CCHT

CCHT Study Guide - Why You Need One

If you are planning to take the CCHT test, you should give serious consideration to purchasing a study guide before attempting to take the exam. If you are serious about becoming a Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician (CCHT), then the small investment in a good study guide can be one of the best purchases you will ever make in your life, paying dividends that greatly outweigh the cost. It is not easy to pass the CCHT exam, and you will want to give yourself every advantage possible. After paying your $195 testing fee, you want to be absolutely certain you are going to pass the exam when you sit down to take it.

Do not make the mistake of thinking that because you have been working as a hemodialysis tech that you will be able to ace the test. Experience is great-in fact it is a requirement-but experience alone will not enable you to pass the CCHT exam. Every year, countless hemodialysis techs who have months of experience take the test and are extremely shocked afterwards to find out that they failed. Every single one of them planned to pass the test, thinking he or she knew everything necessary to get a passing score. Not a single one of them expected to fail the test. Unfortunately, this sad story is repeated countless times all over the United States.

That is because there is a lot more to the CCHT exam than just the practical, everyday knowledge a hemodialysis tech uses on the job. In order to do well on the test, you will need to know what the right thing to do is in a particular situation, and you will also be expected to know and be familiar with why a particular action is right or wrong in a certain situation. In other words, you will need to be familiar with theory, not just practice, and you will also need to brush up on many technical terms that you probably do not encounter on a regular basis on the job. On top of all this, there is also the fact that most people encounter what are known as test day jitters. They become nervous and worry about failing, which makes it even more difficult to pass. By getting (and using) a good study guide for the CCHT exam, you will have the theoretical and technical knowledge you need to pass the test, and you will be a lot less likely to suffer from test day anxiety.

CCHT Exam - What You Need To Know

The CCHT exam is now a requirement for anyone who wants to work as a clinical hemodialysis technician. Until April 2010, CCHT certification was optional for many employers, and many techs worked in the field despite not being certified. This is no longer an option, except during an initial training period, due to government regulations. From now on, anyone seeking a career as a clinical hemodialysis tech must be certified in order to work in the field on a long term basis. (This includes those hemodialysis techs who work only on equipment, too.) Failure to pass the certification exam can mean being out of a job. It is possible to retake the test, but this will mean waiting eight to ten weeks and paying an additional $195 to $245 in order to sit for the exam again.

What is the CCHT exam like? Well, first of all, it is a computer-based test. Unlike many tests that are given in schools and colleges, this one is not taken with pencil and paper. It is all done on computer at specified locations around the country. You will need to register at least ten weeks in advance; if you wait longer than that, you will have to pay an extra $50 late fee. In no case can you register less than eight weeks in advance. It is in your best interest to register as early as possible, as the test is not given all that often, and spaces are usually limited. In many cases, applications have to be turned away because the test center is full on the desired date.

The application form can be confusing, so if you have any questions at all, make sure you find out the correct answer before sending in your application. An incomplete or improper application cannot be accepted and will result in a long delay for taking your CCHT exam. The test will cover both theory and practical knowledge; you will need to have a firm grasp of both in order to achieve a passing grade. It is also highly recommended that you obtain a good study guide several weeks or months before taking the CCHT exam because the test is quite difficult. Around one in five people fail it on their first attempt.

CCRN Certification

To receive CCRN Certification you should review the practice exams and flashcards.

How to Pass the CCHT Test

The CCHT test, which must be passed in order for a person to qualify for the title of Certified Clinical Hemodialysis Technician, is given several times a year at over 250 testing locations across the country. It has now become a requirement for anyone working in the field to pass the test in order to remain employable. While some people may grumble that this is just more government intrusion and that it should not matter if a person can pass the test so long as they can do a good job, the fact remains that the CCHT is now a required test, and failing to pass it can lead to a person's no longer being able to work as a hemodialysis tech. Failure is not an option. Yes, if a person fails the CCHT test, he or she can apply to take it again, but he or she will have to wait eight to ten weeks and pay hundreds of dollars more in new test fees. Failing the test can be a crippling financial blow.

What is the secret to passing the CCHT test? Very simply, it is one word: Preparation. Being prepared means studying diligently and consistently study for the test, starting your studies well before the actual test date. This is especially important if a lot of time has passed since the applicant graduated from his or her training school or program. Many people are under the impression that they do not need to worry about all the principles and theory they learned in school because they are already working as hemodialysis techs five days a week and believe they know everything they need to know about the job. Because of their experience, they think the test will be a cinch. Many of these people get quite a shock when they fail the test because they did not brush up on the more theoretical concepts of hemodialysis practice. Twenty percent of the people who take the CCHT test fail it on their first attempt, and then must wait months and spend hundreds of more dollars to take it again. In most cases, this could have been avoided. The best way to prepare for the CCHT exam is to get a good study guide early and then set aside a couple of hours a night to study until one has completely mastered the material. Doing so will usually result in passing score; failing to do so is running the risk of not passing.