FAQ

Overview

• You paid for your course in full at the time of enrollment.
• There are no automatic renewals, so there is no reason for your account to be placed on hold.

• All course subscriptions that last longer than 1 year are paid in yearly installments.
• You pay for part of the course when you enroll and then pay the remaining balance at 12-month intervals until you pay the total course cost.
• The $50 charge is NOT an “extra” charge – it’s applied towards your unpaid balance for the total course cost. We get it. It’s easy to forget this stuff. 😊
• We do NOT process automatic renewals after you have paid the total course cost in full.

CRNA CE Courses

• Total cost = $219
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $299
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $299
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $599
• Payment schedule = $549 when you sign up + $50 at the start of year 2

• Total cost = $999
• Payment schedule = $949 when you sign up + $50 at the start of year 2

Student Courses (Prices Below Reflect the Pricing Structure from 2020 – 2023)

• Total cost = $399
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $449
• Payment schedule = $399 when you sign up + $50 at the start of year 2

• Total cost = $499
• Payment schedule = $399 when you sign up + $50 at the start of years 2 and 3

4-Year Access

• Total cost = $549
• Payment schedule = $399 when you sign up + $50 at the start of years 2, 3, and 4

Boards Bootcamp

• Total cost = $799
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

There are several reasons why you might not be able to log into your account.

1. Did you forget your password?

• Click here to reset your password. Once you reset your password, check your email for the password verification email from noreply2@truelearn.com (TrueLearn is the parent company of APEX).

2. Did you have multiple failed login attempts?

• To keep your account secure, we’ll lock out anyone who repeatedly uses the wrong password to login into their account.
• Do not log into your account for 1 hour, then try again (you should reset your password at this time to ensure that you’re using the right one).

3. Are you accessing APEX from your hospital or behind a firewall?

• Contact your IT administrator and ask them to unblock access to www.apexanesthesia.com, www.truelearn.com, and www.truelearn.net  (TrueLearn is the parent company of APEX)

4. Still stuck?

• Try clearing your cache in your browser.
• Email us, and we’ll do our very best to help you.

We all forget passwords from time to time. Click here to reset your password.

Once you reset your password, check your email for the password verification email from  noreply2@truelearn.com (TrueLearn is the parent company of APEX).

New passwords must meet all of the following requirements:

• At least 6 characters
• A lowercase character 
• An Uppercase character 
• A number 
• A special character 

Yes! We offer free demos of all of our courses so you can experience the APEX difference for yourself. A free trial of the NCE/SEE SmartBank is available too – go here to sign up!

CPC Core Modules

• Video Demo
• PDF Demo
• Audio Demo

Back to Basics

• Question-Guided Tutorial Demo

CRNA Updates

• PDF Demo
• Audio Demo

Student Review

• Question-Guided Tutorial Demo
• Practice Exam Demo
• Video Demo
• Workbook Demo

NCE/SEE SmartBank

• Go here to sign up for a free trial!

Learners in our Student Review Course can purchase access to our NCE/SEE SmartBank app or sign up for a free trial inside their APEX account.

Although there is no app for the rest of our courses, we have the next best thing.

You can get 1-click access to your course directly from your phone. The only difference between this and an app is that you’ll still need an internet connection.

Click one of the links below for instructions (it’s really easy):

• Directions for iPhone
• Directions for Android

For 1-click access to work, you’ll need to save your password to your phone.

Sharing accounts is strictly prohibited. Any violation of our Terms of Service will result in the cancellation of your account.

You can access APEX from your computer, tablet, and smartphone. You can start on one device and pick up where you left off on another device.

• Consistent minimum internet connection with a speed of 1.5 Mbps (10-25 Mbps for video).
• Modern browser that has been updated within the last 12 months and has cookies and JavaScript enabled. Supported browsers include: Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari.

Note: Browsers that are outdated or unsupported, such as older versions of Edge, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, or lesser-known browsers like Opera, may operate without issues but are not guaranteed to work seamlessly and are not supported. Certain operating environments, such as Linux, may also function but are not officially supported.

