AACN Certification and Core Review for High Acuity and Critical Care (Alspach, AACN Certification and Core Review for High Acuity and Critical Care)

Fabulous book to help you prepare for the CCRN exam. The questions are written by the same people who write the CCRN exam questions. I used this and an online program to prepare for my exam and passed on my first time. It is all questions though. It does have rationales for the answers though and I find that's the best way I learn for standardized tests. Highly recommend it!

Excellent review book. I strongly recommend people to study from the CD-ROM first because they go system via system and really study the rationales, then go over the book. The questions from this review book are way harder than the actual CCRN exam. I passed the test with ease. The review class is also good, but I feel it's not adequate to get you ready for the exam. So This book + the Review class= I'm sure you will pass!

I just took the CCRN exam and passed. I used three references: 1) Pass CCRN 2) this book and 3) Critical Care Nursing Certification. I would rank them in that order.This book is only questions, which many reviewers have already mentioned. It is a helpful learning resource. I really wanted/hoped for this to be the best study guide. I figured since AACN put this book out the questions would be similar to it on the exam. However, with my testing experience, I have to say that the question on the actual exam I took seem to be much more similar to the questions found on the Pass CCRN CD, rather than this one. That being said, I still appreciated this book as an alternative resource for learning.The CD is awesome. Its questions from the book and a few more. You can select either exam or study mode. In exam mode you have 150 questions with similar proportions to an actual exam. In study mode you can select any range of questions from 1-498 (the max amount available) in any category you want. So for example, if you struggle with pulmonary (like I did) you can study all 82 questions in just that category. As you answer each question in study mode you get instant feedback of "incorrect" or "correct." When you finally answer correct you get the rational of why. This really helped me in my learning of the critical care material.Overall, I highly recommend this book and enjoyed studying with it!

I just passed the CCRN. I used only this book and cd took a review course (2 day course) and listened to a review course on cd in my car 1 hour a day just before i took the exam. I studied at the library buy 1.taking 1 of 3 exams a day in the book then 2 correcting it and reading all the rationales for all the questions in the exam I mean all of them.Then retake the exam usually I get 95% after correcting and rationale reading now try to do this in a 2-4hr period for each exam in the book. Then look at questions in the cd lots are the same just repeating the same question but thats ok you are learning and biulding your knowledge always read the rationales as much as you can . Take the exam on the CD and read the rationales after taking the exam. I say I put in a good 16-20 hrs total in a 2 week period at the library with this book. I got a 83% on the ccrn exam. I have seen other books and questions are way to out there and rationales are worse you are wasting your time.This is the book you need. Good Luck

Wow! It's over. I took the CCRN on November 26 of 2014 and I missed it by 2 points. I figured since I missed it by two points, let me try again in two weeks. Two weeks later I missed it by 5 points. I was so disappointed in myself. I purchased this book and the Pass CCRN questions and I became consume with this exam. On Monday January 12, 2015, I finally pass this exam. The first couple of time, I wasn't prepared but I was trying to beat a deadline for grad school and my Dad was ill and passed away. But within four weeks of hardcore studying, I got it done. The book helped me to understand how the people who write these questions are thinking. It's critical thinking but the questions on this book were a bit harder. If you are preparing to take the exam, give yourself 3 months to really dedicate the time to understanding what we do at the bedside as critical care nurses. Best wishes.

I just passed the CCRN with 113 correct answers. I took a 2 day CCRN course with Laura Gasparis Vonfrolio before I started looking at these questions. In retrospect, I would use the CD that accompanies the book only (don't buy the kindle version as you probably won't get the CD with it - not sure but that is just my best guess) - you can test your knowledge in the study mode and by system review so you can see where you are weak. The questions on the CD are repeated from the book plus some extra questions. To help me get a greater understanding of the content where I was weak, I suggest "Critical Care Nursing Certification" by Thomas Ahrens, Donna Prentics and Ruth Kleinpell. Again, buy the book and not the kindle (with that book I didn't get a CD that comes with the book). Keep in mind, I was getting 61% consistently on the practice tests so if that is happening to you, don't worry, just keep praciticing.

When I bought this book, I did not realize that it was only a book comprised of 3 practice tests. I feel as though the title (core review) threw me off. In addition, it has a CD with all of the same questions and if you don't have a CD-ROM you can call the AACN hotline for an online versions. I had to call the AACN hotline because I do not have a CD-ROM on my Mac; that all went well. I mostly like how the format is set up on Evolve, but I find that I get many of the questions wrong only to find out that when I read the rationale my answer was actually correct. It's really frustrating when I am studying for this expensive test and I cannot trust the AACN itself to provide an accurate product. Otherwise, the questions and rationales are very helpful. You will likely need supplemental information and not only this book for study material.

I am an 11 year experienced CVICU nurse and by using this book's CD that it comes with, I passed! Practiced questions from it for 4 days and passed! This was the best tool! It has the rationales underneath the questions AFTER you pick your answer in study mode. Take notes on the 500 questions and rationales and you will pass! Questions on CD are exactly like the actual exam. Good luck! :)

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