Congratulations! The commitment to pursue certification reflects professionalism and a desire to demonstrate that you have obtained the knowledge required to be a skilled and competent medical-surgical nurse. This book is a good step toward that process. Medical-Surgical Certificiation Examination: Pearls of Wisdom has been designed to help you improve your performance on the Certified Medical-Surgical Nurse examination as well as help you identify some weak areas in your nursing knowledge. The format of this book is different than most of the common preparation review books in that you are not asked to select the best answer. Instead, the answer is provided for you. This method of exam review will give you the basic concepts necessary for passing the medical-surgical examination. Now a few words about the exam and its format, the intent of this book, and how this book is best utilized.
To be eligible for the medical-surgical examination, you must have a current registered nursing license without restrictions, suspension, probation, or any order arising from a nursing license authority that limits a nurse’s ability to function in a hospital setting and perform those tasks normally associated with hospital nursing practice. If there is a current stipulation or action against a candidate’s nursing license, but the candidate is permitted to perform all nursing functions, the candidate may be eligible to take the exam. Along with the above, you must have 2 years’ experience in nursing practice and be a current member of the Medical-Surgical Nursing Association.
The format of the exam and its administration has changed during the past few years. It is now a computerized adaptive test (CAT), which means that the exam is adapted to your knowledge, skill, and ability level. You will take the exam alone at a computer station at an approved testing site. Each person’s exam is unique in that the computer selects the questions based on your previous answer. For example, the computer will begin with an easy question. If you answer correctly, a question of greater or equal difficulty will be selected next. As you progress through the exam, the computer automatically calculates your skill level in each area of nursing knowledge. For those with “computer phobia,” there is no need to worry. All keys on the keyboard will be inactive except for the space bar and the return key. They will be the only keys used. Practice questions will be given before the exam begins to acclimate you to the computer. However, during the exam, you will not be able to change an answer, skip questions, or return to a previous question.The test ends when one of these three variables has been fulfilled:
- (1) the computer has determined that you are within the minimum competency level to pass,
- (2) you have answered 150 questions, or
- (3) you have reached the maximum time of 3 hours to complete the exam.
A minimum of 100 questions must be answered before the computer will determine your competency level and there is no minimum time limit per question. Once the exam is completed, you will receive a pass/fail notification, but no numerical score will be assigned.The exam covers the following practice areas:
- Cardiovascular
- Gastrointestional
- Reproductive
- Genitourinary and gynecologic
- Eye, ears, nose, throat
- Neurologic
- Musculoskeletal, orthopedic, and trauma
- Wounds
- Infectious disease and immunology
- Respiratory
- Shock and resucitation
- Skin disorders
- Endocrine
- Patient care management
- Patient education
- Foundations of nursing
- Legal and ethical nursing
- Principles of medical-surgical nursing
- Disruptions in homeostasis
So, how can this book help you prepare for this exam? Medical-Surgical Nursing Certifiication Examination is intended to serve as a study aid to improve performance on the exam. To achieve this goal, the text is divided into the major areas of emergency nursing study outlined above. Incorporated into these areas are the aspects that are covered on the Medical-Surgical exam. The questions are written in a straight-forward question/answer format and no intention has been made to mislead or “trick” the candidate.
The answer provided will be the best possible answer for that question. Unlike the Medical-Surgical exam, in which the answers given to a question may describe four different situations and you are to pick the best, this book looks at the underlying theory or idea behind the answer. For example, if a question is asked to determine the candidate’s knowledge of the ABC’s of resuscitation, the Medical-Surgical exam will list four actions that could be undertaken, all of which would be appropriate within the care of an unconscious patient. However, in determining which action should be taken first, the candidate should understand the principles of the ABCs of resuscitation and choose an answer related to determining and maintaining the airway. It is our intent that if the candidate understands the premise behind the answer, any list of situations can be asked, but the candidate will understand which situation is in line with the correct nursing theory. Therefore, this book should be an invaluable aid in determining your basic knowledge of nursing theories and medical facts.
In order to use this book to the fullest potential, the candidate should go through each question using a 3 × 5 card to cover the answer first in order to test his/her own knowledge. If upon reading the answer you do not understand the premise behind the answer, LOOK IT UP! Information that you will learn in response to seeking the answer will be more effectively retained than merely memorizing the correct answer without understanding the rationale behind it. A hollow bullet has been provided for your convenience to check off previously missed or answered questions, whichever is your preference.
Medical-Surgical Nursing Certification Examination is an interactive book designed to be used many times over. Test your knowledge by going through the book more that once and learn from your mistakes. Using this book in a group setting may also be helpful. Each individual in the group could determine their answer and then as a group compare. If there are discrepancies, look up the answer and determine why the answer is correct or incorrect.
Book Details
- Paperback: 250 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (May 18, 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0071470409
- ISBN-13: 978-0071470407
- Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 0.5 inches