When we launched APEX in 2014, our primary focus was helping nurse anesthesia students pass the NCE (we’ve grown a lot since then).

Since day one, we leveraged the “testing effect” in our courses because we knew that a question-based approach to learning is the most effective and efficient way to master anesthesia curriculum. We wanted a name that embodied our teaching philosophy.

APEX stands for Anesthesia Practice EXams.

Overview

• You paid for your course in full at the time of enrollment.
• There are no automatic renewals (i.e., you won’t ever see a $50 charge on your account).

• All course subscriptions that last longer than 1 year are paid in yearly installments.
• You pay for part of the course when you enroll and then pay the remaining balance at 12-month intervals until you pay the total course cost.
• The $50 charge is NOT an “extra” charge – it’s applied towards your unpaid balance for the total course cost. We get it. It’s easy to forget this stuff. 😊
• We do NOT process automatic renewals after you have paid the total course cost in full.

CRNA CE Courses

• Total cost = $219
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $299
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $599
• Payment schedule = $549 when you sign up + $50 at the start of year 2

• Total cost = $999
• Payment schedule = $949 when you sign up + $50 at the start of year 2

Student Courses (Prices Below Reflect the Pricing Structure from 2020 – 2023)

• Total cost = $399
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

• Total cost = $449
• Payment schedule = $399 when you sign up + $50 at the start of year 2

• Total cost = $499
• Payment schedule = $399 when you sign up + $50 at the start of years 2 and 3

4-Year Access

• Total cost = $549
• Payment schedule = $399 when you sign up + $50 at the start of years 2, 3, and 4

Boards Bootcamp

• Total cost = $799
• Payment schedule = Total cost paid when you sign up

We want to provide you with a world-class experience every step of the way.

While thousands of students and CRNAs choose APEX for board review and continuing education, what if you decide it isn’t for you?

Email us within seven days of your purchase, and we’ll give you a full refund.

Because of the nature of digital courses, we do not offer refunds (full or partial) beyond seven days of your purchase.

• If you’re a CRNA, you must request your refund BEFORE earning credits (you earn credits by taking a post-test).
• If you’re a student who failed the NCE, then review our student guarantee for our refund policy.

We LOVE our learners, so we have several discount options available.

Standing discounts include:

• Military: If you’re actively serving in the military or are a veteran, then you’re eligible for a 10% discount.
• Loyalty: If you’re a returning customer, then you’re eligible for 10% off your first returning subscription.
• Group: Tell us more about your group, and we’ll be in touch within 1 business day.

Yes! We’d be happy to provide a discount for your group of students or CRNAs.

Join hundreds of universities, anesthesia practices, and groups of individuals who’ve saved money by enrolling as a group.

Tell us more about your group, and we’ll be in touch within 1 business day.

*Note: Our live Boards Bootcamp conference does not qualify for any discounts.

There are several possible explanations.

1. Your coupon code is expired:

• If the coupon code is expired, email us at info@apexanesthesia.com, and we’ll discuss your options.

2. Your email address is not connected to the coupon code:

• If you receive a message during checkout that says “this code is not yours,” then the email you used to register your account is not associated with the coupon code.
• If you are part of this group, make sure you’re using the email given to us on the group roster.
• If this does not work, please email us at info@apexanesthesia.com.

If you’re part of a group, do NOT process your payment without using the group discount code, because you won’t receive your discount.

We report credits for active AANA members on normal business days Monday – Friday.

If you’re not an AANA member, you can print your credit transcript to submit to the NBCRNA.

Yes! You can repeat any course whenever we receive a new AANA approval number for that course.

• We receive new AANA approval numbers for our courses every several years.
• So long as you complete the course under a different AANA number, you can complete the course again for Class A credits.

We understand that sometimes life gets in the way. If you need extra time to earn your credits, contact us, and we’ll gladly extend your course access.

If you’d like to enroll in a course that you used previously (to earn credits again), email us at info@apexanesthesia.com so we can re-enroll you into a course.

