. First semester is all online which is nice. My class is quite diverse. One of my classmates started right after his BSN program. Another is a FNP of 15 years getting a post masters certificate. Some students work in ICU, psych, OB, peds, med/surg. One even came from an accelerated RN with a bachelors in psychology. There is no "typical" psych NP student as we are all of diverse ages, ethnicity, experiences, and beliefs. Expect to become a therapist first before a prescriber. Half of the practicum, or clinical experiences, will involve you conducting supervised psychotherapy. The rest will be learning about the medications and community outpatient culture. Some don't like this setup. I find it valuable and was unaware before starting. The professors are great. They have much experience, diverse training, and really support you as a student. It is a tough program. Anticipating dropping any work hours down. 20 is pushing it. I find one 12 hour shift a week is all I can handle with the course and clinical load. I can say that hard work pays off as I made a 3.7 GPA my first year when as I said earlier that my undergrad was a 3.2. If I could recommend a book for you to start reading if your goal is ultimately to work as a FPMHNP is Dr. Stahl's, "Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology." This is the main text used in Kent's program for understanding the drugs and is a excellent foundation for learning the chemistry, theory, and details about these medications. Please feel free to message me. I remember searching threads for information about Kent's program and having a hard time. Not to say that it isn't buried on here somewhere but that you often feel in the dark when there is so much information about the typical RN entry level programs and not much about specialty nursing education. Good luck, I hope you get in. I'd imagine you would find school as a rewarding experience and a paramount investment. -Jarryd

I am a first year graduate student at Kent State University in their Family Psych/Mental Health NP program. I really like it. I had one year of med/surg experience before going back. Several students commute from Pittsburgh PA, Northern W. VA., Athens, Cleveland, and of course the Akron area. You meet once a week and can have your clinicals wherever you need them to be. Check it out Kent.edu/nursing

I had begun working with UC in Sepetmber 2011 to plan accordingly for hopeful admission for Fall 2012 but was informed that the program was shutting down for the transition not just to DNP but to the ANCC switch for a Family Psych NP model not just Adult. I had also applied to Drexel's program and got the same response from them. I was all ready to give up then Kent State another school in Ohio was able to make the necessary changes for a F-PMHNP starting fall 2012. Won't have the perks of distance based learning but at least I know I'm spending money on an accredited up to date degree. :/ Still is a bummer about the other schools.

I took the Kaplan review last year May 2011. Our school made us and included price in tuition. They were long days and the questions were so ambiguous and confusing it made the NCLEX that much more frightening. The Q bank tests or whatever they were called were horrible. I think there was 5-6 each one increasing in questions up to 250 like NCLEX. I think they highest I got was 65%. Most were in the mid 50s low 60s. I took NCLEX 2 weeks after my Kaplan review practicing 100 questions a day and using a supplemental Saunders book for OB (was worst in school) and I passed the NCLEX with 75 and got the "good pop up" as they call it too. I thought the NCLEX was more clear and easier than Kaplan in my opinion but as you know the NCLEX is very individualized and has thousands of questions to pull from. Good luck go in with confidene even if its all fake confidence.

Your never going to feel completely ready, no one does. I believe the national pass rate is 86%. And that is first time so well over half of nurses pass their first time. I believe there is a table that even breaks down state rank. Also you can even check out your schools rating so you can feel even more confident. Nursing school gets you ready to take this test, not just to be a good nurse but a good multiple choice test taker. Go in with all the confidence you can muster, real or fake, confidence is confidence. :)

Just took my boards Saturday. Had 75 questions and got the "good pop up" from pearson vue a few hours later. For me on Kaplan I had a 69 on the diagnostic a 57 on readiness. Did 2/3 of q-bank questions QT1:64 QT2:64 QT3:47 QT4:57 QT5:59 QT6:63 QT7: Didn't take it. HESI:706 before kaplan review course HESI:936 after review course (our school wanted an 800 to release you) OB was my weakest so I tore up all the OB questions in Saunders to prepare me. I also took the comprehensive test at the end of Saunders and got a 60%. I never felt ready, I don't think its possible to ever feel ready because you can't know everything. But you can be safe and thats what the NCLEX wants to know. I thought my NCLEX wasn't as intense as the HESI or Kaplan. I'd say NCLEX

i understand you! i am a fourth year nursing student and am the camp nurse during this summer. most weeks i get an rn to help me but sometimes i am all alone and it can be hard because the kids do not want to come and get their medications! - i think what has worked for me is that i have built a rapport with the staff since i have been with them since may. - along with repeating my same routine so the counselors know it. i also keep the rule that i've seen in most hospitals up to an hour before and an hour after the med pass time. a couple of times i have sat down with the counselors and gone over potential consequences some of the kids may have if they do not take their medications especially the ones with inhalers and such. sometimes that wakes them up because they don't want to have to deal with an asthma attack while they are out in the woods. in my opinion, what can make or break your system and organization really boils down to your staff. i am very fortunate to be working at a christian camp and the staff members care very much about their kids and their medical needs. i don't know if this has helped you much in finding solutions but i hope you can figure something out so the rest of the summer can go smoother for you!

PatMac10, I am about to enter my senior year of nursing school. BSN class of 2011! I am a CNA, although in Ohio its considerd a STNA or state tested nurse aide. Honestly it the best move I could have made career wise while in nursing school. And I'll tell you why. 1.) It determines if you really have what it takes to be a RN. Your job is to do the grunt work no one else wants to do. The basic care and basic human needs. If you can do this without major burnout then nursing is the career for you. It develops good assessment, and communication skills. 2.) You'll be ahead of your nursing class (RN) because you'll have the basic skills down for clinicals. Clinicals are already nerve wracking enough you don't want to freeze up with a washcloth in your hand wondering what to do with it. (Trust me this happened to some students I was with) Also working as a CNA between summers and breaks keeps your skills up. 3.) If you can land a job as a tech at a hospital you can get hired internally when you become an RN and not have to fight this hard economy we have now. I worked at a nursing home for one summer then the next got a tech job. They trained me on some new skills such as EKGs and Phlebotomy. So helpful for the jr/sr nursing clinicals. I hope your test went well. You sounded prepared! Best of luck with your schooling. Nursing the best profession you can be in. I am convinced of this.