RNC exam

[RN4theTiny]

I will be taking the RNC NICU (high risk) exam in late summer or early fall. I was hoping for tips on study materials and the study process. I currently am studying from The Neonatal Handbook, Certification review, & Physical Assessment of the Newborn.

My unit is a Level III NICU but we do not have ecmo and send out cardiac kids that need more than minimal intervention. Needless to say the cardiac content is a little daunting.

Thank you for any feedback, it will be greatly appreciated.

[ToughingItOut]

I just recently passed the RNC-NIC. In addition to the neonatal assessment and question book you probably already have, I would definitely suggest Neonatal Certification Review for the CCRN and RNC Hight-Risk Examinations by Keri R Rogelet and Ann J Brorsen. This book is completely practice multiple choice exams separated into anatomical/biological systems as well as a complete practice review exam at the end. I truly believe that the hardest part to the RNC is getting used to the questions as well as length of testing time. I would also HIGHLY recommend purchasing the S.T.A.B.L.E Cardiac Module for a quick review of cardiac deformations (BEAUTIFUL and easy-to-understand illustrations) - I'm somewhat obsessed with it and will be gifting it to my orientee. Unfortunately, my exam did not so much focus on cardiac as it did lab results and metabolic analysis (pretty much the only areas I blew off, lol, but I still passed!) Good luck!! :)

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

I've been doing practice questions based on the Core Curriculum, and have noticed a very, very large amount of questions pertaining to antepartum/mom/hormones/etc, and fewer dealing with the neonates.

In your experience, was the antepartum curricula a large part of the exam? I dislike that subject, have no interest in women's health...strictly focused my attention on the high risk neonate since day 1. Would hate to have to study this mess. :/

[ToughingItOut]

In my experience, antepartum was not a significant part of the test of all (which was also probably good for me). I had a few blood gas questions (one was actually kinda hard), a few vent/HFOV/JET questions, one or two cardiac questions that I remember, probably three or four on choanal atresia (which I thought really odd - I mean, what a strange thing to be obsessed with...), and TON of interpretation of electrolyte values and what might be going on (specifically related to patho). I also think I had a couple on TEF and TEF repair. I personally did not have any x-ray picture-type questions, but I have heard that they will at times actually show you an x-ray. The infamous "double-bubble" for duodenal atresia has become a touchstone of the exam...yet it was not on my test! However, I did get the crazy "blueberry muffin syndrome" question, but the question is as easy as it is crazy because maternal infection is the only answer that even remotely makes sense. The one cardiac question I remember focused on a aortic coarctation and shunting throught the PDA. I think I may have also run into an "egg on a sting" or like description for cardiac defect.

I don't know, some people swear that their test was all respiratory, others that their exam was completely cardiac...and still others who say they got a mix. I feel like my test was a mixed bag, HOWEVER, I knew respiratory almost stone-cold (obviously, we see blood gases and vent changes every day), I had studied cardiac although I cannot claim to be an expert as I do not come from a cardiac unit and ship most our heart kids to Standford,etc., and, therefore, I may mostly remember electrolyte and other test result interpretation questions since, while I am familiar with them, these test questions made me think more as opposed to simple recall.

Honestly, I would read a question and think to myself before looking at the answer choices "oh yeah, I know what they're getting at," and then...none of the correct answers I was expecting to be listed were there...I had to think a little bit more. However, I still swear that the best way to prepare is just take a lot of practice tests and look at the materials I already named above, especially since the S.T.A.B.L.E. Cardiac module is short, sweet, and interesting.

Good luck! Bortaz, I am honestly surprised that you haven't yet taken your RNC! You shouldn't have any worries; you will do GREAT! :)

[TeenyTinyBabyRN, BSN, RN]

I used the Core Corriculum for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing, that I bought off of Amazon, and it was very helpful. I also took the NICU Solutions class. Look it up on line to see if they are having a class near you. If not, you can call them up and they will bring the class to you as long as you have 15 (I think that's the right number) people signed up. It was kind of pricey and I had to drive 7 hours out of town to take it, but it would have been worth it, whether I was taking the test or not. It was very imfomative.

[nautticca]

I am currently studying for the RNC exam. I read the review class by Linda Juretsche is helpful. Anyone know anything about this class

[babyNP., APRN]

^^ I agree, she does NICU Solutions and it's an awesome review course. She really lets you know what you need to focus on while also giving a strong review of everything. She also keeps things entertaining, "I'm the chief-est Pole you'll ever meet!" which is needed during a 3 day lecture.

The test was actually not too bad; I took it after 3 years of working in a level IIIC NICU. I really had to go over the cardiac (we have a separate CICU unit) and the L&D portion (since we have none), but other than that, interpreting things like blood gas values is a snap. I can see how it would be harder for others though; when I did my senior practicum in nursing school in a NICU, I remember that my preceptor had no idea how to interpret blood gas values or the ventilator, as her role was solely to collect blood for RT (she told me herself she had no idea). I guess it depends on how you were educated in your NICU.

Cardiac stable book is also a good resource, as mentioned.

Core curriculum questions seemed harder than the actual test. The RNC book review questions (pink/purple book) was okay, but also a bit hard and a little disconcerting when I found actual errors in the book! Not interpreting q's, but literally, "Is this this or this?" and had it wrong, according to multiple medical sources I'd checked.

Do a search on this forum for past takers because there are many "gotcha" type questions that seems to be on everyone's test like blueberry muffin rash, double-bubble, etc etc.

[nautticca]

Thank you for your reply. Would you happen to have the review book from Linda Juretsche's course. I am a NICU nurse in the Air Force currently stationed in Okinawa, Japan. It is impossible for me to make it to one of her review classes. I am scheduled to take the RNC exam in Sept. and just trying to get a head start on studying..

[babyNP., APRN]

I think she might sell it; not sure. You can e-mail her about it.

[nautticca]

Thanks, I tried emailing her. If she doesn't respond would you be willing to sell me your book?:)

[babyNP., APRN]

No, I'm sorry; I'd like to keep it. I don't think you'd want it anyway because it's covered in my notes and scribbles (it's essentially spiral-bound powerpoint notes). Good luck on your exam!

[nautticca]

Thank you