CRNI study plan
CRNI · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Vascular Access Device Selection, Insertion, and Care
Classify peripheral and central vascular access devices (peripheral IV, midline, PICC, non-tunneled CVC, tunneled CVC, implanted port) by tip location, dwell time, and infusion type supported.
Match at least 10 written clinical scenarios (vesicant therapy, prolonged antibiotics, limited peripheral access, hemodynamic monitoring, short-term emergent access) to the most appropriate device and justify the choice.
Sequence the insertion bundle steps for a CVAD, including site assessment, maximal sterile barrier precautions, and tip location confirmation methods.
Demonstrate a simulated CVAD dressing change and catheter stabilization using aseptic non-touch technique while verbalizing each infection-prevention step.
Your checkpoint
A one-page device-selection decision tree covering 6 patient scenarios plus a scored 40-item self-quiz on VAD selection and care at 85% or higher.
Vascular Access Device Selection, Insertion, and Care & Administration of Infusion Therapies
Construct a flush-and-lock reference card for 5 catheter types specifying syringe size, flush volume, technique (pulsatile vs. push-pause), and lock solution frequency per current standards.
Perform blood sampling and patency assessment from a CVAD in skills lab or simulation, documenting the discard volume and aseptic technique used.
Compare continuous, intermittent, and IV push administration methods, listing the equipment, tubing, and pump-programming checks required for each.
Verify pump programming and independent double-check requirements for a set of 8 high-alert infusions.
Your checkpoint
Completed skills checklist of 15 hands-on administration and catheter-care steps, signed off by a preceptor or self-scored against a written rubric with all critical steps met.
Administration of Infusion Therapies
Differentiate vesicant, irritant, and non-vesicant medications and determine which require central access versus which may be given peripherally.
Apply safe administration practices for vesicant infusions, including line patency confirmation, blood return assessment, and monitoring intervals.
Calculate infusion rates, drip rates, and volumes for 20 mixed-order problems, showing the formula used for each.
Sort a list of 12 drug pairs into compatible and incompatible categories using a compatibility reference and state the required line management for each incompatible pair.
Your checkpoint
A 20-item dose and rate calculation set scored at 90% or higher plus a one-page vesicant administration safety checklist ready for use at the bedside.
Complications and Interventions
Distinguish infiltration from extravasation and select the correct immediate interventions, including aspiration, antidote, and cold versus warm compress.
Categorize catheter occlusion as mechanical, thrombotic, or precipitate-based and select the appropriate clearing agent and technique for each.
Prioritize nursing actions for suspected catheter-related bloodstream infection, catheter-related thrombosis, and air embolism using a rapid-recognition format.
Differentiate speed shock, fluid overload, and hypersensitivity reactions by onset, signs, and first-line interventions.
Your checkpoint
A 25-case complication drill scored at 80% or higher, accompanied by an extravasation kit inventory list with correct antidote and compress pairings for at least 6 vesicant drugs.
Assessment, Planning, and Patient Education & Infection Prevention, Safety, and Risk Management
Perform a structured peripheral and central site assessment using a phlebitis scale and document findings in a standardized format.
Write plain-language patient education for a patient going home on IV antibiotics, covering line care, bathing, signs to report, and when to call.
Assemble the bundle elements that prevent central line-associated bloodstream infection and explain the evidence behind each element.
Apply safe-handling requirements for hazardous drugs, including closed system transfer devices, personal protective equipment, and spill response steps.
Your checkpoint
A teach-back education handout for a home infusion patient plus a 20-item infection prevention and safety quiz scored at 85% or higher.
Transfusion Therapy and Blood Component Administration & Infection Prevention, Safety, and Risk Management
Match blood components (packed red cells, platelets, plasma, cryoprecipitate) to their indications, expected volumes, and typical infusion rates.
Sequence pretransfusion steps including type and screen, crossmatch, consent, and two-person bedside verification.
Select the correct filter, tubing, and compatibility solution for each blood component and state maximum hang times.
Recognize and respond to acute hemolytic, febrile non-hemolytic, allergic, TRALI, and TACO reactions, listing the first three actions for each.
Identify system-level risk-reduction practices such as transfusion reaction reporting and hemovigilance documentation.
Your checkpoint
A 15-scenario transfusion reaction recognition and response drill scored at 90% or higher plus a completed bedside transfusion administration checklist.
Parenteral Nutrition & Pharmacology, Fluid and Electrolyte Therapy, and Dose Calculations
Break down parenteral nutrition components (dextrose, amino acids, lipid emulsion, electrolytes, vitamins, trace elements) and calculate calories and grams provided by a sample order.
Determine whether a given PN formulation is appropriate for peripheral versus central administration based on osmolarity and final concentration.
Identify monitoring parameters and early signs of refeeding syndrome, hyperglycemia, and essential fatty acid deficiency in a patient receiving PN.
Apply hang time, filter, and administration-set requirements for 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 PN formulations.
Solve 15 pharmacology and electrolyte calculation problems, including mEq conversions and unit-per-hour rates.
Your checkpoint
A PN monitoring and hang-time reference table for central and peripheral formulations plus a 15-item calculation set scored at 90% or higher.
Psychosocial Support and Care Coordination & Professional Practice, Standards, Quality, and Evidence-Based Practice
Apply communication strategies for patients with needle anxiety, body image concerns related to a visible catheter, or difficulty adhering to a home infusion schedule.
Explain informed consent, patient rights, and the infusion nurse's role in care coordination and handoff across settings.
Apply professional standards and evidence-based practice principles to scenario questions on scope of practice, documentation, and quality improvement.
Analyze personal practice exam results to rank the three weakest domains and assign a remediation activity to each.
Your checkpoint
A full-length 150-question practice exam scored at 80% or higher plus a written two-page remediation plan naming three weak domains and the specific action planned for each.
Milestones
Week 2: Demonstrate all 15 catheter care and administration skills on the checklist with zero missed critical safety steps before moving to vesicant and complication content.
Week 4: Score 75% or higher on a 75-question cumulative practice exam covering Domains 1 through 4, with an error log that tags every missed item by domain and topic.
Week 6: Verify that every domain has at least one completed deliverable, and confirm the two lowest-scoring domains from the error log are scheduled for weeks 7 and 8.
Week 8: Score 80% or higher on the 150-question full-length practice exam and confirm no single domain falls below 70% in the score breakdown.