I just finished failing my CPNE. I have been an LPN for 15 years. I currently work in an acute care hospital. I have been working slowly twards my RN for many years now. I graduated from LPN school with honors and never had an issue with clinical while in school. Just felt that was necessary background. On the first day of my exam from hell, was the 4 labs. I passed the first 2 labs but then failed the second two. On the first failed lab I was packing a sterile dressing, after the dressing is complete they take off the outer dressing and examine the gauze you packed your wound with. The wound on this fake arm was very irregularly shaped and because the packing overlapped the edge by about 1mm, I failed. Next lab was IV push, because there was an alcohol wipe over where the name would have been on the MAR when I stated I would verify the patient's name and date of birth, I failed this lab. The next day was 2 patient care situations (PCS) and repeating failed labs. The first PCS I performed everything perfectly until it came time to do the eval. My rationalle for chosing my care plan was worded wrong-FAIL. Second PCS CE got pulse of 105, I got 115, so did the dinamap twice. The CA said I should have been concerned that this pulse was higher than the patient's baseline of 112. Second try on the wound lab, this time my gauze packing wasn't close enough to the edges of the wound-FAIL and out. Wasted $1900 for the CPNE, traveling expenses, cost of new uniform tops, and sneakers. It was a stressful, awful experience. I feel cheated. They are just looking for anything to fail you so they can charge you for the cost of the exam all over again. I don't know if I want to give them any more of my money. I even told the CA it was the worst experience of my life. The thing that really surprised me is that the examiners were very nice, but once she involved the CA in any way there was no chance of even the smallest thing being up for discussion. I don't recommend it.