Preparation Tips for the Adult CCRN® Exam

As you’re getting ready to take the Adult CCRN® certification exam, how can you keep yourself cool, calm, and collected? Let’s take a look at some helpful preparation tips for the Adult CCRN exam you can follow in order to make the grade!

 

• Be positive! Avoid any negative thoughts about passing the examination, as these can morph into a self-fulfilling prophecy.


• Set the test date, then establish a realistic schedule for preparing for the examination.


• Set your priorities, studying those areas you are less familiar with first.


• Look at the percentage of each body system and establish timelines based on the largest to smallest percentage.


• Know how you study best—either by yourself or in study groups—and study in a manner that works for you.


• Utilize the flash cards, practice questions, review courses, and study books (in outline and narrative format) that are available for studying.


• Practice your test questions within a set time limit to familiarize yourself with the time limitations. Allow 2 minutes or less per question (remember the 50-questions-per-hour rule!).


• When using the CCRN practice test questions to study, determine several things when the answers and rationale are being reviewed. Analyze why you missed the question: Did you simply not know the content? Go back and restudy this section. Did you misread the question? Did you misread the answers? Did you miss an important element in the question or scenario? Was there a clue based on age, timeline, or symptoms?


• Study those areas that you are least comfortable with or those that are not in your specialty area. As adult learners, we tend to want to read and study what we like or what we can use on a daily basis. For this examination, don’t spend as much time in your area of specialty—you already know it! Instead, focus on other areas you’re not familiar with in your clinical practice.

 

On the Day of the Test…

• Before the exam, be sure to eat a healthy meal and limit the amount of liquids you consume to avoid the need for breaks during the exam. Remember, restroom breaks are allowed, but the testing time doesn’t stop!


• Do not try to cram immediately before the test—this can increase your anxiety. After the exam, make plans to do something special for yourself!


• Know where you must go for the test before the actual day of the test and also know how long it will take you to get there by the appointed time. Running late and feeling hurried will increase your anxiety and can negatively affect your test-taking skills. Remember that if you’re more than 15 minutes late, you won’t be allowed to take the examination.


• Bring your letter of approval and two forms of identification (one photo ID). You cannot bring any personal items into the testing room, so leave everything in the car or at home. A locker is usually provided for you to put your personal items in.


• You’re allowed to do a tutorial on the computer before you start your exam if you need some assistance with CBT (computer-based testing). The test time begins as soon as you start the first question of the actual exam.


• Leaving the testing site without authorization results in an automatic voiding of the test.


• You will be allotted 3 hours from the time the test is started to complete it.


• Results of the examination will be presented onsite at the completion of your exam, following a test evaluation.

 

Resources:

Menzies Kent, K. (2014). Adult CCRN® Certification Review. New York: Springer Publishing.

 

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