The CPC program spans an 8 year calendar that’s divided into two 4-year cycles.

The best way to understand the CPC program is to think of the 4 C’s:

1. CPC Core Modules | 4 per 4-year cycle
2. Class A credits | 60 per 4-year cycle
3. Class B credits | 40 per 4-year cycle
4. CPC Assessment | 1 per 8-year cycle

The CPC Core Modules are a required every 4-year cycle.

CRNAs who graduated in 2020 (and later) must complete the CPC Core Modules in their first 4-year cycle.

The goal of the CPC program is to enhance your professional development. By staying up-to-date on current practice trends, CRNAs will continue to lead the way in delivering high-quality patient care.

The CPC Program focuses on 4 domains of anesthesia knowledge:

1. Airway management techniques
2. Applied clinical pharmacology
3. Human physiology & pathophysiology
4. Anesthesia equipment & technology

The CPC Core Modules serve two primary functions:

1. They keep your clinical practice up-to-date by providing you with the current evidence-based practice trends.
2. They help you earn Class A credits.

Not all modules are created equally! The quality, content, and Class A credit hours associated with the CPC Core Modules are determined by each vendor.

This is important – the NBCRNA must officially recognize the CPC Core Modules before a vendor may offer them for sale. Some vendors may offer Core Module “Prep,” but they are NOT the real modules unless the NBCRNA officially recognizes them.

Our CPC Core Modules are officially recognized by the NBCRNA and approved by the AANA for 23 Class A credits.

Yes! Core Modules award Class A credits.

Although most Core Module providers charge nearly the same prices, some vendors give you more credits than others.

APEX gives you more credits for your money! In fact, our Core Modules give you 23 Class A credits, which is more than 1/3 of all the Class A credits you need for your entire 4-year cycle!

We get it – Class A and Class B credits can be confusing.

• For recertification, you’ll need 60 Class A credits and 40 Class B credits.
• If you earn more than 60 Class A credits, then any Class A credit above 60 can be applied to your Class B requirement.
• Some CRNAs find it easier to do more Class A credits instead of going through the cumbersome process of figuring out what counts as Class B credit.

What’s the bottom line? Every credit you earn with APEX is designated as Class A.

Since APEX offers over 100 Class A credits, we’ll help you get absolutely everything you need for recertification (all of your Class A and B credits, as well as the 4 CPC Core Modules). Think of the time you’ll save. 😊

Have a question? Simply email us at info@apexanesthesia.com or call 804-347-0703, and we’ll be happy to help!

Yes! APEX is founded and operated by CRNAs who care about you.

All volumes of CRNA Updates use the same convenient format – PDF articles that also include streaming audio. We release a new volume of CRNA Updates every year:

• Vol. 4 was released in late fall of 2024. It includes 20 articles with 30 Class A credits including 12 credits in pharmacology/therapeutics. 
• Vol. 3 was released in late fall of 2023. It includes 20 articles with 30 Class A credits including 19 credits in pharmacology/therapeutics.
• Vol. 2 was released in late fall of 2022. It includes 20 articles with 30 Class A credits including 13.5 credits in pharmacology/therapeutics.
• Vol. 1 was released in late fall of 2021, including 15 articles with 22.5 Class A credits including 7 pharmacology). In the summer of 2025, 5 new clinically up-to-date articles were added to enhance relevance and increase the credit count to 30 Class A credits including 8.5 in pharmacology/therapeutics.

Yes! If you don’t meet the passing standard on the NBCRNA CPC Assessment, we’ll give you the remediation credits you need for FREE.

Click here to sign up!

No. Whether or not you’re an APEX customer, we’re here to help you get the help you need for remediation for free. Maybe this will be the start of a beautiful relationship. 😉

Click here to sign up!

Absolutely! Our 3- and 4-year Student Review Course subscriptions are the most popular because students use APEX to prepare for their classroom exams throughout their anesthesia programs. 

