ONS Career Guide ONS CAREER GUIDE 2018.web | Page 4
Understand Your Personal Learning Needs—and Get the
Resources to Meet Them—to Attain Certification
O
Corporation (ONCC) test, is practicing
answering questions in a computer-based
format.
“We assume everyone’s taken a comput-
er-based test, but it can be kind of scary if
you haven’t,” she said.
ncology nurses can benefit from various
types of certifications for professional
development. Angie Caton, BSN, RN,
OCN®, CHPN, and Melody Ann Watral,
MSN, RN, CPNP-PC, CPON®, presented tools
on how to better prepare for certifications,
how to choose test preparation resources, and
ways to assess your personal learning needs.
Test Preparation Resources
What Are Your Learning Needs?
As a nurse who holds multiple certifica-
tions, Caton understands firsthand the
anxiety nurses face when preparing for a
test. However, she said that although the
certification process can be difficult, “if you
want to do something, don’t give up.”
First, Caton said, determine what your
specific learning needs are (e.g., what you
are good at, what you need improvement
on). The Oncology Nursing Certification
Corporation’s (ONCC) primary certification
renewal method is the Individual Learn-
ing Needs Assessment (ILNA) and helps
to identify a nurse’s knowledge strengths
and weaknesses. Based on the assessment
results, the nurse can complete professional
development activities to strengthen their
knowledge. In addition, completion of
these activities earns points for certification
renewal. For more information on ONCC’s
ILNA, visit www.oncc.org/ilna.
Caton added that you should also rein-
force your knowledge of treatment modali-
ties and generic names of medications.
“If you don’t know what MUGA stands
for, you’re in trouble!” Caton said.
The Practice Test
Practice tests are not the actual tests that
nurses will take, so memorizing questions
and answers won’t be helpful. However,
practice tests are beneficial to see the types
of questions asked and to understand the
test’s style.
"Don't read too much
into the question—
just read the facts.
There's one right
answer—the others
are wrong."
—Angie Caton, BSN, RN, OCN ® , CHPN
“The questions are not meant to trick
you,” Caton said. “Don’t read too much into
the question—just read the facts. There’s
one right answer—the others are wrong,”
she added.
Caton said that another advantage of
practice tests, in addition to becoming more
familiar with the type of items found on
an actual Oncology Nursing Certification
Visit the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation website at oncc.org for information on
certification options and tools. With ONCC, you can review certifications that are available, renew
certifications that you already have, find test centers, and numerous resources including approved
continuing education providers and review courses.
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ONS 2018–2019 CAREER GUIDE
“I’m all about test preparation resources,”
Watral said.
Each of the ONCC examinations has a
sample test reference list, but the lists are
not “all inclusive,” she explained. And try
not to overwhelm yourself with the resourc-
es available. Watral suggested picking one
or two references for an “overall review.”
Understanding your own specif-
ic knowledge gaps, especially by using
ONCC’s ILNA, can also be helpful to focus
on the information that you need the most
support for. ILNA renewal can even allow
you to earn points for certification renewal
by completing professional development
activities.
“If you work at a university, take advan-
tage of your library,” Watral added. “Focus
on areas you need to refine.” If you don’t
work at a university, you can work with
ONS’s librarian in order to get the informa-
tion you need.
Developing a study plan is also effective
for preparation, she added. Study groups
can help by giving you a setting to bounce
new ideas off each other. You can also de-
velop weekly or monthly schedules to cover
the test blueprint areas. Watral warned to
avoid cramming for tests, which is usually
not effective for knowledge retention and
can increase anxiety.
When trying to find review courses,
Watral suggested to look for courses that
are sponsored by ONS (www.ons.org/
education/certification) or the Association
of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses,
or courses that are employer sponsored. n
Caton, A., & Watral, M. (2018). Tools for preparing for certifi-
cation. Session presented at the ONS 43rd Annual Congress,
Washington, DC, May 17, 2018. Retrieved from https://ons.confex.
com/ons/2018/meetingapp.cgi/Session/1609