Let’s be honest: everyone who considers taking the CCRN exam is most concerned about passing the exam. By the time you actually decide to take the exam and then invest your time and money in preparing for it, the thought of not passing can leave a pit in your stomach. Indeed, it can almost deter you from taking this exciting step in your career. But the truth is, if you qualify to even sit for the exam in the first place, you are already on a great path to passing. Yet, experience isn’t enough. So, let’s look at a surefire path to getting you to pass CCRN certification on your first attempt.
#1: Make sure you meet the qualifications
Obviously, you cannot even apply to take the exam without a manager vouching for your experience. But, making sure you have had ample hands-on experience in the direct care of critically ill patients will make it easier to understand complex pathophysiological processes and associated nursing actions that are on the exam.
Additionally, you should also make sure to have some experience in a leadership role, such as being a (relief) charge nurse, educating nursing students, orienting new nurses to the unit, or joining committees or other organizations in the hospital. This type of experience can be particularly helpful for the 20% of questions that focus on professional caring and ethical practice in critical care settings.
#2: Give yourself the right amount of time to prepare
Once your application is approved, you will need to pick a test date. This step is quite important because you want to give yourself ample time to prepare in order to pass CCRN, and you also want to make sure there are no potential conflicts in the few weeks leading up to your exam day. Before you schedule your test day, you may want to think about the following questions:
- Is there something big coming up in the next few weeks or months that may distract you or take too much of your energy?
- If you have children or you are a caregiver (outside of your job), is there a time of year where you know their needs will increase? For example, the start of the school year or summertime?
- Is there a predictable time at work where your unit has greater need for you, such as flu season? Or, will your organization be undergoing a major shift at some point that will be taxing on its nursing staff?
Furthermore, you will also want to think about your study habits and preferences. Many people prefer to schedule their test as soon as possible to force themselves to get it over with, whereas others prefer plenty of time to study before taking the test. Here are a few additional questions to think about:
- Do you procrastinate? If so, you may not want to wait too long before you take the exam, as you will likely not fill those extra weeks with extra studying.
- Are you an anxious person when you have a test date looming? You also may want to take your exam sooner rather than later.
- Do you study best in a classroom setting or self-directed? If you prefer in-person learning, you need to schedule your test date around available in-person courses.
#3: Take a review course
Review courses are one of the best ways to guarantee you will pass the exam. Why? Because most CCRN instructors are up-to-date on what you actually need to know to pass the exam. After all, it is their job to ensure you are well-prepared not only for test day but for the demands of a CCRN nurse after obtaining certification.
Here are a few different ways you can go about preparing for your exam.
In-person review course
If you are thinking about an in-person CCRN course, you will need to search for one ASAP. In-person learning can be helpful if you need to force yourself to set time aside to study to pass CCRN or if you thrive in a classroom setting. Yet, it requires quite a bit of preparation in that you need to schedule time off work and figure out other things like childcare. Furthermore, most in-person CCRN courses are dispersed sporadically across the U.S. and are usually located in larger cities. There is potential you will need to travel.
Online review course
Online courses are a great option for meeting you where you are at and, in many cases, letting you work at your own pace. Like an in-person course, you will want to pick an online CCRN review course as soon as possible so you can get started. Some online courses are rigid in their scheduling, where you need to attend classes virtually whereas others allow you to study and work at your own pace. Flexibility is necessary for most nurses, so that is likely something you will want to consider when choosing an online course.
Create your own study plan.
If you are motivated and can stick to a schedule you create, you may do very well with this option. Usually, people who make their own study plan need a CCRN review book to guide their studying. However, one of the drawbacks of setting out on your own is that you will not have access to extra guidance from a CCRN instructor, nor will you have as many CCRN practice questions at your disposal.
Why Critical Care Academy will help you pass
Let’s not beat around the bush: Critical Care Academy is one of the best CCRN review courses out there. Why? Because we make it our business to ensure you pass CCRN your first time. Passing your exam means that you don’t have to waste more time or money preparing to take the exam a second time, and it also means you can get back to saving lives. After all, our mission is to save 1 million lives by helping 100,000 nurses achieve certification.
Real critical care nurses deliver the information you need to know in easy-to-digest video modules, coupled with numerous practice questions, quizzes, and an actual practice exam. You can study at your own pace and while you are on the go with our mobile-friendly platform. Furthermore, you have access to our instructors and discussion groups with other nurses preparing for the exam across the country.
Critical Care Academy will help you pass
the first time you sit for your CCRN exam – guaranteed.