The Student Review Course will also help you prepare for the SEE and NCE by covering the content that you’ll be tested on. To further enhance readiness for these exams, the NCE/SEE SmartBank, powered by TrueLearn, is mapped to the NCE/SEE Content Outline and contains the specific item types found on the exam.* Through the Performance Dashboard, you’ll be able to identify content weaknesses and strengths as you take practice tests in the SmartBank and track how you are performing compared to the nation. The detailed performance insight will help guide your board prep so you can outperform come exam day!

*Multiple choice, multi-select, drag and drop, and calculation questions available as of April 2024! Hotspot item-types will be added in the future.

Everyone feels the pressure of passing the NCE and SEE on their first attempt, so lots of SRNAs and RRNAs supplement their study plans with a live review course that teaches from a different perspective.

The problem is that adding an outside review course to your APEX study plan leads to frustration and uncertainty because it’s not consistent with everything we’ve taught you.

That’s why we created  Boards Bootcamp  — a 2-day intensive that gives you a new (and unique) perspective on essential board review topics without conflicting information that can cost you valuable points on test day.

Click here to learn more about Boards Bootcamp.

PS – We also offer an NCE/SEE SmartBank that can be added to your Student Review Course. Check it out here!

We offer 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-year subscriptions to our Student Review course and 1-year NCE/SEE SmartBank access.

We strongly suggest that you purchase a subscription that will cover you for a few months beyond graduation so that you’ll have uninterrupted access to APEX when you need it most.

Subscription renewals beyond the initial subscription period will be charged at full price. In other words, if you purchase a 1-year subscription  and later decide you wish to have another year of access, then you’d need to repurchase another year at the end of your initial subscription.

If you don’t pass the NCE, we’ll keep your subscription active for FREE. Check out our student guarantee for details.

Pass predictions are pseudoscience. Here’s why:

The NCE is a computer adaptive exam. It’s impossible to accurately predict the questions or concepts that a student will encounter on a given attempt. Not only will the exam be different for everyone, but it will also be different each time a student retakes it. Furthermore, the NCE evolves over time as new content is added and old content is removed.

On top of this, those that offer a pass prediction rely on many assumptions and incomplete data sets that aren’t necessarily generalizable to complete populations. Don’t believe us? Ask them how they do it, and critically evaluate their answers.

The bottom line is that there are no shortcuts! We’ll help you master ALL of the concepts necessary to pass the National Certification Exam and start your new life as a CRNA with confidence.

Be sure to check out our student guarantee!

Although thousands of students trust APEX to help them pass boards, you may be thinking, “what if I don’t pass?”

If the unthinkable happens, here’s how we’ll help:

• Send us your scores after your first attempt, and we’ll schedule a free strategy session to get you back on track.
• If your course subscription expires, we’ll give you a free extension.
• Students who purchased the NCE/SEE SmartBank independent of their institution, are eligible for complimentary access to a new subscription, equal in length to the subscription that was originally purchased. A score report must be provided. Score reports must include the exam taker’s name, score, and date of exam in order to be considered for the pass guarantee. Subscriptions that are purchased institutionally do not qualify for the pass guarantee. 
• If you don’t pass the NCE after 4 attempts, you can keep free access to the APEX Student Review Course until you pass or you can stop using APEX and receive a full refund.

A review course is only beneficial to those who actually use it. To be eligible for our guarantee, you must put in the effort and complete the course.

Everyone feels the pressure of passing the NCE and SEE on their first attempt, so lots of SRNAs and RRNAs supplement their study plans with a live review course that teaches from a different perspective.

The problem is that adding an outside review course to your APEX study plan leads to frustration and uncertainty because it’s not consistent with everything we’ve taught you.

That’s why we created  Boards Bootcamp  — a 2-day intensive that gives you a new (and unique) perspective on essential board review topics without conflicting information that can cost you valuable points on test day.

Click here to learn more about Boards Bootcamp.

Once you log into APEX, select the My SmartBank tab on the left-hand navigation menu.  The NCE/SEE SmartBank will open in a new tab of your browser. If you need to return to the Student Review Course, just switch back to that tab of the browser or select the APEX Courses tab in the left-hand navigation menu of the SmartBank window.