Because the PCCN (progressive care) is a relatively new specialty
nursing certification, specifically branded exam study resources are still being
developed. However, a number of resources already exist to help candidates prepare
for the exam.
One of the most important study tools is the
PCCN Test Plan in the
Certification Exam Handbook. As a detailed
content outline of the topics that will be tested, this test plan will help guide
your study. (The Certification Exam Handbook is available at www.certcorp.org; click
on link of left side of page). The topical areas of the Test Plan (aka: blueprint) are weighted,
so the best return for your study time is to concentrate on the most heavily weighted
areas, such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, caring practices and ethical behavior.
Although the other clinical judgment areas are also important, the number of questions
related to these topics is relatively small.
Make sure you can identify signs and symptoms of the patient
problems, anticipated lab values for various problems, pharmacology-anticipated
drugs, anticipated procedures, and nursing interventions for each of the topics
on the blueprint. Like the CCRN exam, the PCCN exam includes a core of items dealing
with the Caring Practices and Ethical Behavior components of the AACN Synergy Model
for Patient Care. A number of resources related to the Synergy Model are available
on the AACN Certification Corporation Web site at
www.certcorp.org.
An online
PCCN Self Assessment Exam (SAE)
is also available to give you practice with items actually developed by the PCCN
item writers as well as the rationale for each right and wrong answer. The items
on the PCCN SAE are in the same proportion as on the PCCN exam. Once you 'finish"
the practice exam, you will receive a score report similar to the one you'll receive
after taking the real exam. This will help you determine the content areas that
need further study. Although you cannot take the SAE more than once, you have access
to it for 90 days and can use it for study prior to answering each question. Once
you select an answer it cannot be changed, but you can immediately review whether
it was the correct selection and view the rationales for each potential response.
The fee to take this 50-item online practice exam is $45.
PCCN Review Courses being offered
around the country are listed on the Web site. Click
here
for a listing of review courses by state.
PCCN Review Products
PCCN Review Course on Audio CD
This comprehensive review program was produced from the 2005
NTI preconference and is based on the PCCN Test Plan. Experts present an overview
of cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hematology/immunology, multisystem,
neurologic, pulmonary and renal topics, as well as share test-taking strategies.
The Synergy Model is included in the content. An excellent review course for progressive
care nurses preparing for the PCCN exam. Includes Audio CD, substantial study guide
and 16 hours of continuing education credit. A free CD-ROM program entitled, "Synergizing
Your Progressive Care Environment" is also included! Available by calling (800)
899-2226 and requesting product #300901 - $109 (member); $135 (nonmember), plus
shipping and handling. Or purchase online!
Click here to go to AACN's Online Bookstore.
PCCN Review Course on DVD
This comprehensive review program was produced from the 2007
NTI preconference and is based on the PCCN blueprint. Experts present an overview
of cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hematology/immunology, multisystem,
neurologic, pulmonary and renal topics, as well as share test-taking strategies.
The Synergy Model is included in the content. An excellent review course for progressive
care nurses preparing for the PCCN exam. Includes DVD, substantial study guide and
16 hours of continuing education credit. A free CD-ROM program entitled, "Synergizing
Your Progressive Care Environment" is also included! Available by calling (800)
899-2226 and requesting product #300900 - $200 (member); $275 (nonmember), plus
shipping and handling. Or purchase online!
Click here to go to AACN's Online Bookstore.
PCCN Review Course on CD-ROM
This comprehensive review program on CD-ROM was produced from
the 2005 NTI preconference and is based on the PCCN blueprint. Experts present an
overview of cardiovascular, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hematology/immunology,
multisystem, neurologic, pulmonary and renal topics, as well as share test-taking
strategies. The Synergy Model is included in the content. An excellent review course
for progressive care nurses preparing for the PCCN exam. Includes substantial study
guide and 16 hours of continuing education credit. Available by calling (800) 899-2226
and requesting product #300902 - $179 (member); $199 (nonmember), plus shipping
and handling. Or purchase online!
Click here to go to AACN's Online Bookstore.
CCRN Study Resources may also
be helpful, because some of the skills, knowledge, and abilities of PCCNs and CCRNs
overlap. One day patients may be in the ICU and the next in progressive care. Many
successful PCCNs have used some of the CCRN review material, but keep in mind that
the progression of the patient's status is different, and the PCCN exam is weighted
more heavily in cardiovascular areas than the CCRN exam. Also, hemodynamic monitoring
and ventilator management is not part of the PCCN Test Plan.
Another source of information in the
Certification Exam Handbook
is the
PCCN Study Bibliography, a list of books the
PCCN Item Writers used to validate the correct answers to the items presented. So,
if you find during your in-depth study of the PCCN Test Plan that you need more information
on lab values or pharmacology related to a specific condition, you may want to refer
to one of the resources listed in the Study Bibliography. All are nursing texts
published within the last 5 years. This may be especially useful when working with
a study group where you can pool your resources.
The Progressive Care/Telemetry area under Marketplace on the
AACN Web site
contains 5 pages of AACN products determined to have relevance for progressive care
nurses. Based on your assessment of what you need to study using the PCCN Test Plan or the SAE, you may find products to help meet your specific learning need.
Remember, the PCCN exam is oriented more to application and
analysis than recall, so you may be asked to apply the information given to the
patient situation. For example: Here are the patient symptoms, lab values, etc...
what would you anticipate? What would you do? Any practice in which you apply information
to patient situations will be helpful, such as attending or presenting patient case
studies or joining patient rounds related to the patient problems found on the PCCN Test Plan.
Thank you for your interest in becoming certified as a progressive
care nurse. We continue to work on resources for study and development in progressive
care nursing.