How I Passed the CCM Exam While Working Full Time and Living My Life 

Photo by MChe Lee on Unsplash

I am so ecstatic to let you all know that after many hours spent studying and worrying about this test, I have passed the CCM Exam for Case Management. I won’t gloss over the amount of time I spent studying or say it was easy but it is a very passable test if you use your time wisely and follow the steps to success that are laid out for you to utilize. Below are the strategies I used to get myself through this test while working full time, raising 2 partially domesticated littles, and trying to maintain a social life: 

1. CCM Certification Made Easy by Deanna Cooper Gillingham. PLEASE NOTE that there is a new exam format for August 2025, so it is important to ensure you buy the 4^th edition that will soon be available, rather than the 3^rd edition I used (unless otherwise noted by Deanna Cooper Gillingham). I can’t speak to the differences to the exam I took/ study book I used and the August 2025 versions but I can assure you that this book concisely and thoroughly covered probably 90-95% of all questions asked on the exam. I highly recommend studying each of the domains multiple times and highlighting unfamiliar concepts so that as you progress in your studying, you can just focus on the unknown pieces. You know more than you think you do. I’ve been a Case Manager for 20 months and that experience gave me lots of information to pull from during the exam. This book is extremely helpful for the domains I was not as familiar with. There are practice questions in each domain as well as a full length study guide at the end of the book. I did the practice questions every time I reviewed the domain section and completed the practice exam 2-3 times. I’d recommend sitting for this practice exam in one session so you can get a feel for the length of the test as well as strategies to keep you focused. For those of us who are neurospicy, it absolutely helps to practice expectations for keeping the brain engaged to ensure a thorough understanding of each question and probably answer. 

2. Mometrix Practice Questions- this was a free resource that I was able to get by providing my email. There are only 50 questions but I wanted to make sure I was practicing from a bank of options so that I didn’t get a false sense of security by repeating the same kinds of questions over and over. These questions had a nice rationale which helped to reinforce shaky concepts. 

3. CCM Glossary of terms. While it was pretty meaningless the first run through with all of the very similar acronyms, I reviewed it periodically throughout my study period and with time and a firm grasp on my domains, the information was more useful and it was easier to identify what I didn’t know. 

4. CCM Study Guide- I would recommend setting aside 8 weeks to study, just to give yourself time to work through each domain several times, use the extra resources that are available to you, and tackle the challenges you’ll invariably find along the way. I procrastinated for 2 out of my 8 weeks and had to spend the next 6 weeks cramming a little more than I’d like but I have seen people say they spent 3-4 hours nightly to study… this is excessive. I think 45 minutes to 1.5 hours is plenty per session, 4-6 days a week till exam time. 

5. CCM study group on Facebook- This is a bit of a double-edged sword and I think the value it holds depends on the reader. On the upshot, there were lots of powerpoints that had the same information in the book but with practice questions and in bullet form. I appreciated the study questions. There is also a video on deconstructing the question, which had some helpful tips for the test taker. They also have video presentations of the powerpoints for those who are audio learners. The challenge is filtering out the negative noise. There are lots of people posting who share their successes with the test, and some who haven’t passed but are seeking advice and encouragement. That was a wonderful way to create community and support others who are in the same boat as you. The less helpful posts are those that advise the test is impossible to pass, all resources were utilized, the questions were nothing like any previously used resources, and good luck to everyone because it was going to be a painful process destined for failure. Seeing post after post like this started to make me nervous about the difficulty level and my preparedness to tackle the test. I can confidently say that if you study the guide, practice the questions, and look at the glossary of terms, that will get you almost to the finish line. The rest is just confidence and shaking off the nerves.  

What I didn’t use:  

1. CCM’s quiz app- I am not opposed to using this but when I tried to find the app in the app store, my phone was apparently too new to download this version of the app so it wasn’t available to me. There were MANY other paid apps with practice questions but I was overwhelmed by which was the correct app to download, the quality of the questions within the app, and yet another cost associated with this already costly exam.  

2. CCM preparation courses- I don’t think there is anything wrong with using one of these, I just didn’t have any extra money laying around after forking over the $420 for the exam fee and $65 for the CCM Made Easy book. I figured if my brain can’t carry me with the tools I have and $485, I don’t think a course will make the difference.  

3. Any paid practice exams. I can’t justify paying another $80 bucks to practice the exam when there are roughly 200 practice questions at my fingertips plus any of the scattered questions in the Facebook study group PowerPoints. 

Other Tips for Succes:

1. Make time for fun- Leave at least one day for you to enjoy hobbies and family time guilt free. Studying can easily consume the free time not already claimed by your job. Please swing with those kids outside or take your partner on a date. Throw the ball for your pooch and let loose a little. The test prep will be there when you get back.
2. Visualize Your Success- I am not into the Secret or the Power of Manifestation but I do believe that our brains shape our realities. If you believe you can, your grit will push you to do all of the things necessary to succeed, even if they are a pain in the tuchus. If you believe you won’t, you’ve already set yourself up for failure. All efforts you put in will be tinged with doubt and any minor hiccup you experience will further convince you of your shortcomings and imminent failure. Don’t do that. Prepare, prepare, and even overprepare. Then let go and trust that things will work out. And if they don’t this time, they will next time.
3. Before the test- make sure you get some sleep. If you are an anxious non sleeper like me, I did chamomile tea, a nice workout, and an early bedtime. It didn’t matter two poops because I still woke up way too early. But I was able to get to my testing center with time to spare and mentally prepare myself for success.
4. Music- I listened to music that made me feel happy, confident, strong, and excited. I listened to some music I hadn’t listened to since High School which brought back that lighthearted happy-go-lucky feeling of having very little responsibility and endless possibilities.
5. The REWARD- I treated myself to my favorite restaurant and had my favorite meal followed by my all time favorite dessert. I then came home and binge watched my current favorite show. I don’t do this often because I don’t have the time. This was treat for myself before the rest of the family got home and life carried on as usual. The opportunity to slow down and rest was lovely.

I can’t guarantee anyone success but if you use the resources that have carried countless of other nurses through this exam, budget time to prepare for the exam, and calm your nerves the day of, I think you will find a high chance of success. Best of luck to you and feel free to share what has worked for you to pass the CCM Exam.  

Photo by Mometrix Test Prep on Unsplash

Disclaimer: Advice provided on this blog is my personal opinion and should not be used as medical, legal, professional, or financial advice. It is always recommended to consult your care provider prior to modifying your diet or physical activity routine. For individual-specific finance/legal questions, consult your financial professional or attorney.