I’ve received a couple of requests asking what references I used in preparing for the CNN exam (Certication of Nephrology Nurse) and I’ve only used one, an epub or if downloaded to your phone will go straight to your book reader apps or as popularly called epub reader, Review of Hemodialysis for Nurses and Dialysis Personnel.

You can download it here. You’ll be directed to a google drive where the epub file is saved. You download it using your phone so you won’t be having any difficulty transferring. It can’t be read in your laptop or computer nor a word app in your phone. You need to have an epub reader first to be able to open the file.

Supporting References

Other than the Review of Hemodialysis for Nurses and Dialysis Personnel, I also used my GNTC manual, some practice exams from Nurseslabs.com and also taking notes during the seminar prior the exam. I also did some readings about peritoneal dialysis and acute kidney disease.

Topics I can remember from CNN Exam

What most nurses who have taken the exam always recommend us to read is Peritoneal Dialysis. They say, this is the favorite topic of RENAP. This topic was included in my training but since it’s not something that would be part of my job as a dialysis nurse, I did not really focus on, however. It’s something doable since it’s purely objective as I could remember. The dwell etc topic.

For the acute kidney disease, familiarize the different stages. Luckily, I took practice exams from Nurseslabs prior the exam and I could tell that some questions were gotten there especially on the AKI topic. The stage where the patient urinates more etc.

The Review of Hemodialysis for Nurses and Dialysis Personnel reference covers all topics so it might be a bit overwhelming to study everything. Just don’t disregard the water treatment topic. The different chemicals or substances filtered in every tank/phase of Reverse Osmosis is also one of their favorites. The carbon, magnesium etc.

For the GNTC manual, I could remember the contents of bicarbonate that has the 1.something value.

Lastly, if there is a seminar prior the exam, expect that a few questions will be taken from the topics so make sure to take notes and listen to the speaker.

CNN Exam experience

In case you asked, I took the CNN exam twice so I pretty had an idea of what most topics included in the exam and yes, some same questions were still included which might be the reason, I passed. My co-worker even topped the exam, Top 1.

During the first exam, a lot of us in the HDU took the exam and only one passed who was among the top takers, the fifth I guess and we were in the same table. Back then, we were laughing since she could not here what our coworker was coaching her but she topped it instead.haha Just like the old school exam days.

The second exam, on the other hand, only the two of us took it and damn, all of our co-workmates were jealous because we finally passed it. Some of them by the way, already took it twice and still hadn’t had the chance. Also, it was a Sunday after our hospital’s Christmas party and I went home in the morning 2 hours prior the seminar. I almost did not take it because I was too sleepy to move but thanks to my Top 1 co-workmate, he annoyingly persuaded me. I was not able to catch up the seminar but at least I was able to get a certificate which was of good use during the application of CNN ID.haha

There you go! Hope this helps! You can download the Review of Hemodialysis for Nurses and Dialysis Personnel here.

For the CNN ID application, check it out here!

God bless on your exam!