Are you writing the upcoming June 2012 CRNE? Here are some tips to help you out:
1. Always remember to utilize the nursing process when you are thinking through questions:
Assessment, Planning, Implementation/Intervention, Evaluation
For example, before administering pain medication the nurse would have to assess the patient thoroughly using: PQRST, COLDSPA or OLDCARTS. This is vital for the nurse in developing an appropriate plan. What the nurse is going to plan will be dependent on many factors such as the location of the pain. Is it cardiac in nature? Or, is is it arthritic pain they have been experiencing for the last 10 year in their knees?
2. Simulate exam conditions. We recommend students find a practice exam and sit down for 4 hours, with no interruptions (i.e. no FB, texting or phone calls) to mimic exam conditions as much as possible. If you're looking for a mock CRNE, try PRIMED's 200 question mock CRNE. You can purchase at www.primededucation.ca then click on the Quizzes tab.
3. Make sure you feel comfortable with common clinical conditions that you spend a fair amount of time learning about in nursing school such as: Heart Failure, Hypertension, Myocardial Infraction, Diabetes, Care of Post operative patients and palliative patients. Diabetes, Lung cancer, asthma, COPD etc.
Good luck!!
PRIMED
