What makes the CPNE so hard?

[Jo Dirt]

I hear about many poor souls who spend $1500 only to fail this clinical test. What is scary is that they all say they worked very hard to prepare for it, took classes, went to workshops...so this has me worried should I decide to go the Excelsior route.

Can anyone please tell me what is soooo difficult about passing this test even though much time was spent preparing for it?

[lawsonnic]

I failed my first CPNE and then passed the second time with no repeats. My problem was stress. I knew my critical elements. I practiced the labs every day for months in my home. I did assessements on my pateints at work and then when I got to the CPNE nerves got me. I failed in the lab part for stupid mistakes. The second time I went with a totally different attitude and made it with no repeats......

[anticoagulationurse]

For me it was stress that made the CPNE so hard. I flew from West coast to East coast and there was a lot of pressure to pass the thing because of the sheer expensiveness of it. The whole process cost me almost $3000 (just for the CPNE) and I did not want to have to do it again!

Fortunately, by the grace of God, I passed. I went on 90 minutes of sleep the first day and failed one, so had to stay at the hospital for a total of 11 hours for a redo, kept getting lost driving around, had nobody with me to talk to, didn't eat the first day, etc.

I did not do any workshops, videos or any of that. I did read the CPNE study guide about 14 times through and had it memorized. I was an LPN with 3 years of experience in LTC and office nursing. The skills in the CPNE are not difficult. Organization and clear thinking is!

[greenjanell]

I failed the CPNE, here is why.

Documentation. I did not document that a pt had refused a backrub, and when I passed, I documented EVERYTHING. like this for example.

0800, Greeted pt this am. pt sitting up in bed at 45 degree angle with no complaints. performed physical exam. (insert head to toe assessment here INCLUDE EVERYTHING) pt is Awake alert orientedx4, PERRLA, facial symmitry normal, lungs clear bilat, HRR pulses equal and strong bilat radial pulses. Bowel sounds present x4, normoactive pt denise nausea, vomiting and diahhrea, Neuro exam revealse that pt has strong equal grips bilat and lower extremities have strong and equal movement skin is pink warm and dry pedal pulses palpable. pt states she is thirsty, assisted to move in bed to a 90 degree angle pt given 200ml of water to drink. breakfast at bedside, pt assisted with set up of breakfast tray. instructed pt to use call bell for further assistance needed.

0830 pt rings call bell at this time requesting to use the bathroom. pt assisted to BSC with minimal assistance, voided 300ml clear yellow urine and assisted with peri care after voiding. pt assisted to bed, assisted to position of comfort, linnens placed as per pt request. pt instructed to use call bell again for assistance.

0900 pt offered assistance at this time with bathing this am. pt refused and states she is able to perform this herself. pt assisted with set up of items for selfcare. pt assited to BSC at this time and voided 300 ml clear yellow urine. pt left alone in private to perform bath, per pt request.

and on and on and on

I aslo failed another pt because the instructor states that I did not check the name band proir to giving the medication. I DID, she just did not see me do it. so MAKE sure your insturctor sees your action, even though it is there JOB to be watching your every move, they miss stuff.

I also almost failed another pt for calling the patient "Honey". I know this falls into the "emotional jeoparty" part of the exam, and is grounds for failure, but I got a warning. They are Nit picky as someone said above, and again this has no indication that if you fail that your a poor nurse. It means that you did not perform the way they wanted you to. after all, who in the world charts like that? Chart everyting and everything and everything. I still say its a money racket. However, I can understand that because it is performed nation wide, that they have to follow standards, I just think there standards are a little extreme and should be changed.

Do I sound bitter? well I am, Failing the CPNE 2x cost me 3000 dollars and another 1500 to take it again. thats 4500 dollars plus the cost of travel and lodging not to mention that the waiting list when i took it was 6-8 months, so that pushed mygraduation time back like 18 months. all and all it cost me (with failing and travel and lodging for 3 trips )to take it about 10,000 dollars. I had been an LPN for 5 years when i took it, worked hospital setting ER and Medsurg. I studied my tail off and everything. I am a good nurse. I dont crack under pressure.

I had my classes all done in 6 months. that was the easy part. then I waited 6 months to take the CPNE the first time, another 6 months to take it the secodn time, and another 6 months to take and PASS it the third time. thier pass rate is 60 % sound good right, well that also means that 40% fail. not so good.

*******IMPORTANT

and here is the reason it is a money racket.

every weekend 6 students take the exam at one hospital( for the sake of easy math)

4 weekends a month x 6 students x 1500 dollars each student= $36,000 dollars monthly for the college. ( and that is just one hospital, remember the CPNE has many hospitals nation wide)

2 students fail every weekend (40%) and have to repeate the CPNE. thats 8 students a month x1500 dollars to repeate and thats another $12,000 dollars monthly. every month for a year $36,000+$12,000=$48,000 monthly x 12 months=$576,000 dollars a year!!!!! and remember this is only including the CPNE at one hospital. so double that number for 2 hospitals and the number is $1,152,000 a year from the 2 hospitals. if every student passed, the school would have a loss of $144,000 a year from just one hosptial. does this make sense to anyone or have I confused you all.

anyway sorry about the length, good luck and DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!!!!

[Lorie P.]

I am curious, did you take the workshops offered, how long did you practice and did you just review the CNPE guide from Excelsior?

Sorry that you failed again, also please don't take offence but remember it is a test and things must be done the BOOK way not real life way.

Again I am so sorry to hear you failed.

[greenjanell]

I did finally pass, that was 2 years ago. I studied the guide, and the videos. I could not affort to go to a workshop.

[Mudwoman]

THe CPNE is $1725. If you add in the transportations costs and the hotel for 3 days, you are over $2K. Then if you bought the skills bag for $105 and did the care plan conference (which I highly recommend) for $265 and the workshop (which I also highly recommend) for $745 plus transportation and hotel, you have close to $3500-$4000 invested in this one test. THat is a lot of money and it could all be for nothing over an apical pulse.

For most, this is the last thing they have to do to graduate.

Many already have a job offer either where they work or somewhere else as soon as they graduate.

The test is at a hospital you have never been to before. New surroundings with people you never met before and you are expected to perform with impecable accuracy.

Imagine that I put a 12 inch wide board on the ground and tell you to walk on it. No problem. You think it is so simple. Now I raise that board 20 ft in the air and it isn't so easy. Raise it 50 ft in the air and you won't even try. The skills required for the CPNE are the 12 inch wide board on the ground. The costs and everything riding on it make it 20 ft in the air. For some, if they don't make it, the board might as well be 50 ft up.